[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 157 (Tuesday, August 15, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42147-42148]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-20176]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 080895B]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Issuance of emergency permit 972 (P503R) and emergency permit 
973 (P211I).

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has issued two emergency 
permits authorizing takes of listed species for the purpose of 
scientific research and enhancement, subject to certain conditions set 
forth therein, to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) and the 
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW).

ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for 
review in the following offices, by appointment:
    Office of Protected Resources, F/PR8, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3226 (301-713-1401); and
    Environmental and Technical Services Division, F/NWO3, NMFS, 525 NE 
Oregon Street, Portland, OR 97232-4169 (503-230-5400).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Emergency permits 972 and 973 were 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 listed 
fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR parts 217-222).
    On June 13, 1995 and June 19, 1995, NMFS received emergency direct 
take permit applications from IDFG and ODFW, respectively. Each 
applicant proposed to initiate experimental captive broodstock programs 
for three populations (total of six populations) of listed Snake River 
spring/summer chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). IDFG proposed 
to collect juveniles from the upper Salmon River (Idaho) tributaries of 
West Fork Yankee Fork, upper East Fork, and Lemhi River beginning in 
August 1995. ODFW proposed to collect juveniles from the Lostine River, 
Catherine Creek, and upper Grande Ronde River (all located in the 
Grande Ronde River Basin of northeast Oregon) beginning in August 1995. 
These six populations have been determined to be extremely close to 
becoming extinct. Both applicants requested 5-year permits for 
authorization to collect no more than 25 percent of the juveniles from 
these populations annually and rear them in hatcheries to maturity for 
propagation.
    The applicants stated that these emergency experimental and 
enhancement measures are required to forestall the extinction of the 
local populations and to preserve the overall stock structure of Snake 
River spring/summer chinook salmon. The long-term objective of the 
programs is to achieve the sustainable recovery of the Snake River 
salmon populations.
    The urgency of the permit requests is based on the limited time 
remaining in which to successfully intervene and collect genetically 
representative samples of the record low 1994 spring/summer chinook 
salmon broodyear from the populations. Delaying juvenile collections 
would likely result in less genetically diverse samples as up to 60 
percent of the populations may migrate downstream in the fall to 
overwinter in mainstem rivers where individual population groups are 
indistinguishable. Acquiring and maintaining genetic diversity in 
hatchery-reared population segments is necessary to minimize adverse 
breeding alterations and to preserve the wild attributes of the fish.
    On August 7, 1995, NMFS issued emergency permits 972 and 973 to 
IDFG and ODFW, respectively. The permits were written to authorize the 
collection of listed juveniles in 1995 only, and to allow the hatchery 
rearing of those fish to adults. The collection of listed juveniles in 
subsequent years is contingent on the submission of additional permit 
requests, to be presented to NMFS after the development of long-term 
management plans for the two programs. The development of long-term 
management plans will be accomplished by a technical oversight 
committee made up of representatives from NMFS, the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, the State agencies, and the appropriate Tribes. Any 
additional permits issued for the captive broodstock programs would 
supersede the emergency permits. Permits 972 and 973 expire on 
September 30, 1998, when the fish collected in 1995 will be mature.
    Issuance of these permits, as required by the ESA, was based on the 
finding that such permits: (1) Were applied for in good faith, (2) will 
not operate to the disadvantage of the listed species that are the 
subject of the permits, and (3) are consistent with the purposes and 

[[Page 42148]]
policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA and the NMFS regulations 
governing listed species permits.

    Dated: August 9, 1995.
Russell J. Bellmer,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-20176 Filed 8-14-95; 8:45 am]
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