[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 147 (Wednesday, July 30, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44224-44225]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-17465]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XJ23


Endangered Species; File No. 10027

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

ACTION:  Issuance of permit.

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SUMMARY:  Notice is hereby given that the Center for Biodiversity and 
Conservation, American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), Central Park 
West at 79th Street, New York, New York 10024, has been issued a permit 
to take green (Chelonia mydas) 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 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)427-2521;
    Pacific Islands Region, NMFS, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Rm 1110, 
Honolulu, HI 96814-4700; phone (808)944-2200; fax (808)973-2941.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 16, 2007, notice was published 
in the Federal Register (72 FR 64584) that a request for a scientific 
research permit to take green and hawksbill sea turtles had been 
submitted by the above-named organization. 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 44225]]

    The AMNH is authorized a 5-year research permit to study green and 
hawksbill sea turtles at the Palmyra Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. 
Researchers may capture by hand or net, examine, measure, photograph, 
flipper and Passive Integrated Transponder tag, blood sample, carapace 
sample, shell etch and paint, fecal sample, measure their temperature, 
and release up to 300 green and 100 hawkbill sea turtles annually. The 
purpose of this work is to assess the population biology and 
connectivity of green and hawksbill sea turtles focusing on 
distribution and abundance, ecology, health, threats to sea turtles as 
well as implications for their management and conservation. A subset of 
animals may be gastric lavaged or have transmitters affixed to the 
carapace before release. Additionally, researchers are authorized to 
collect the carcass, tissues and/or parts of encountered dead animals 
from 30 green and 10 hawksbill sea turtles annually.
    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 such endangered or threatened 
species, and (3) is consistent with the purposes and policies set forth 
in section 2 of the ESA.

    Dated: July 23, 2008.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-17465 Filed 7-29-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S