Environmental assessment on effects of issuing two scientific research permits, no. 16109 and no. 15575, for protected sea turtles and marine mammals

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) proposes to issue Scientific Research Permits to GeoMarine, Inc (No. 16109) and Robert A. DiGiovanni Jr., Ph. D. (No. 15575) for takes of marine mammals and sea turtles in the wild, pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (MMPA; 16 U.S.c. 1361 ct seq.) and the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Both permits would be valid for five years from the date of issuance. Takes authorized under Permit No. 16109 would facilitate data collection that would help to provide a baseline of presence, distribution, abundance, movement patterns, and behavior of marine mammal and sea turtle species in nearshore waters (shoreline to the 30 m isobath) between southern New Jersey and the Virginia/North Carolina border. Takes authorized under Permit No. 15575 would facilitate data collection that would help to assess seasonal abundance and distribution of the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) and other protected marine mammals and sea turtles in the Mid Atlantic waters. Activities would include aerial surveys and vessel surveys for behavioral observations, photo-identification, photography, and videography.