[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 178 (Tuesday, September 15, 1998)] [Notices] [Pages 49336-49337] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-24726] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [I.D. 090498B] Endangered Species; Permits AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Issuance of scientific research permits (1141, 1148, 1152) and modifications to scientific research permits (900, 946, 948, 994). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has issued permits to: Public Utility District No 2 of Grant County at Ephrata, WA (PUDGC) (1141), the Resource Enhancement and Utilization Technologies Division of the Northwest Fisheries Science Center, NMFS at Seattle, WA (NWFSC) (1148), and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife at La Grande, OR (ODFW) (1152); and has issued modifications to permits to: Northwest Fisheries Science Center, NMFS at Seattle, WA (NWFSC) (900 and 946), the Northern Wasco County People's Utility District at The Dalles, OR (NWCPUD) (948), and the Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Moscow, ID (ICFWRU)(994). ADDRESSES: The permits, applications and related documents are available for review in the following offices, by appointment: Protected Resources Division, F/NWO3, 525 NE Oregon Street, Suite 500, Portland, OR 97232-4169 (503-230-5400); and 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 1141: Tom Lichatowich (503- 230-5438). For permits 900, 946, 948, 994, 1148, and 1152: Robert Koch (503- 230-5424). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Authority Permits are issued 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). Issuance of the permits and permit modifications, as required by the ESA, was based on a finding that such actions: (1) Were requested/ proposed in good faith, (2) would not operate to the disadvantage of the ESA-listed species that are the subject of the permits, and (3) are consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA and the NMFS regulations governing ESA-listed species permits. Species Covered in this Notice The following species are covered in this notice: Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), Sockeye salmon (O. nerka), Steelhead (O. mykiss). Permits Issued Notice was published on April 16, 1998 (63 FR 73), that an application had been filed by PUDGC for a 5-year research permit. Permit 1141 was issued on August 21, 1998, and authorizes takes of endangered, juvenile, upper Columbia River (UCR) steelhead in three research activities. In the first, one-third of the smolts netted at Wanapum Dam would be anesthetized, counted, examined for marks, and lengths taken on a representative 5% sample before the fish would be allowed to recover in a holding tank until release. In the second activity, 50-100 smolts are examined twice per week for gas bubble trauma. The third study involves a lethal take of ESA-listed steelhead smolts captured during weekly fyke-netting efforts at Wanapum Dam from mid-July through August as part of a hydro acoustics study. Permit 1141 expires on December 31, 2002. Notice was published on May 15, 1998 (63 FR 27055), that an application had been filed by NWFSC for a scientific research/ enhancement permit. Permit 1148 was issued to NWFSC on September 2, 1998. Permit 1148 authorizes NWFSC annual direct takes of adult and juvenile, endangered, Snake River sockeye salmon associated with its role in a captive broodstock program. The captive broodstock program is a cooperative effort among the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), NMFS, the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, the University of Idaho, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). Funding is provided by BPA. IDFG is authorized annual takes of ESA- listed sockeye salmon under scientific research/enhancement Permit 1120. Permit 1148 expires on December 31, 2002. Notice was published on May 29, 1998 (63 FR 29382), that an application had been filed by ODFW for a scientific research permit. Permit 1152 was issued to ODFW on August 26, 1998. Permit 1152 authorizes ODFW annual direct takes of adult and juvenile, threatened, naturally produced, Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon associated with scientific research conducted in the Grande Ronde and Imnaha River Basins in the state of OR. ODFW will conduct five research tasks: (1) Spring chinook salmon spawning ground surveys, (2) spring chinook salmon early life history, (3) habitat and fish inventory surveys, (4) passage and irrigation screening, and (5) monitoring of residual hatchery steelhead. Permit 1152 expires on December 31, 2002. Permits Modifications Issued Notice was published on May 29, 1998 (63 FR 29382) that an application had been filed by NWFSC for modification 6 to scientific research permit 900. Modification 6 to permit 900 was issued to NWFSC on September 4, 1998. Permit 900 authorizes NWFSC annual direct takes of juvenile, endangered, Snake River sockeye salmon; juvenile, threatened, naturally produced and artificially propagated, Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon; juvenile, threatened, Snake River fall chinook salmon; and juvenile, endangered, naturally produced and artificially propagated, upper Columbia River steelhead associated with three studies designed to determine the relative survival of migrating juvenile salmonids at hydropower dams and reservoirs on the Snake and Columbia Rivers in the Pacific Northwest. For modification 6, NWFSC is authorized an increase in the annual takes of ESA-listed juvenile fish associated with The Dalles Dam survival study. Actual field conditions to date in 1998 indicate that NWFSC underestimated the amount of ESA- listed fish takes needed to validate the study. Modification 6 is valid for the duration of the permit, which expires on December 31, 1999. Notice was published on May 29, 1998 (63 FR 29382) that an application had been filed by NWFSC for modification 5 to scientific research permit 946. Modification 5 to permit 946 was issued to NWFSC on September 4, 1998. Permit 946 authorizes NWFSC annual direct takes of juvenile, endangered, Snake River sockeye salmon; juvenile, threatened, naturally produced and artificially propagated, Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon; juvenile, threatened, Snake River fall chinook salmon; and juvenile, endangered, naturally produced and [[Page 49337]] artificially propagated, upper Columbia River steelhead associated with two scientific research studies. The studies are designed to assess the migration timing and relative survival of chinook salmon smolts transported by barge to below Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River with the survival to adulthood of smolts migrating volitionally inriver to Bonneville Dam and to the mouth of the Columbia River. For modification 5, NWFSC is authorized an increase in the takes of ESA-listed juvenile fish associated with both studies. Actual field conditions to date in 1998 indicate that NWFSC underestimated the amount of ESA-listed fish takes needed to complete the studies. Modification 5 is valid for the duration of the permit which expires on December 31, 1999. Notice was published on March 6, 1998 (63 FR 11220) that an application had been filed by NWCPUD for modification 2 to scientific research permit 948. Modification 2 to permit 948 was issued to NWCPUD on September 2, 1998, and authorizes annual direct takes of juvenile, endangered, Snake River sockeye salmon; juvenile, threatened, naturally produced and artificially propagated, Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon; and juvenile, threatened, Snake River fall chinook salmon associated with a study designed to assess run-of-the-river juvenile anadromous fish condition after passage through the screened turbine intake channel at The Dalles Dam, located on the Columbia River. For modification 2, NWCPUD is authorized an annual direct take of juvenile, endangered, naturally produced and artificially propagated, UCR steelhead associated with the research. Modification 2 is valid for the duration of the permit. Permit 948 expires on September 30, 1999. Notice was published on May 29, 1998 (63 FR 29382) that an application had been filed by ICFWRU for modification 4 to scientific research permit 994. Modification 4 to permit 994 was issued to ICFWRU on September 2, 1998, and authorizes annual direct takes of adult, threatened, Snake River spring/summer and fall chinook salmon and adult, endangered, Snake River sockeye salmon associated with two studies. Study 1 is designed to assess the passage success of migrating adult salmonids at the four dams and reservoirs in the lower Columbia River. Study 2 is designed to determine if adult salmon successfully return to natal streams or hatcheries after passing Lower Granite Dam on the Snake River. For modification 4, ICFWRU is authorized an annual direct take of adult, endangered, UCR steelhead associated with a new study designed to determine the effects of transporting steelhead smolts on the homing of returning adults. Modification 4 is valid for the duration of the permit, which expires on December 31, 2000. Dated: September 9, 1998. Kevin Collins, Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 98-24726 Filed 9-14-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-F