[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 13 (Monday, January 22, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 2649]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-740]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 121106D]


Endangered Species; File No. 1557-01

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

ACTION:  Notice; issuance of permit modification.

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SUMMARY:  Notice is hereby given that Molly Lutcavage, Department of 
Zoology, 177 A Spaulding Hall, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 
03824-2617, has been issued a modification to File No. 1557.

ADDRESSES:  The permit and related documents are available for review 
upon written request or by appointment in the following office(s):
    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)427-2521; and
    Northeast Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-
2298; phone (978)281-9200; fax (978)281-9371.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Patrick Opay or Kate Swails, 
(301)713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 20, 2006, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (71 FR 61959) that a request for a scientific 
research permit to take leatherback sea turtles had been submitted by 
the above-named individual. The requested permit has been issued 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 
parts 222-226).
    The primary purpose of the proposed research is to investigate 
leatherback sea turtle regional behavior and movements in near-shore 
waters of the Atlantic Ocean off the United States and to identify 
their dispersal in relation to oceanographic conditions and fishing 
activities. The research will also help establish baseline health 
assessments, genetic identities, sex ratios, and stable isotope 
composition of leatherback sea turtle tissues and prey. Researchers 
will conduct research on up to 12 leatherback sea turtles annually. 
Researchers will use animals that have been captured using a breakaway 
hoopnet. Turtles will be measured, weighed, photographed and video 
taped, flipper and passive integrated transponder tagged, blood 
sampled, cloacal swabbed, nasal swabbed, skin sampled, tagged with 
electronic instruments (e.g., satellite transmitters), and released. 
The research permit is issued for 5 years.
    The permit modification authorizes the permit holder to work in the 
area between Cape Canaveral, Florida to Savannah, Georgia. The permit 
holder currently conducts research June to October and the modification 
provides authorization to conduct research during February and March as 
well. No increase in take numbers is requested and all other aspects of 
the research remain the same.
    Issuance of this permit, as required by the ESA, was based on a 
finding that such permit (1) was applied for in good faith, (2) will 
not operate to the disadvantage of any endangered or threatened 
species, and (3) is consistent with the purposes and policies set forth 
in section 2 of the ESA.

    Dated: January 16, 2007.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-740 Filed 1-19-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S