[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 220 (Wednesday, November 14, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67796-67797]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-27663]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XC343
Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Issuance of a scientific research permit, and notice of
availability for final environmental assessment and finding of no
significant impact.
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SUMMARY: This notice is hereby given that NMFS has issued Permit 14868
to Mr. Robert Clark, Assistant Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (FWS), in accordance with the Endangered Species Act
of 1973, as amended (ESA). In addition, the Final Environmental
Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact associated with this
permit are available to the public.
ADDRESSES: The approved application for the permit is available on the
Applications and Permits for Protected
[[Page 67797]]
Species (APPS), https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov Web site by searching the
permit number within the Search Database page. The application, issued
permit, Final Environmental Assessment, Finding of No Significant
Impact and supporting documents are also available by appointment, or
upon the following:
Mail: Submit written requests to Elif Fehm-Sullivan,
Fisheries Biologist, Protected Resources Division, Southwest Region,
National Marine Fisheries Service, 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 5-100,
Sacramento, CA 95814.
Fax: (916) 930-3629.
Email: [email protected].
You may access a copy of Final EA by one of the following:
Visit the NMFS Reintroduction Web site at http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/sjrrestorationprogram/salmonreintroduction.htm.
Call (916) 930-3723 and request to have a CD or hard copy
mailed to you.
Obtain a CD or hard copy by visiting the NMFS Central
Valley office at 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 5-100, Sacramento, CA 95814.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elif Fehm-Sullivan, National Marine
Fisheries Service, 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 5-100, Sacramento, CA 95814
(916-930-3723).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority
The 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 (50 CFR parts 222-226)
governing listed fish and wildlife permits.
Species Covered in This Notice
This notice is relevant to ESA listed species from the Central
Valley spring-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) (spring-run
Chinook) evolutionarily significant unit (ESU).
Permit 14868
NMFS formally initiated a public review period for review of the
permit application through publication of a Notice of Receipt (NOR) of
the Permit application in the Federal Register on February 4, 2011,
outlining the research and enhancement activities proposed by FWS and
take of ESA-listed spring-run Chinook proposed under Permit 14868 (76
FR 64005). The notice of receipt included a 30-day public comment
period for this permit application, which closed on March 7, 2011. In
addition, NMFS held public workshops for the section 10(a)(1)(A) permit
application in Chico, California on February 3, 2011; in Fresno,
California on February 7, 2011; and in Los Banos, California on
February 8, 2011. A combined total of 113 public comments were
submitted to NMFS by various entities on the permit application and
each of these comments were considered when drafting the Environmental
Assessment (EA).
NMFS formally initiated a public review period for the EA of the
permit application through publication of a Notice of Availability
(NOA) of the Permit application EA in the Federal Register on April 19,
2012, outlining the research and enhancement activities NMFS was
proposing to allow under Permit 14868 (76 FR 23463). The notice of
availability included a 30-day public comment period for this permit
application EA, which closed on May 21, 2012. A combined total of 51
public comments were submitted to NMFS by various entities on the
permit application EA and these comments with responses are
incorporated in the Final EA.
Permit 14868 authorizes FWS, under the auspices of the San Joaquin
River Restoration Project (SJRRP), to collect, transport, rear, and tag
560 Feather River Fish Hatchery (FRFH) Central Valley spring-run
Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) eggs or juveniles during the
first three years of the permit annually--and 2,760 eggs or juveniles
in the fourth and fifth years, and establish broodstock in the Interim
and Salmon Conservation and Research Facility (SCARF) facilities. In
addition, the permit authorizes a low level of intentional mortality of
60 FRFH surplus juvenile spring-run Chinook salmon annually for
pathogen analysis prior to transport to ensure that pathogens will not
be transferred to either the Interim Facility or the SCARF.
Dated: November 8, 2012.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-27663 Filed 11-13-12; 8:45 am]
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