[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 131 (Wednesday, July 8, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 40971]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-14670]



[[Page 40971]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XA264]


Endangered Species; File Nos. 18238, 23639, and 23850

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of applications for permits and a permit 
modification.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that three applicants have applied in 
due form for a permit or permit modification to take green (Chelonia 
mydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys 
kempii), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), loggerhead (Caretta 
caretta), and olive ridley (L. olivacea) sea turtles for purposes of 
scientific research.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before August 7, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Each application 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 the 
applicable File No. from the list of available applications. These 
documents are also available upon written request via email to 
[email protected].
    Written comments on this application should be submitted via 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 [email protected]. The request should set 
forth the specific reasons why a hearing on the application would be 
appropriate.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permits and permit modification 
are 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 parts 222-226).
    File No. 18238-03: NMFS, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 8901 
La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, (Responsible Party: 
Robin LeRoux), proposes to modify Permit No. 18238-02. The permit, 
originally issued on April 21, 2016 (81 FR 43589, July 5, 2016), 
authorizes researchers to conduct long-term monitoring of green, 
loggerhead, olive ridley sea turtles in southern California waters. 
Researchers may conduct vessel surveys for sea turtle counts, captures, 
examination, observation, marking, biological sampling, tagging, and 
morphometrics. The permit holder requests authority to (1) take 10 
hawksbill sea turtles annually as a target species for study; (2) 
increase the number of green, loggerhead, and olive ridley sea turtles 
that may be captured annually by 20, 50, 300 animals, respectively; (3) 
expand the study area; (4) use an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) for 
surveys and to sight turtles for capture; (5) analyze the microbiome 
and biotoxins in collected urine, cloacal, lavage, and/or fecal 
samples; (6) measure the internal body temperature of captured animals; 
(7) attach another type of suction cup tag to green sea turtles to 
study their energetics and nutrition; and (8) add personnel to operate 
the UAS. The permit is valid through September 30, 2025.
    File No. 23639: Coonamessett Farm Foundation, Inc., 277 Hatchville 
Road, East Falmouth, MA 02536, (Responsible Party: Ronald Smolowitz), 
proposes to study the behavior and distributions of green, Kemp's 
ridley, leatherback, and loggerhead sea turtles within the northwestern 
Atlantic Ocean. Researchers would capture by dip net, measure, weigh, 
photograph, flipper and passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag, 
biologically sample (blood, cloacal swab, cloacal lavage, skin, scute, 
and fecal), tag (epoxy or suction cup) and release up to 15 green, 15 
Kemp's ridley, and 30 loggerhead sea turtles annually. After release 
animals may be temporarily tracked with an underwater remotely operated 
vehicle (ROV). In addition, 45 green, 45 Kemp's ridley, and 60 
loggerhead sea turtles annually may be tracked and observed in water by 
ROV only (no capture). Up to 30 leatherbacks annually may be sighted 
and tracked by a manned aircraft for subsequent vessel-based research 
involving remote attachment of a suction-cup tag, ROV tracking, and 
remote PIT tag scanning later in the same day. Another 60 leatherback 
and 20 unidentified sea turtles may be targeted for study in the same 
manner without tagging annually. The applicant also requests take of 45 
green, 45 Kemp's ridley, 60 leatherback, 60 loggerhead, and 10 
unidentified sea turtles annually for pursuit during unsuccessful 
capture or remote tagging attempts. The permit would be valid for up to 
10 years from the date of issuance.
    File No. 23850: Shigetomo Hirama, Florida Fish and Wildlife 
Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, 1105 SW 
Williston Road, Gainesville, FL, proposes to quantify threats to 
pelagic sea turtles and to gather information on their life history, 
genetics, movements, behavior, and diet of green, Kemp's ridley, 
hawksbill, leatherback, and loggerhead sea turtles in the waters around 
Florida. Up to 210 green, 20 hawksbill, 110 Kemp's ridley, 15 
leatherback, and 210 loggerhead sea turtles would be captured annually 
by dip net, fecal sampled (opportunistically collected from naturally 
voided feces), oral examination, photographed/videoed, measured, and 
weighed, prior to release. A subset of sea turtles would be gastric 
lavaged, tagged (flipper, PIT), biologically sampled (scute, skin), 
and/or receive a satellite tag (epoxy attachment), prior to release. 
The permit would be valid for up to five years from the date of 
issuance.

    Dated: July 1, 2020.
Amy Sloan,
Acting Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-14670 Filed 7-7-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P