[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 221 (Thursday, November 17, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69742-69743]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-22812]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 092105E]


Endangered Species; File No. 1541

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Kristen M. Hart, Ph.D, United 
States Geologic Survey, Florida Integrated Science Center, Center for 
Coastal and Watershed Studies, has been issued 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.

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, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone 
(301)713-2289; fax (301)427-2521; and
    Southeast Regional Office, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 263 
13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701; phone (727) 824-5312; fax 
(727)824-5309.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 12, 2005, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (70 FR 40004) that a request for a scientific 
research permit to take green, Kemp's ridley, loggerhead, and hawksbill 
sea turtles had been submitted by the applicant. 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).

[[Page 69743]]

    Researchers will capture up to 106 green, 1 Kemp's ridley, 1 
loggerhead, and 1 hawksbill sea turtles by tended pound-net or dip-net 
over the course of the three year permit. All turtles will be measured, 
weighed, blood sampled, flipper tagged, Passive Integrated Transponder 
tagged, fecal sampled if large enough, and released. All green turtles 
will be gastric lavaged. A subset of green turtles will also have a 
satellite transmitter or sonic and radio receivers attached to their 
carapace. The research will gather information on turtle habitat, 
genetic origin, size and age composition, species distribution, and 
health status. This information will be used to develop conservation 
management measures for these species. The research will occur in the 
waters of the Big Sable Creek complex in southwest Florida. The permit 
is issued for a 3-year period.
    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: November 10, 2005.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-22812 Filed 11-16-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S