Endangered Species; Permits

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Receipt of applications for scientific research permit (1253).

SUMMARY:

Notice is hereby given of the following actions regarding permits for takes of endangered and threatened species for the purposes of scientific research:

NMFS has received a scientific research permit application from Mr. Carlos E. Diez, of Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (PRDNR) (1253).

DATES:

Comments or requests for a public hearing on any of the new applications or modification requests must be received at the appropriate address or fax number no later than 5:00 pm eastern daylight time on June 29, 2000.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments on any of the new applications or modification requests should be sent to the appropriate office as indicated below. Comments may also be sent via fax to the number indicated for the application or modification request. Comments will not be accepted if submitted via e-mail or the internet. The applications and related documents are available for review in the indicated office, by appointment:

For application 1253, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD, 20910 (ph: 301-713-1401, fax: 301-713-0376).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For permit 1253: Terri Jordan, Silver Spring, MD (ph: 301-713-1401, fax: 301-713-0376, e-mail: Terri.Jordan@noaa.gov).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority

Issuance of permits and permit modifications, as required by the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) (ESA), is based on a finding that such permits/modifications: (1) Are applied for in good faith; (2) would not operate to the disadvantage of the listed species which are the subject of the permits; and (3) are consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA. Authority to take listed species is subject to conditions set forth in the permits. Permits and modifications are issued in accordance with and are subject to the ESA and NMFS regulations governing listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR parts 222-226).

Those individuals requesting a hearing on an application listed in this notice should set out the specific reasons why a hearing on that 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 the permit action summaries are those of the applicant and do not necessarily reflect the views of NMFS.

Species Covered in this Notice

The following species are covered in this notice: endangered Green turtle (Chelonia mydas), endangered Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata).

New Applications Received

Application 1253: The purpose of the research is to prodive information on the ecology and population dynamics of the hawksbill and green turtles that inhabit the waters surrounding Puerto Rico and its adjacent islands (Mona, Monito, Desecheo, Caja-de-Muertos, Viques and Culebra). This research will improve the effectiveness of management efforts by addressing priorities set forth in the recovery plans for both species: (1) identification of important marine habitats; (2) determination of adult and juvenile distribution and abundance; (3) determination of sex ratios in the juvenile population; (4) evaluation of the extent of ingestion of persistent marine debris; (5) determination of growth rates and age at sexual maturity, and (6) quantification of threats to adults and juveniles on foraging grounds.