[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 12, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9979-9980]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-5750]



-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 030496D]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of applications for modifications to a research/
enhancement permit (P503A) and two incidental take permits (P503K and 
503I).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Idaho Department of Fish and 
Game in Boise, ID (IDFG) has applied in due form for modifications to 
permits authorizing takes of endangered and threatened species for the 
purpose of scientific research/enhancement and as incidental takes.

DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on any of 
these applications must be received on or before April 11, 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: IDFG 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).
    IDFG (P503A) requests modification 7 to scientific research/
enhancement permit 795. Permit 795 authorizes IDFG a take of adult and 
juvenile, endangered, Snake River sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) 
associated with a captive broodstock program. For modification 7, IDFG 
requests: (1) To release juvenile sockeye progeny of ESA-listed adults 
into net pens in Redfish Lake, ID from June-October annually and to 
release those fish from the net pens directly into the lake in October 
each year; and (2) an increase in the annual number of listed juvenile 
fish to be captured, handled, tagged with passive integrated 
transponders, and released during the annual juvenile outmigration. Net 
pen culture of juvenile presmolts was selected as the most appropriate 
release strategy for listed sockeye salmon progeny by the Stanley Basin 
Technical Oversight Committee. A higher take limit of outmigrating, 
listed, juvenile sockeye salmon would provide more complete monitoring 
information and eliminate the need to suspend research if the currently 
authorized limit is reached. Modification 7 is requested for the 
duration of the permit. Permit 795 expires on July 31, 1997.
    IDFG (P503K) requests modification 1 to permit 908. Permit 908 
authorizes an incidental take of endangered Snake River sockeye salmon 
and threatened Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon associated with 
IDFG's resident fish-stocking program, designed to increase the supply 
of fish in the Salmon River and its tributary streams and lakes for 
sport-angling. For modification 1, IDFG proposes to stock Redfish Lake 
with catchable-sized hatchery rainbow trout in 1996 to provide 
recreational fishing in the lake. In 1993 and 1995, NMFS denied IDFG's 
requests to stock Redfish Lake with rainbow trout because of concerns 
over possible interactions between stocked rainbow trout and ESA-listed 
sockeye salmon in the lake, primarily diet overlap and predation. IDFG 
believes the proposed Redfish Lake stocking scenario would have no 
impact on the recovery of endangered sockeye salmon since the juvenile 
sockeye released to the lake in 1996 are proposed to be in net pens 
when the majority of the rainbow trout are present (see preceding 
paragraph).
    Also for modification 1 to permit 908, IDFG proposes to stock 
catchable-sized hatchery rainbow trout in Pettit Lake in 1996. In 1995, 
NMFS authorized IDFG a direct take of juvenile, endangered, Snake River 
sockeye salmon associated with stocking Pettit Lake with juvenile 
sockeye salmon from their captive broodstock program approximately 
three weeks after stocking rainbow trout in the lake (modification 6, 
permit 795, 60 FR 37052) and required that IDFG implement a specific 
monitoring plan to assess the interactions between trout and sockeye in 
the lake (amendment, permit 908, 60 FR 40345). IDFG has sponsored 
scientific research that has provided evidence which suggests that 
hatchery rainbow trout releases in Stanley Basin lakes would not 
undermine endangered sockeye salmon recovery efforts. Modification 1 is 
requested for 1996 only. Permit 908 expires on December 31, 1998.
    IDFG (P503I) requests modification 2 to permit 844. Permit 844 
authorizes IDFG an incidental take of adult and juvenile, threatened, 
Snake River

[[Page 9980]]
spring/summer chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and adult, 
threatened, Snake River fall chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) 
associated with the State of Idaho's sport-fishing activities. For 
modification 2, IDFG requests an incidental take of residual, 
endangered, Snake River sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) associated 
with a kokanee fishery in Redfish Lake from April 1 through August 7, 
1996. The fishery is proposed as a kokanee control measure.
    A reduction of the kokanee population in Redfish Lake is desirable 
because kokanee compete directly with ESA-listed sockeye salmon for 
food and habitat. An abundant kokanee population threatens IDFG's 
effort to re-establish the endangered sockeye salmon's productivity in 
the lake. In 1995, NMFS issued modification 1 to permit 844 authorizing 
IDFG an incidental take of residual, endangered, Snake River sockeye 
salmon associated with a kokanee fishery in Redfish Lake for 17 days in 
July as a kokanee control measure (modification 1, permit 844, FR 60 
40345). Angler retention of Redfish Lake kokanee was not allowed since 
1992 because of the potential incidental harvest of ESA-listed residual 
sockeye, visually indistinguishable from kokanee. Modification 2 is 
requested for 1996 only. Permit 844 expires on April 30, 1998.
    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: March 6, 1996.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-5750 Filed 3-11-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F