# Endangered Species; File No. 1556
**AGENCY:**
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
**ACTION:**
Notice; receipt of application.
**SUMMARY:**
Notice is hereby given that the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, USA (CNMI), Division of Fish and Wildlife [Paul Hamilton, responsible official], P.O. Box 10007, Saipan, Mariana Islands 96950, has applied in due form for a permit to take green ( *Chelonia mydas* ), and hawksbill ( *Eretmochelys imbricata* ) sea turtles for purposes of scientific research.
**DATES:**
Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or before March 27, 2006.
**ADDRESSES:**
The application and related documents are available for review upon written request or by appointment in the following offices:
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) 427-2521; and
Pacific Islands Region, NMFS, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Rm 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814-4700; phone (808) 973-2935; fax (808) 973-2941.
Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this application should be mailed to the Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, F/PR1, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Those individuals requesting a hearing should set forth the specific reasons why a hearing on this particular request would be appropriate.
Comments may also be submitted by facsimile at (301) 427-2521, provided the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy submitted by mail and postmarked no later than the closing date of the comment period.
Comments may also be submitted by e-mail. The mailbox address for providing email comments is *[email protected].* Include in the subject line of the e-mail comment the following document identifier: File No. 1556.
**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**
Kate Swails or Patrick Opay, (301) 713-2289.
**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 222-226).
The CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife proposes to perform sea turtle surveys in the waters of the Mariana Islands, USA. The project would consist of shoreline/cliff line assessments, in-water tow dive assessments, and the hand capture of sea turtles. Turtles would be handled, measured, tissue-sampled, flipper tagged, passive integrated transponder tagged, and released. The applicant would capture 100 green and 40 hawksbill sea turtles annually. A subset of the turtles would be outfitted with a satellite tag. The permit would be issued for five years.
Dated: February 17, 2006.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.