[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 181 (Wednesday, September 18, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57353-57354]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-22609]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA179


Endangered Species; File No. 14726

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for a permit modification.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Blair Witherington, Ph.D., Florida 
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 9700 South A1A, Melbourne 
Beach, FL, 32951, has requested a modification to scientific research 
Permit No. 14726-01.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before October 18, 2013.

ADDRESSES: The modification request and related documents are available 
for review by selecting ``Records Open for Public Comment'' from the 
Features box on the Applications and Permits for Protected Species 
(APPS) home page, https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting File 
No. 14726 from the list of available applications. These documents are 
also available 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,

[[Page 57354]]

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.
    Written comments on this application should be submitted to the 
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, at the address listed above. 
Comments may also be submitted by facsimile to (301)713-0376, or by 
email to [email protected]. Please include the File No. in the 
subject line of the email comment.
    Those individuals requesting a public hearing should submit a 
written request to the Chief, Permits and Conservation Division at the 
address listed above. The request should set forth the specific reasons 
why a hearing on this application would be appropriate.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Hapeman or Rosa L. 
Gonz[aacute]lez, (301)427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject modification to Permit No. 
14726-01, issued on April 7, 2011 (76 FR 30309) is requested under the 
authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 
1531 et seq.) and the regulations governing the taking, importing, and 
exporting of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 222-226).
    Permit No. 14726-01 authorizes the permit holder to locate and 
describe areas of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico near Florida 
that serve as developmental habitat for pelagic-stage juvenile and 
neonate loggerhead (Caretta caretta), green (Chelonia mydas), Kemp's 
ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), and 
leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) sea turtles, to quantify threats to 
pelagic sea turtles, and to gather information on their life-history, 
genetics, movements, behavior, and diet. Researchers are authorized to 
capture by dip net, flipper and passive integrated transponder tag, 
measure, weigh, and oral swab sea turtles. A subset of animals may be 
skin biopsied, fecal sampled, lavaged or have a satellite tag attached. 
The permit holder requests authorization to (1) expand the action area 
to the Gulf of Mexico; (2) modify the method for satellite tag 
attachments; (3) change the sea turtle species, life stages, and number 
of animals that may be biologically sampled and satellite tagged; (4) 
add scute and blood sampling to the suite of procedures that can be 
performed on captured sea turtles; and (5) conduct vessel surveys for 
counts of leatherback and loggerhead sea turtles. Genetic and stable 
isotope analyses from this sampling would help Dr. Witherington 
determine the trophic history of pelagic neonate and neritic stage 
loggerhead sea turtles and assign a source rookery to these turtles. 
Satellite telemetry with the trophic histories would further describe 
the sea turtles' home range, habitat use, residency and intersection 
with fisheries.

    Dated: September 12, 2013.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-22609 Filed 9-17-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P