[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 6, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 40821]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-19894]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 072996A]


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 permit 818 (P211C).

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Oregon Department of Fish and 
Wildlife in La Grande, OR (ODFW) has applied in due form for a 
modification to a permit authorizing takes of a threatened species for 
the purpose of scientific research.

DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this 
application must be received on or before September 5, 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: ODFW 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).
    ODFW (P211C) requests modification 5 to permit 818. Permit 818 
authorizes takes of adult and juvenile, threatened, Snake River spring/
summer chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) for scientific 
research. For modification 5, ODFW requests that permit 818 be extended 
through June of 1998, for a total duration of approximately five years. 
Permit 818 was issued by NMFS on April 22, 1993 (58 FR 25811, April 28, 
1993) and is currently set to expire on December 31, 1996.
    Also for modification 5, ODFW requests an increase in the takes of 
adult and juvenile, ESA-listed salmon associated with new studies in 
the Wallowa River Basin. ODFW proposes to determine the migration 
timing, survival rates, seasonal distribution, relative abundance, and 
habitat utilization of spring chinook salmon juveniles produced within 
the Wallowa River Basin. In addition, ODFW will investigate the 
significance of cold-water refugia in the life histories of juvenile 
salmonids. A greater number of ESA-listed fish are proposed to be 
observed or captured and handled. ODFW also proposes to tag/mark a 
greater number of ESA-listed fish with passive integrated transponders 
or pigment inoculation. The new research will provide essential 
information on the life history and critical habitat of the spring 
chinook salmon populations in the Wallowa River Basin. The information 
collected will enable managers to make more effective decisions 
concerning the protection and enhancement of critical habitat.
    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 30, 1996.
Eric H. Ostrovsky,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-19894 Filed 8-5-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F