National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration March 29, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Habitat Advisory Panel in April 2005. Recommendations from the panel will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

NMFS proposes to allow any agent or employee of NMFS, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the U.S. Coast Guard, or any other Federal land or water management agency, or any agent or employee of a state agency responsible for fish and wildlife who, when acting in the course of his or her official duties, is a member of the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN), to take endangered sea turtles encountered in the marine environment if such taking is necessary to aid a stranded endangered sea turtle, or dispose a dead endangered sea turtle, or salvage a dead endangered sea turtle that may be useful for scientific and educational purposes. This action is necessary to provide equal conservation and protection measures to stranded endangered sea turtles as is afforded for threatened sea turtles under 50 CFR 223.206.