[Federal Register: December 13, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 240)]
[Notices]               
[Page 76727]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13de02-35]                         


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


[I.D. 112602C]


 
Endangered Species; File No. 1377


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 Ms. Tracey Mueller, Mote Marine 
Laboratory, Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program, Sarasota, FL 
has been issued a permit to take threatened and endangered green 
turtles (Chelonia mydas), endangered hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys 
imbricata), endangered Kemp's ridley turtles (Lepidochelys kempii), and 
threatened loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) 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, Room 13705, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910; phone (301)713-2289; fax (301)713-0376; andSoutheast 
Region, NMFS, 9721 Executive Center Drive North, St. Petersburg, FL 
33702-2432; phone (727)570-5301; fax (727)570-5320.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Tammy Adams or Ruth Johnson, 
(301)713-2289.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 19, 2002, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (67 FR 19416) that a request for a scientific 
research permit to take green, loggerhead, Kemp's ridley, and hawksbill 
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 permit authorizes annual takes of 150 juvenile and subadult 
green turtles, 100 juvenile and sub-adult loggerhead, 150 juvenile and 
sub-adult Kemp's ridley, and 5 juvenile and sub-adult hawksbill turtles 
by capture, tagging, blood and tissue sampling for a five year 
population assessment of the juvenile sea turtles inhabiting Charlotte 
Harbor on the west coast of Florida. Up to 10 green, 10 Kemp's ridley, 
10 loggerhead, and 5 hawksbill turtles will also be collected annually 
incidental to the Center for Shark Research gill netting for sharks in 
the areas of Pine Island Sound and the Gulf waters near Crystal River, 
FL. These turtles will be measured, flipper tagged and released. In the 
second through fifth years of the permit, up to 5 green and/or Kemp's 
ridley turtles will also have satellite tags attached.
    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 the endangered species which is the 
subject of this permit, and (3) is consistent with the purposes and 
policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA.


    Dated: December 4, 2002.
Eugene T. Nitta,
Acting Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-31446 Filed 12-12-02; 8:45 am]

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