[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 140 (Friday, July 19, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 37722]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18306]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 071296E]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of an application for modification 5 to scientific 
research/enhancement permit 848 (P507D).

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Washington Department of Fish 
and Wildlife in Olympia, WA (WDFW) have applied in due form for a 
modification to a permit that authorizes takes of a threatened species 
for the purpose of scientific research/enhancement.

DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this 
application must be received on or before August 19, 1996.

ADDRESSES: The application 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: WDFW requests a modification to a permit 
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).
    Permit 848 (P507D) authorizes WDFW takes of adult and juvenile, 
ESA-listed, Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus 
tshawytscha) from the Tucannon River in Washington for scientific 
research and hatchery supplementation of the wild stock. On an annual 
basis, permit 848 also authorizes WDFW to release the progeny of the 
ESA-listed adult salmon collected for broodstock. For modification 5, 
WDFW requests an increase in the number of hatchery smolts to be 
released annually from its supplementation program in the Tucannon 
River Basin. Also for modification 5, WDFW requests to retain all of 
the adult, ESA-listed, natural-origin salmon that return to the 
Tucannon Hatchery adult trap for broodstock if the total annual adult 
returns to the trap is less than 105 fish. If the total annual adult 
returns to the trap is greater than or equal to 105 fish, WDFW requests 
to retain up to 70 percent of the adult, ESA-listed natural-origin 
salmon that return to the adult trap for broodstock and to release the 
remaining percentage of ESA-listed adult salmon above the trap for 
natural spawning. Permit 848 currently authorizes WDFW to collect up to 
100 adults or 35 percent of the adult, ESA-listed, natural-origin 
salmon for broodstock annually, whichever is less.
    This year, WDFW would like to collect more of the returning adult 
fish for broodstock because: 1) The returns of both wild and hatchery 
fish are lower than expected, and 2) the returning adult fish are 
exhibiting head injuries and fungus infections which are contributing 
to a significant prespawning mortality rate. Previous evaluations of 
WDFW's supplementation program have shown about a four-to-one survival 
advantage for fish reared in the hatchery as compared to natural 
production. Based on this large survival advantage, and the fact that 
natural production has been at less than replacement levels in recent 
years, the requested level of adult take, and any subsequent 
artificially-propagated progeny production of these fish, will serve to 
perpetuate the ESA-listed species. Modification 5 to permit 848 is 
requested for the duration of the permit. Permit 848 expires on March 
31, 1998.
    Those individuals requesting a hearing (see ADDRESSES) should set 
out the specific reasons why a hearing on this 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.

    Dated: July 15, 1996.
Robert C. Ziobro,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-18306 Filed 7-18-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F