[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 166 (Thursday, August 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45799-45800]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-22949]
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 081298B]
Endangered Species; Permits
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Receipt of applications for scientific research permits (1169,
1175) and a modification to a scientific research permit (990);
Issuance of scientific research permits (1126, 1156) and a modification
to a scientific research permit (1116)
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the following actions regarding
permits for takes of endangered and threatened species for the purposes
of scientific research and/or enhancement: NMFS has received permit
applications from: U.S. Forest Service, Mt. Hood National Forest at
Sandy, OR (MHNF)(1169) and U.S. Forest Service, Gifford Pinchot
National Forest at Vancouver, WA (GPNF)(1175); NMFS has received an
application for a modification to an existing permits from the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, California State Office, Sacramento, CA
(FWS)(990); NMFS has issued permits to: Washington Department of Fish
and Wildlife at Olympia, WA (WDFW)(1126) and the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) (1156); and NMFS has issued a modification to a
scientific research permit to Public Utility District No. 1 of Douglas
County (PUDDC)(1116).
DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on any of the
applications must be received on or before September 28, 1998.
ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for
review in the following offices, by appointment:
For permit 990: Protected Species Division, NMFS, 777 Sonoma
Avenue, Room 325, Santa Rosa, CA 95404-6528 (707-575-6066).
For permits 1116, 1126, 1156, 1169, and 1175: Protected Resources
Division (PRD), F/NWO3, 525 NE Oregon Street, Suite 500, Portland, OR
97232-4169 (503-230-5400).
All documents may also be reviewed by appointment in the Office of
Protected Resources, F/PR3, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver
Spring, MD 20910-3226 (301-713-1401).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For permit 990: Tom Hablett, Protected
Resources Division, (707-575-6066).
For permit 1126: Robert Koch, Portland, OR (503-230-5424).
For permits 1116, 1156, 1169, and 1185: Tom Lichatowich, Portland,
OR (503-230-5438).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority
Permits are requested under the authority of section 10 of the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) and the NMFS
regulations governing ESA-listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR
parts 217-227).
Those individuals requesting a hearing on these requests for
permits should set out the specific reasons why a hearing would be
appropriate (see ADDRESSES). The holding of such a hearing is at the
discretion of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA. All
statements and opinions contained in the below application summaries
are those of the applicant and do not necessarily reflect the views of
NMFS.
Issuance of these permits and modifications, as required by the
ESA, was based on a finding that such permits, modifications: (1) Were
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. These permits and modifications, were also issued in accordance
with and are subject to parts 217-222 of Title 50 CFR, the NMFS
regulations governing listed species permits.
Species Covered in This Notice
The following species are covered in this notice: Chinook salmon
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), and
Steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).
To date, protective regulations for threatened lower Columbia River
(LCR) steelhead under section 4(d) of the ESA have not been promulgated
by NMFS. This notice of receipt of applications requesting takes of
this species is issued as a precaution in the event that NMFS issues
protective regulations that prohibit takes of threatened LCR steelhead.
The initiation of a 30-day public comment period on these applications,
including their proposed takes of threatened LCR steelhead, does not
presuppose the contents of the eventual protective regulations.
New Applications Received
MHNF (1169) requests a 5-year permit for a direct take of adult and
juvenile, threatened, LCR steelhead associated with four routine fish
distribution and
[[Page 45800]]
monitoring research studies. The proposed studies will produce
essential stock status data needed to manage programs for the recovery
of listed fish. Study 1 is located in the Clackamas River and involves
adult spawning surveys, juvenile trapping and tagging work as well as
juvenile presence/absence surveys using snorkeling and electrofishing
techniques. Study 2 is located in the Hood River Ranger District and
involves snorkel distribution surveys as well as trapping and tagging
juveniles. Study 3 is located in the Zig Zag Ranger District and
involves adult spawning surveys, juvenile trapping, electrofishing,
tagging and a lethal take of juveniles for genetic analysis. Study 4
involves presence/absence surveys in the Mt Hood National Forest. ESA-
listed juvenile fish indirect mortalities associated with the research
are also requested.
GPNF (1175) requests a 5-year permit for a direct take of juvenile,
threatened, LCR steelhead associated with two research studies. The
scientific research will provide necessary information to assess the
impact of proposed land use activities on ESA-listed fish. The purpose
of Study 1 is to conduct fish distribution, fish species presence/
absence, and habitat quality surveys on streams across the forest. The
purpose of Study 2 is to evaluate the biological benefits of fish
habitat improvement projects. ESA-listed fish are proposed to be
observed or captured (using seines or electrofishing), examined, and
released. ESA-listed fish are also proposed to be relocated away from
stream rehabilitation project areas in the course of conducting the
research. ESA-listed juvenile fish indirect mortalities associated with
the research are also requested.
Modification Request Received
FWS requests modification 1 to permit 990 for authorization to
include takes of juvenile, endangered, Sacramento River winter-run
chinook salmon associated with fish population studies in Battle Creek,
a tributary to the Sacramento River. The studies consist of four tasks
for which ESA-listed fish are proposed to be taken: (1) emergence/
emigration size and timing; (2) production estimates; (3) collection of
tissue samples for genetic analysis; and (4) investigation of potential
limiting factors for survival. ESA-listed juvenile fish are proposed to
be observed or captured, anesthetized, handled, allowed to recover from
the anesthetic, and released. ESA-listed juvenile salmon indirect
mortalities are also requested. Modification 1 is requested to be valid
for the duration of the permit. Permit 990 expires on June 30, 2001.
Permits and Modifications Issued
Notice was published on June 10, 1998 (63 FR 31739), that an
application had been filed by the PUDDC, for Modification 1 to permit
1116. Modification 1 was issued on August 11, 1998, and authorizes
PUDDC an increase in the take of juvenile, endangered, upper Columbia
River steelhead associated with a new study designed to inventory fish
species in Wells reservoir on the Columbia River. ESA-listed fish will
be observed by SCUBA divers or collected in beach seines, anesthetized,
examined, allowed to recover, and released. Modification 1 is valid for
the duration of the permit. Permit 1116 expires on December 31, 2002.
Notice was published on February 19, 1998 (63 FR 8435), that an
application had been filed by WDFW for a scientific research permit.
Permit 1126 was issued to WDFW on August 11, 1998, and authorizes WDFW
an annual direct take of adult and juvenile, threatened, naturally
produced and artificially propagated, Snake River spring/summer chinook
salmon and juvenile, threatened, Snake River fall chinook salmon
associated with scientific research conducted in the Snake River Basin
in WA. The purpose of the research is to monitor and evaluate the
success of hatchery supplementation programs in the region, as well as
naturally produced fish populations, and to identify factors that are
limiting ESA-listed fish productivity. In addition to non-lethal takes,
an annual lethal take of ESA-listed juvenile fish is authorized for
morphometric, meristic, pathologic, and electrophoretic studies. Permit
1126 expires on December 31, 2002.
Notice was published on June 19, 1998 (63 FR 33632), that an
application had been filed by EPA for a 5-year research/enhancement
permit. Permit 1156 was issued on August 14, 1998, and authorizes takes
of juvenile, threatened, southern Oregon/northern California coast coho
salmon; juvenile, threatened, naturally produced and artificially
propagated, Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon; and juvenile,
threatened, Snake River fall chinook salmon associated with research
designed to collect data in the Rogue and Snake Rivers. ESA-listed fish
are proposed to be captured using electrofishing, examined, and
released. The data will be used to enforce the Clean Water Act which
will increase the recovery potential of listed species. Permit 1156
expires on December 31, 2002.
Dated: August 20, 1998.
Kevin Collins,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-22949 Filed 8-26-98; 8:45 am]
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