[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 188 (Friday, September 27, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59657-59658]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-23544]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC667


Endangered Species; File No. 17304

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 Kristen Hart, Ph.D., U.S. 
Geological Survey, 3205 College Ave., Davie, Florida, 33314 has been 
issued a permit to take loggerhead (Caretta caretta), hawksbill 
(Eretmochelys imbricata), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), and 
green (Chelonia mydas) 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 and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705,

[[Page 59658]]

Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone (301)427-8401; fax (301)713-0376; and
    Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th Ave South, St. Petersburg, FL 
33701; phone (727)824-5312; fax (727)824-5309.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Hapeman or Rosa L. 
Gonz[aacute]lez, (301)427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 17, 2013, notice was published in the 
Federal Register (78 FR 29114) that a request for a scientific research 
permit to take loggerhead, green, hawksbill, and Kemp's ridley 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).
    Permit No. 17304 authorizes researchers to capture 100 green, 100 
loggerhead, 90 Kemp's ridley, and 20 hawksbill sea turtles annually by 
hand or using nets in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Alternative to 
direct capture, researchers may obtain sea turtles for study that are 
legally captured during relocation trawling for the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers. Sea turtles may have the following procedures performed 
before release: Measure; remove epibiota; carapace mark; photograph/
video; flipper and passive integrated transponder tag; weigh; skin, 
fecal, scute and blood sample; stomach lavage; track; and/or attach up 
to three transmitters. The permit is valid for 5 years beginning 
October 1, 2013.
    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: September 24, 2013.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-23544 Filed 9-26-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P