[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 61 (Thursday, March 29, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13477-13478]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-06376]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XG104
Endangered Species; File No. 21233
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; receipt of application.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the NMFS Southeast Fisheries
Center (SEFSC), 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL 33149 (Responsible
Party: Theophilus Brainerd, Ph.D.), has applied in due form for a
permit to take loggerhead (Caretta caretta), Kemp's ridley
(Lepidochelys kempii), green (Chelonia mydas), leatherback (Dermochelys
coriacea), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), olive ridley
(Lepidochelys olivacea), and unidentified sea turtles for purposes of
scientific research.
DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or
before April 30, 2018.
ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for
review by selecting ``Records Open for Public Comment'' from the
``Features'' box on the Applications and Permits for Protected Species
(APPS) home page, https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting File
No. 21233 from the list of available applications.
These documents are also available upon written request or by
appointment in the Permits and Conservation Division, Office of
Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver
Spring, MD 20910; phone (301) 427-8401; fax (301) 713-0376.
Written comments on this application should be submitted to the
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, at the address listed above.
Comments may also be submitted by facsimile to (301) 713-0376, or by
email to [email protected]. Please include the File No. in the
subject line of the email comment.
Those individuals requesting a public hearing should submit a
written request to the Chief, Permits and Conservation Division at the
address listed above. The request should set forth the specific reasons
why a hearing on this application would be appropriate.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Hapeman or Erin Markin, (301) 427-
8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit is requested 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 SEFSC requests a ten-year permit to study sea turtles in the
Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea including
international waters. The objectives of the research are to assess sea
turtle populations for anthropogenic threats, abundance estimates, and
population structure and mixing rates. Animals for study would be
directly captured by hand, hoop net, pound net, seine, cast net, tangle
net, or trawl or obtained for study from another legal source such as
bycatch in a commercial fishery. Researchers would be authorized to
examine, mark, image, collect morphometrics, collect a suite of
biological samples, and attach transmitters to live sea turtles before
release. A subset of these animals may also undergo hearing trials or
laparoscopy and internal tissue sampling when transported and
temporarily held in a facility before release. The SEFSC requests a
small number of unintentional mortalities,
[[Page 13478]]
and collection of these carcasses, for each species that may result
from capture activities. In addition, live animals may be harassed
during vessel and aerial surveys for species counts and observation.
Dated: March 26, 2018.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-06376 Filed 3-28-18; 8:45 am]
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