[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 11, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 3292]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-00360]



[[Page 3292]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE348


Endangered Species; File No. 17225

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the NMFS Northeast Fisheries 
Science Center (NEFSC), 166 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543 
[Responsible Party: Jon Hare, Ph.D.], has been issued a permit to take 
Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus), loggerhead 
(Caretta caretta), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), green (Chelonia 
mydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and leatherback (Dermochelys 
coriacea) 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 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.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 15, 2016, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (81 FR 2196) that a request for a scientific 
research permit to take Atlantic sturgeon, loggerhead Kemp's ridley, 
green, hawksbill and leatherback 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).
    Permit No. 17255 authorizes the NEFSC to conduct research on 
Atlantic sturgeon and sea turtles in Northwest Atlantic waters from 
Massachusetts to Florida, testing and evaluating gear modifications 
used within commercial fisheries in efforts to minimize or prevent 
future interactions with sea turtles and Atlantic sturgeon. Researchers 
may capture, measure, weigh, tag, genetic tissue sample, and photograph 
animals prior to release. The permit is valid for five years from the 
date of issuance.
    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: January 5, 2017.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-00360 Filed 1-10-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P