[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 207 (Friday, October 29, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59997-59998]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-23631]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XB542]


Endangered Species; File No. 25686

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the NMFS Southeast Fisheries 
Science Center, 75 Virginia Beach, Miami, FL, 33149 (Responsible Party: 
Lisa Desfosse, Ph.D.) has applied in due form for a permit to take 
green (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), Kemp's 
ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), 
loggerhead (Caretta caretta), and unidentified sea turtles for purposes 
of scientific research.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before November 29, 2021.

ADDRESSES: The 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 File 
No. 25686 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 File No. 25686 in the 
subject line of the email comment.
    Those individuals requesting a public hearing should submit a 
written request via email to [email protected]. The request 
should set forth the specific reasons why a hearing on this application 
would be appropriate.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit is requested under the 
authority of the Endangered Species Act

[[Page 59998]]

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 applicant proposes to evaluate modifications to commercial 
fishing gear to mitigate sea turtle interactions and capture under two 
projects in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea and 
their estuarine and coastal environments: (1) Turtle Excluder Device 
(TED) Evaluations in Trawl Fisheries and (2) Evaluation of Longline 
Alternative Methods. These evaluations and subsequent gear 
modifications could help reduce incidental turtle bycatch in the gear 
types studied. The applicant proposes to conduct research on sea 
turtles bycaught in fisheries managed by Federal authority or during 
directed research to test different gear configurations. For the TED 
Evaluations project, the applicant requests the following annual take 
numbers to study turtles bycaught in commercial fisheries or directly 
captured by researchers using trawls: 160 loggerhead, 42 Kemp's ridley, 
10 leatherback, 21 green, and 10 hawksbill sea turtles. For the 
Evaluation of Longline Alternative Methods project, the applicant 
requests the following annual take numbers for those individuals 
bycaught in commercial fisheries: 3 loggerhead, 2 Kemp's ridley, 18 
leatherback, 2 green, and 2 hawksbill sea turtles. All individuals 
captured will be handled, measured, weighed, photographed, flipper 
tagged, passive integrated transponder tagged, skin biopsied, and 
released. Biological samples may be imported for analysis and curation. 
For each project, up to 10 unidentified sea turtle carcasses that 
unintentionally die in a fishery may be salvaged. The applicant 
requests 3 loggerhead, 2 Kemp's ridley, 2 green, and 2 leatherback sea 
turtle mortalities for the life of the permit for individuals that may 
unintentionally die during research. The permit would be valid for five 
years from the date of issuance.

    Dated: October 25, 2021.
Julia M. Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-23631 Filed 10-28-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P