[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 23, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1748-1749]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-886]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 011696C]
Endangered Species; Permits
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of receipt of two applications for scientific research
permits (P602 and P534A).
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Peter Dutton of NMFS Southwest
Fisheries Science Center and Donna McDonald of Ocean Planet Research,
Inc. (P602), and Dr. Scott Eckert of the Hubbs-Sea World Research
Institute (P534A), have applied in due form for permits to take listed
sea turtles for the purpose of scientific research.
DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on these
applications must be received on or before February 22, 1996.
ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for
review by appointment in the following offices:
Office of Protected Resources, F/PR8, NMFS, 1315 East-West Hwy.,
Room 13307, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3226 (301-713-1401); and
Director, Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200,
Long Beach, CA 90802-4213 (310-980-4016).
Written comments, or requests for a public hearing on these
applications should be submitted to the Chief, Endangered Species
Division, Office of Protected Resources.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Applications P602 and P534A request permits
under the authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C.
1531-1543) and NMFS regulations governing listed fish and wildlife
permits (50 CFR parts 217-227). Application P602 requests authorization
to capture 50 green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), 5 olive ridley sea
turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea), and 5 loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta
caretta) in San Diego Bay. The turtles would be measured, weighed, have
blood samples taken, and have tags and transmitters attached. Some
turtles would have lavage stomach sampling performed. Turtles would be
recaptured monthly for growth measurements. The purpose of the research
is to reassess the status of sea turtles in San Diego Bay. Data
collected will be compared to baseline data to determine which turtles
are still resident in the Bay, and to determine
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growth and tag retention rates. Information will be collected on turtle
numbers, species, size, sex, tags, health status, stock origin, and
behavior and movement patterns. Genetic analysis of blood samples will
contribute to an international effort to determine stock structure of
Pacific sea turtles. The applicants request a 5-year permit from March
1, 1996.
Application P534A requests authorization to capture 20 green sea
turtles (Chelonia mydas) annually in South San Diego Bay, take blood
samples, attach tags and transmitters, and measure heart rate and
internal temperature. Some turtles may have lavage stomach sampling
performed. The purpose of the research is (1) to determine habitat
preferences, behavioral activity patterns (such as foraging behavior),
and residence patterns, and (2) to determine thermal preferences. The
applicant requests a 2-year permit from September, 1996. Both
applicants (P602 and P534A) will be coordinating their research
efforts.
Those individuals requesting a hearing on either application should
set out the specific reasons why a hearing on that particular
application would be appropriate (see ADDRESSES). The holding of such
hearing is at the discretion of the Assistant Administrator for
Fisheries, NOAA. All statements and opinions contained in these
application summaries are those of the applicants and do not
necessarily reflect the views of NMFS.
Dated: January 17, 1996.
Russell J. Bellmer,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-886 Filed 1-22-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
