[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 163 (Wednesday, August 21, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43230-43231]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-21296]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 081496B]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Issuance of permit 1,010 (P503S) and permit 1,011 (P211J).

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has issued two permits that 
authorize takes of an Endangered Species Act-listed species for the 
purpose of scientific research/enhancement, subject to certain 
conditions set forth therein, to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game 
at Boise, ID and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) at 
Portland, OR.

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).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The permits were issued 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 217-222).
    Notice was published on May 20, 1996 (61 FR 25208) that an 
application had been filed by IDFG (P503S) for a scientific research/
enhancement permit. Permit 1,010 was issued to IDFG on

[[Page 43231]]

August 13, 1996. Permit 1,010 authorizes IDFG takes of adult and 
juvenile, threatened, Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon 
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) associated with a captive rearing program 
for three populations of chinook salmon in Idaho. Under the permit, 
IDFG is authorized to collect ESA-listed, naturally-produced chinook 
salmon parr annually from the upper Salmon River tributaries of West 
Fork Yankee Fork, upper East Fork, and Lemhi River; transport the 
collected fish to hatcheries; and rear them to maturity. IDFG plans to 
release healthy hatchery-reared adults in the wild to supplement the 
respective natural-spawning populations. However, because a protocol 
for fish releases has not been fully developed, permit 1,010 does not 
authorize the release of fish from the captive rearing program. NMFS 
has conditioned permit 1,010 to require IDFG to apply for a 
modification to the permit for authorization to release fish from the 
program, expected to begin in 1998.
    The captive rearing program was initiated when NMFS issued 
emergency permit 972 to IDFG on August 7, 1995 (60 FR 42147, August 15, 
1995). Permit 1,010 replaces permit 972. The takes of ESA-listed 
chinook salmon previously authorized under permit 972 have been 
incorporated into permit 1,010. Permit 972 is now inactive. Permit 
1,010 expires on December 31, 2000.
    Notice was published on May 20, 1996 (61 FR 25208) that an 
application had been filed by ODFW (P211J) for a scientific research/
enhancement permit. On July 24, 1996, a public hearing took place on 
ODFW's request for a permit in La Grande, OR (61 FR 35727, July 8, 
1996). Permit 1,011 was issued to ODFW on August 13, 1996. Permit 1,011 
authorizes ODFW takes of adult and juvenile, threatened, Snake River 
spring/summer chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) associated with 
a captive broodstock program for three populations of chinook salmon in 
Oregon. ODFW is authorized to collect ESA-listed, naturally-produced 
chinook salmon parr annually from the Grande Ronde River tributaries of 
Catherine Creek, the Lostine River, and the upper Grande Ronde River; 
transport the collected fish to hatcheries; rear the fish to maturity; 
and spawn them. ODFW plans to release the healthy progeny of the 
hatchery-spawned fish in the wild to supplement the respective natural 
populations. However, because a protocol for fish releases has not been 
fully developed, permit 1,011 does not authorize the release of fish 
from the captive broodstock program. NMFS has conditioned permit 1,011 
to require ODFW to apply for a modification to the permit for 
authorization to release fish from the program, expected to begin in 
1998.
    The captive broodstock program was initiated when NMFS issued 
emergency permit 973 to ODFW on August 7, 1995 (60 FR 42147, August 15, 
1995). Permit 1,011 replaces permit 973. The takes of ESA-listed 
chinook salmon previously authorized under permit 973 have been 
incorporated into permit 1,011. Permit 973 is now inactive. Permit 
1,011 expires on December 31, 2000.
    Issuance of the permits, as required by the ESA, was based on a 
finding that such permits: (1) Were requested in good faith, (2) will 
not operate to the disadvantage of the ESA-listed species that is the 
subject of the permits, and (3) are consistent with the purposes and 
policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA and the NMFS regulations 
governing ESA-listed species permits.

    Dated: August 15, 1996.
Margaret Lorenz,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-21296 Filed 8-20-96; 8:45 am]
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