[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 50, Volume 7]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 50CFR222.310]

[Page 133-134]
 
                    TITLE 50--WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES
 
  CHAPTER II--NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND 
           ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
 
PART 222_GENERAL ENDANGERED AND THREATENED MARINE SPECIES--Table of
 
                   Subpart C_General Permit Procedures
 
Sec. 222.310  Permit authority for designated agents and employees

of specified Federal and state agencies.

    (a) This section constitutes a programmatic permit, pursuant to 16 
U.S.C. 1539(a)(1)(A), that authorizes activities by agents and employees 
of Federal and state agencies, as described in paragraph (b) of this 
section, to aid stranded endangered sea turtles, and to salvage, collect 
data from, and dispose of, dead carcasses of endangered sea turtles in 
the marine environment. For purposes of this section, 'stranded' means 
endangered sea turtles, in the marine environment, that are alive but 
sick, injured, or entangled.
    (b) If any member of any endangered species of sea turtle is found 
stranded or dead in the marine environment, any agent or employee of the 
National Marine Fisheries Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the 
U.S. Coast Guard, or any other Federal land or water management agency, 
or any agent or employee of a state agency responsible for fish and 
wildlife who is designated by his or her agency for such purposes, may, 
when acting in the course of his or her official duties, take such 
endangered sea turtles if such taking is necessary to aid a stranded sea 
turtle, or dispose of or salvage a dead sea turtle, or collect data from 
a dead sea turtle which may be useful for scientific and educational 
purposes. Live turtles will be handled as described in Sec. 
223.206(d)(1). Whenever possible, live sea turtles shall be returned to 
their aquatic environment as soon as possible. The following data 
collection activities for live turtles while they are in the marine 
environment are allowed:
    (1) Turtles may be flipper and passive integrated transponder (PIT) 
tagged, prior to release. Flipper tags would be applied to the trailing 
edge of either the front or rear flippers with standard tagging 
applicators after the tagging

[[Page 134]]

area has been cleaned with alcohol or iodine solution. PIT tags would be 
inserted according to best practice, approved scientific protocols, 
after cleaning the insertion site with alcohol or iodine solution. 
Before application of flipper tags or insertion of PIT tags, all 
flippers and the neck/shoulder area will be examined and scanned for the 
presence of any pre-existing flipper or PIT tags.
    (2) Turtles may also be weighed, measured, and photographed prior to 
release.
    (3) When handling turtles exhibiting fibropapilloma, all equipment 
(tagging equipment, tape measures, etc.) that comes in contact with the 
turtle shall be cleaned with a mild bleach solution.
    (c) Every action shall be reported in writing to the Assistant 
Administrator, or authorized representative, via the agency or 
institution designated by the state to record such events. Reports shall 
contain the following information:
    (1) Name and position of the official or employee involved;
    (2) Description of the sea turtle(s) involved including species and 
condition of the animal;
    (3) When applicable, description of entangling gear, its location on 
the turtle, and the amount of gear left on the turtle at release;
    (4) Method, date and location of disposal of the sea turtle(s), 
including, if applicable, where the sea turtle(s) has been retained in 
captivity; and
    (5) Such other information as the Assistant Administrator, or 
authorized representative, may require.

[70 FR 42509, July 25, 2005]