[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 153 (Wednesday, August 7, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41130-41131]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-20130]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 080196A]
Endangered Species; Permits
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Receipt of an application for an individual incidental take
permit (P211K).
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Oregon Department of Fish and
Wildlife at Portland, OR (ODFW) have applied in due form for a permit
that would authorize an incidental take of an endangered species.
DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this
application must be received on or before September 6, 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 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 (P211K) requests a 5-year permit for an annual incidental take
of resident, fluvial, and anadromous, endangered, Umpqua River
cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki clarki) associated with the state
of Oregon's recreational and commercial fisheries in the Umpqua River
Basin. ODFW is charged by statute with the management and protection of
the fish and wildlife resources of the State. An individual incidental
take permit is requested since ODFW is responsible for establishing the
State's fishing regulations and controls fishing activities by issuing
licenses to citizens.
[[Page 41131]]
Resident (non-migratory) cutthroat trout are present in most small
tributary streams to Smith River and the mainstem, South, and North
Umpqua Rivers. Fluvial (migrating within rivers) cutthroat trout are
potentially present throughout the entire mainstem North Umpqua River
from the mouth to Soda Springs Dam during the entire year. Fluvial
cutthroat trout are also present in Smith River and some of the larger
tributaries. In the mainstem South Umpqua River, fluvial cutthroat
trout are potentially present above Jackson Creek year round. Due to
warm water, fluvial fish are believed to be present below Jackson Creek
and downstream throughout the mainstem Umpqua River only during late
fall through early summer (November-June). Fresh run, adult, searun
cutthroat trout first enter the mainstem Umpqua River in June and July
and proceed upstream into cooler tributary streams. Kelts (fish that
have spawned) drop out of spawning tributaries and head back to the
estuary/ocean during February through May. Smolts (juveniles) migrate
downstream through the Smith, North, South, and mainstem Umpqua Rivers
during the period March through May.
ESA-listed cutthroat trout could be exposed to various fisheries in
the Umpqua River Basin. The actual probability of incidental take
varies among the fisheries. Those species that may be present and
fished for in the Umpqua River Basin include spring chinook salmon,
fall chinook salmon, coho salmon, summer and winter steelhead trout,
hatchery rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, striped bass, shad, and white
and green sturgeon.
ODFW included a conservation plan in their permit application that
includes measures designed to minimize the incidental take of ESA-
listed cutthroat trout. One such measure is the termination of hatchery
rainbow trout releases in areas of the North and South Umpqua Rivers
and, beginning in 1997, closing all remaining trout angling in the
Umpqua River Basin, except the North Umpqua River above Soda Springs
Dam where cutthroat trout do not occur. Other conservation measures
include closing spawning habitat to fishing, maintaining beneficial
time and area closures, periodic monitoring and evaluation programs,
regulation enforcement, scientific research, recovery planning, and
public education.
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: August 1, 1996.
Robert C. Ziobro,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-20130 Filed 8-6-96; 8:45 am]
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