[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 226 (Wednesday, November 24, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71670-71671]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-29667]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XA054
Endangered Species; File No. 15606
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 Andre Landry, Ph.D., Texas A&M
University at Galveston, Department of Marine Biology, 5007 Avenue U,
Galveston, TX 77553, has applied in due form for a permit to take green
(Chelonia mydas), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), loggerhead
(Caretta caretta), and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) sea turtles
for purposes of scientific research.
DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or
before December 27, 2010.
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. 15606 from the list of available applications.
These documents are also available upon written request or by
appointment in the following offices:
Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD
20910; phone (301) 713-2289; fax (301) 713-0376; and
Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, Saint Petersburg, FL
33701; phone (727) 824-5312; fax (727) 824-5309.
Written comments on this application should be submitted to the
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, at the above
listed address. Comments may also be submitted by facsimile to (301)
713-0376, or by e-mail to [email protected]. Please include the
File No. in the subject line of the e-mail comment.
Those individuals requesting a public hearing should submit a
written request to the Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education
Division at the above listed address. The request should set forth the
specific reasons why a hearing on this application would be
appropriate.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colette Cairns or Amy Hapeman, (301)
713-2289.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit is requested 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
222-226).
Dr. Landry requests a five-year permit to take sea turtles for
scientific research in Gulf of Mexico waters. The purposes of these
projects are to: (1) Examine green sea turtle assemblages in sea grass
habitats in Texas; (2) determine trends in seasonal abundance and
movement of green, Kemp's ridley and loggerhead sea turtles in Texas
and Louisiana estuaries; (3) characterize environmental estrogen uptake
in green and Kemp's ridley sea turtles at a Texas Superfund site; and
(4) document impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on sea turtle
assemblages in the western Gulf of Mexico. The applicant proposes to
capture by entanglement or cast net, transport, photograph, measure,
weigh, flipper tag, passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag, blood,
fecal, epiphyte and tissue sample, attach satellite transmitters to and
release sea turtles.
In project 1, the applicant proposes to take up to 150 green, 30
Kemp's ridley, and 20 loggerhead sea turtles annually. Sea turtles
would be captured via entanglement or cast net, measured,
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weighed, photographed, epibiota removed, flipper and PIT tagged,
epiphyte and tissue sampled prior to release. Up to 120 green sea
turtles would be additionally epiphyte sampled. An additional 25 green
turtles would also be satellite tagged, tracked, and fecal sampled
prior to release.
In project 2, the applicant proposes to take up to 15 green, 135
Kemp's ridley, and 10 loggerhead sea turtles via entanglement net
annually. Turtles would be measured, weighed, photographed, epibiota
removed, flipper and PIT tagged, epiphyte and tissue sampled. Another
10 green, 14 Kemp's ridley, and 40 loggerhead sea turtles that have
been legally captured by relocation trawlers working in conjunction
with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would be authorized for these
activities each year. A subset of up to 14 Kemp's ridley sea turtles
would be satellite tagged, tracked, and fecal sampled annually.
In project 3, the applicant proposes to take up to 12 green and 12
Kemp's ridley sea turtles annually. Turtles would be collected via
entanglement net, measured, photographed, weighed, epibiota removed,
flipper and PIT tagged, and blood sampled.
In project 4, the applicant proposes to take up to 20 green and 20
loggerhead sea turtles annually. Sea turtles would be captured via
entanglement or cast net, measured, weighed, photographed, epibiota
removed, flipper and PIT tagged, blood and tissue sampled. Up to 200
Kemp's ridley, 20 loggerhead, 20 green, and 10 hawksbill sea turtles
would additionally be satellite tagged, tracked, blood and fecal
sampled each year.
Dated: November 19, 2010.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-29667 Filed 11-23-10; 8:45 am]
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