Supplemental environmental assessment for the issuance of a modification to scientific research permit no. 13543 to increase the number of sea turtles taken during research Issuance of a modification to scientific research permit no. 13543 to increase the number of sea turtles taken during research

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) proposes to issue a major modification to Scientific Research Permit No. 13543 for takes of sea turtles in the wild, pursuant to Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Permit No. 13543 authorizes research on sea turtles caught under another authority during trawl surveys. Authorized activities are: handling measuring, weighing, passive integrated transponder tagging, flipper tagging, and photographing. The research objective, which is to further the understanding of growth distribution, and life history of threatened and endangered sea turtles to better manage and recover sea turtle species would not change with the modification. The modification would increase the annual number of Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) and loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtles from 15 to 32 and from 45 to 50, respectively, which may be taken for research during surveys due to an increase in capture rates over recent years. The modified permit would expire on April 30, 2014.

美国国家海洋渔业局（National Marine Fisheries Service, NMFS）拟依据经修订的《1973年濒危物种法案》（Endangered Species Act of 1973，简称ESA；16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.），对第13543号野生海龟捕获科学研究许可证进行重大修改。第13543号许可证授权开展拖网调查期间，依照其他法定权限捕获的海龟相关研究。获批开展的研究活动包括：捕捉处理、测量、称重、被动集成应答器（Passive Integrated Transponder, PIT）标记、鳍标记以及摄影记录。本次修改不会变更原许可证的研究目标——即深化对受威胁及濒危海龟的生长分布与生活史的认知，以更好地开展海龟物种的管理与种群恢复工作。鉴于近年来捕获率上升，本次修改将拖网调查期间可用于研究的肯氏丽龟（Lepidochelys kempii）和蠵龟（Caretta caretta）的年度捕获限额分别从15只提升至32只、从45只提升至50只。修改后的许可证有效期至2014年4月30日。