[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 245 (Thursday, December 22, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-31401]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: December 22, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 121394A]

 

Endangered Species; Permits

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Issuance of Modification 4 to Scientific Research and 
Enhancement Permit 747 (P45H) and Notice of Receipt of an Application 
for a Scientific Research Permit (P578).

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    On September 12, 1994, an application was filed by the U.S. 
Department of Fish and Wildlife (FWS) for a modification to their 
scientific research and enhancement Permit 747 (P45H). Permit 747 
allows FWS to take threatened Sacramento River winter-run chinook 
salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) as authorized by the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973 (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1531-543) and the NMFS regulations 
governing listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR parts 217-22).
    FWS requested an expansion of their research sampling area to 
include the lower reaches of the creeks and tributaries of the 
Sacramento River in Butte, Glenn, and Tehama Counties in CA. The 
expanded sampling will occur in the tributaries within 5 miles of their 
confluence with the mainstem Sacramento River. In addition, FWS 
requested authorization to allow Dr. Paul E. Maslin, Department of 
Biological Sciences, California State University at Chico and his 
graduate students to carry out this expanded sampling and to 
participate in the part of the research involving the annual collection 
and sacrifice of up to 450 adipose fin-clipped and coded-wire tagged 
juvenile, listed, Sacramento River winter-run chinook salmon released 
from the FWS's Coleman National Fish Hatchery.
    Notice is hereby given that on December 6, 1994, as authorized by 
the provisions of the ESA, NMFS issued Modification 4 to Permit 747 for 
the above taking, subject to certain conditions set forth therein. This 
modification will be in effect for the duration of the permit, which 
expires on December 31, 1995.
    Issuance of this permit, as required by the ESA, was based on a 
finding that such permit: (1) Was applied for in good faith; (2) will 
not operate to the disadvantage of the listed species which is the 
subject of this permit; (3) is consistent with the purposes and 
policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA. This permit was also issued 
in accordance with and is subject to parts 217-222 of Title 50 CFR, the 
NMFS regulations governing listed species permits.
    Notice is hereby given that the California Department of Water 
Resources (DWR) has applied in due form to take listed species as 
authorized by the ESA and the NMFS regulations governing listed fish 
and wildlife permits.
    DWR (P578) requests authorization to take juvenile and adult, 
threatened, Sacramento River winter-run chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus 
tshawytscha) for scientific research purposes while conducting an 
acoustic barrier applied research project at the confluence of 
Georgiana Slough with the Sacramento River. The purpose of the proposed 
project is to determine the effectiveness of an underwater acoustic 
barrier in diverting migrating juvenile chinook salmon away from 
Georgiana Slough under various hydraulic and hydrologic conditions. 
Previous studies have demonstrated substantially higher mortality rates 
for downstream migrating juvenile chinook salmon which pass from the 
Sacramento River into Georgiana Slough when compared with salmon which 
continue their migration downstream within the Sacramento River 
channel. The proposed study involves Kodiak trawling within the 
Sacramento River and Georgiana Slough between February and June 1995 to 
determine the guidance efficiency of the barrier.
    Written data or views, or requests for a public hearing on this 
application should be submitted to the Chief, Endangered Species 
Division, Office of Protected Resources, F/PR8, NMFS, 1315 East-West 
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3226, within 30 days of the 
publication of this notice. Those individuals requesting a hearing 
should set out the specific reasons why a hearing on this particular 
application would be appropriate. The holding of such hearing is at the 
discretion of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA. All 
statements and opinions contained in this application summary are those 
of the Applicant and do not necessarily reflect the views of NMFS.
    Documents submitted in connection with the above actions are 
available for review by interested persons in the following offices by 
appointment:
    Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, NOAA, 1315 East-West Highway, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3226 (301-713-1401); and
    Director, Southwest Region, NMFS, NOAA, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 
4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213 (310-980-4016).

    Dated: December 14, 1994.
William W. Fox, Jr., Ph.D.,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 94-31401 Filed 12-21-94; 8:45 am]
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