[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 221 (Tuesday, November 17, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63910-63911]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-30618]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 110998E]
Endangered Species; Permits
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Receipt of applications for scientific research and research/
enhancement permits (1179, 1185, 1186); Issuance of scientific research
permits (1162, 1167).
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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 Natural Resource Scientists, Inc.,(NRSI) in Red
Bluff, CA (1185) and Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) at Boise,
ID (1179, 1186); NMFS has issued permits to Salmon Protection and
Watershed Network (SPAWN) (1162) and Peter B. Moyle (1167).
DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on any of the
applications must be received on or before December 17, 1998.
ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for
review in the following offices, by appointment:
For permits 1162, 1167, and 1185: Protected Species Division, NMFS,
777 Sonoma Avenue, Room 325, Santa Rosa, CA 95404-6528 (707-575-6066).
For permits 1179 and 1186: Protected Resources Division, 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 permits 1162, 1167, and 1185: Tom
Hablett, Protected Resources Division, (707-575-6066).
For permits 1179 and 1186: Robert Koch, Portland, OR (503-230-
5424).
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 permits, as required by the ESA, is based on a finding
that such permits: (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. Permits are 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 (O. kisutch), and Steelhead
trout (O. mykiss).
To date, protective regulations for threatened California Central
Valley (CCVa) 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 CCVa
steelhead. The initiation of a 30-day public comment period on these
applications, including their proposed takes of threatened CCVa
steelhead, does not presuppose the contents of the eventual protective
regulations.
New Applications Received
IDFG requests two 5-year permits (1179, 1186) that would authorize
an annual direct take of adult and juvenile, threatened, naturally
produced and artificially propagated, Snake River spring/summer (SnRS/
S) chinook salmon associated with a hatchery supplementation program at
the Pahsimeroi River in ID (1186), and at the headwaters of the Salmon
River (Sawtooth Hatchery), East Fork Salmon River, and South Fork
Salmon River in ID (1179). Permit 1186 would replace permit 922 which
expires on December 31, 1998. Permit 1179 would replace permits 919,
920, and 921 which expire on December 31, 1998. The enhancement of ESA-
listed SnRS/S chinook salmon stocks is expected by increasing the
genetic integrity of the species and by providing egg-to-adult survival
improvement through hatchery rearing as compared to natural incubation
and rearing. IDFG proposes to retain a percentage of the ESA-listed
adult salmon that return to the respective watersheds each year for
broodstock and to release all of the ESA-listed adult salmon not
retained for broodstock to spawn naturally. ESA-listed adult salmon
retained for broodstock are proposed to be transported to a hatchery
and spawned. The resulting progeny are proposed to be reared in the
hatcheries, tagged with internal identifiers, and released in the
respective streams of origin when ready to outmigrate to the ocean.
Annual incidental takes of ESA-listed species associated with adult and
juvenile fish releases are also requested.
NRSI (1185) requests a 5-year permit for takes of adult and
juvenile, threatened, CCVa steelhead associated with fish population
studies on the Mokelumne and Merced Rivers within the Evolutionarily
Significant Unit (ESU). Steelhead studies conducted by NRSI consist of
three assessment tasks for which ESA-listed fish are proposed to be
taken: (1) Presence/absence, (2) population estimates, and (3)
migratory trends. ESA-listed fish will be observed or captured,
anesthetized, handled (weighed and measured), allowed to recover from
the anesthetic, and released. Indirect mortalities associated with the
research are also requested.
Permits Issued
Notice was published on July 14, 1998 (63 FR 37851), that an
application had been filed by SPAWN for a scientific research permit.
Permit 1162 was issued to SPAWN on October 28, 1996, and authorizes
takes of juvenile, threatened, central California coast (CCC) coho
salmon associated with fish population and habitat studies on San
Geronimo Creek and its tributaries within the ESU. ESA-listed fish may
be captured, handled and released. Permit 1162 expires on June 30,
2003.
Notice was published on July 14, 1998 (63 FR 37851), that an
application had been filed by Peter B. Moyle for a scientific research
permit. Permit 1167 was issued to Peter B. Moyle on October 28, 1998,
and authorizes takes of juvenile, threatened, CCC coho salmon
associated with fish population and habitat studies throughout the ESU.
ESA-listed fish may be observed. Permit 1167 expires on June 30, 2003.
[[Page 63911]]
Dated: November 9, 1998.
Patricia A. Montanio,
Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-30618 Filed 11-16-98; 8:45 am]
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