[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 23 (Thursday, February 3, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6118-6119]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-2393]
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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 permit modification.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Blair Witherington, PhD, Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 9700 South A1A, Melbourne
Beach, FL 32951, has requested a modification to scientific research
Permit No. 14726.
DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or
before March 7, 2011.
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. 14726-01 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
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 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 Kristy Beard, (301)
713-2289.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject modification to Permit No. 14726
is requested under the authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973,
[[Page 6119]]
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, issued on September 3, 2010 (75 FR 61133),
authorizes research 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, lavaged or have a
satellite tag attached.
Dr. Witherington requests a modification to the permit to: (1)
Increase the number and life stages of sea turtles (up to 600
loggerheads, 550 greens, 100 hawksbills, and 550 Kemp's ridleys) that
may be taken annually; (2) authorize fecal sampling for all animals and
satellite tagging for a subset of green sea turtles; and (3) expand the
authorized study area to include the entire Gulf of Mexico. This work
would (1) identify threats to pelagic sea turtles, and (2) document the
density, condition, diet, and potential Mississippi Canyon 252 oil
exposure of pelagic sea turtles associated with floating Sargassum as
part of the post-spill Natural Resources Damage Assessment of the BP
Deepwater Horizon event. The modification would be valid through
December 31, 2011.
Dated: January 28, 2011.
Tammy C. Adams,
Acting Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-2393 Filed 1-31-11; 4:15 pm]
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