[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 41 (Thursday, February 29, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7776-7777]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-4601]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 022296B]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of applications for modifications to three scientific 

[[Page 7777]]
research permits (P45K, P45L, and P45S).

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the National Biological Service, 
U.S. Department of the Interior at Cook, WA (NBS) has applied in due 
form for modifications to permits to take endangered and threatened 
species for the purpose of scientific research.

DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on any of 
these applications must be received on or before April 1, 1996.

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, 525 NE Oregon 
Street, Suite 500, Portland, OR 97232-4169 (503-230-5400).
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing should be 
submitted to the Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of 
Protected Resources.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NBS requests modifications to permits 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 217-227).
    NBS (P45K) requests modification 5 to permit 817 for an increase in 
their annual take of ESA-listed species in association with three 
additional scientific research activities under Study 1, originally 
entitled ``Identification of the spawning, rearing, and migratory 
requirements of fall chinook salmon in the Columbia River Basin.'' 
Permit 817 authorizes a direct take of juvenile, threatened, Snake 
River fall chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and an indirect 
take of juvenile, threatened, Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon 
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) for Study 1. NBS proposes to evaluate the 
extent, seasonality, and size selectivity of predation on subyearling 
fall chinook salmon; estimate food availability and growth of 
subyearling fall chinook salmon in nearshore rearing habitats for 
eventual use in a bioenergetics model; and relate juvenile fall chinook 
salmon survival to physiological development. A greater number of 
listed juvenile fish are proposed to be captured, handled, and released 
annually with a corresponding increase in indirect mortalities. 
Modification 5 would be valid for the duration of the permit. Permit 
817 expires on December 31, 1996.
    NBS (P45L) requests modification 1 to permit 905 for a change in 
the dates and locations of an ongoing scientific research activity and 
an increase in their annual take of ESA-listed species in association 
with two additional scientific research activities. Permit 905 
authorizes a direct take of juvenile, threatened, Snake River fall 
chinook salmon and an indirect take of juvenile, threatened, Snake 
River spring/summer chinook salmon associated with a scientific study 
intended to assess the survival of wild and hatchery juvenile fall 
chinook salmon from rearing areas in the free-flowing Snake River 
through lower Snake River dams. NBS proposes to expand their annual 
collection season and extend their sampling locations to acquire the 
juvenile listed fish currently authorized to be taken for 
electrophoretic analysis. NBS also proposes to capture, handle, and 
release a greater number of listed juvenile fish annually to obtain 
non-lethal tissue samples from run-at-large juvenile spring chinook 
salmon and fall chinook salmon yearlings for genetic analysis and to 
relate juvenile fall chinook salmon survival to physiological 
development. Modification 1 would be valid for the duration of the 
permit. Permit 905 expires on December 31, 1996.
    NBS (P45S) requests modification 1 to permit 956 for changes in 
scientific equipment application and sampling techniques and an 
increase in their annual take of ESA-listed species in association with 
two additional scientific research activities. Permit 956 authorizes a 
take of juvenile, threatened, artificially-propagated, Snake River 
spring/summer chinook salmon associated with a study designed to 
provide managers with data on the distribution, abundance, movement, 
and habitat preferences of the anadromous fish that migrate through 
Lower Granite Reservoir. NBS has been acquiring the data using radio 
transmitter tags applied by gastric insertion. NBS proposes to collect 
listed juvenile fish using a purse seine, apply the radio transmitter 
tags by surgical implantation, and transport the listed juvenile fish 
from the point of capture to an upstream release site. NBS also 
proposes to capture, handle, and release a greater number of listed 
juvenile fish annually to evaluate the operation of a surface collector 
prototype in the forebay of Lower Granite Dam and to use a mid-water 
trawl for species verification of hydroacoustic surveys. Modification 1 
would be valid for the duration of the permit. Permit 956 expires on 
September 30, 1999.
    Those individuals requesting a hearing (see ADDRESSES) should set 
out the specific reasons why a hearing on any of these applications 
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 these application summaries are those of the 
applicants and do not necessarily reflect the views of NMFS.

    Dated: February 23, 1996.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-4601 Filed 2-28-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F