[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 132 (Tuesday, July 10, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 40588]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-16829]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XB054


Endangered Species; File No. 16598

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Issuance of permit.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Inwater Research Group, Inc. 
(Responsible Party and Principal Investigator: Michael Bresette), 4160 
NE. Hyline Drive, Jensen Beach, FL 34957, has been issued a permit to 
take green (Chelonia mydas), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), hawksbill 
(Eretmochelys imbricata), and Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) sea 
turtles for purposes of scientific research.

ADDRESSES: The permit and related documents are available for review 
upon written request or by appointment in the following offices:

Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 
1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone 
(301) 427-8401; fax (301) 713-0376; and
Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701; 
phone (727) 824-5312; fax (727) 824-5309.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Hapeman or Colette Cairns, (301) 
427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 5, 2012, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (77 FR 13096) that a request for a scientific 
research permit to take green, loggerhead, hawksbill, and Kemp's ridley 
sea turtles had been submitted by the above-named organization. The 
requested permit has been issued under the authority of the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and the 
regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of 
endangered and threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-226).
    The Permit Holder is authorized to conduct long-term research on 
the demographics and movements of green, loggerhead, hawksbill, and 
Kemp's ridley sea turtles in the Key West National Wildlife Refuge and 
the Big Bend of Florida. The objectives of the research are to: (1) 
Obtain information on sea turtle abundance, size frequencies, and sex 
ratios; (2) determine the genetic origin of sea turtle populations in 
the region; (3) continue to monitor turtle foraging habits; (4) track 
prevalence of fibropapilomatosis in sea turtles; (5) track green sea 
turtle movements west of the Marquesas Keys; and (6) identify habitat 
preferences of hawksbill sea turtles in the Key West National Wildlife 
Refuge. Up to 160 green, 160 loggerhead, 75 hawksbill, and 66 Kemp's 
ridley sea turtles may be captured annually for flipper and passive 
integrated transponder tagging, blood and tissue sampling, 
morphometrics, photography, and weights. A subset of sea turtles may be 
lavaged and/or satellite tagged. In addition to captures, researchers 
may conduct vessel surveys to observe and count sea turtles in the 
area. The permit is valid for five years.
    Issuance of this permit, as required by the ESA, was based on a 
finding that such permit (1) Was applied for in good faith, (2) will 
not operate to the disadvantage of such endangered or threatened 
species, and (3) is consistent with the purposes and policies set forth 
in section 2 of the ESA.

    Dated: July 5, 2012.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-16829 Filed 7-9-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P