[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 201 (Wednesday, October 16, 1996)] [Notices] [Pages 53899-53900] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 96-26388] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [I.D. 100296J] Endangered Species; Permits AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Receipt of an application for an enhancement permit (P45W) and an application for a scientific research permit (P622). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Sacramento, CA (FWS) has applied in due form for an enhancement permit and the California Department of Fish and Game in Sacramento, CA (CDFG) has applied in due form for a scientific research permit authorizing takes of an endangered species. DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on either of these applications must be received on or before November 15, 1996. ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for review in the following offices, by appointment: Office of Protected Resources, F/PR3, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3226 (301-713-1401); and Director, Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213 (310-980-4016). Written comments or requests for a public hearing should be submitted to the Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FWS and CDFG request 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 ESA-listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR parts 217-227). FWS (P45W) requests a 5-year enhancement permit for annual takes of adult and juvenile, endangered, Sacramento River winter-run chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) associated with a propagation program at FWS's Coleman National Fish Hatchery and a captive broodstock program at Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco and the Bodega Marine Laboratory in Bodega Bay. Takes of ESA-listed winter-run chinook salmon associated with the propagation and captive broodstock programs is currently authorized under permit 747. Permit 747 was issued to FWS on August 8, 1991 and will expire on November 30, 1996. The objective of the propagation program is to supplement the wild population. ESA-listed, naturally-produced and artificially-propagated adults are proposed to be captured, transported, maintained, and spawned annually in a protected hatchery environment. The progeny of the captured adults will be adipose fin-clipped, tagged with coded wires, and released into the wild or transferred to the captive broodstock program. To monitor the propagation program, carcasses of the adult, ESA-listed fish that return to spawn in the wild are proposed to be collected from the mainstem Sacramento River and Battle Creek and sampled for tissues and tags. The purpose of the captive broodstock program is to maintain the genetic integrity of the ESA- listed salmon species in a hatchery environment. The captive broodstock program will provide: Protection against loss of genetic material, a source of gametes for the propagation program, a source of progeny to supplement the wild fish, security until the habitat conditions in the Sacramento River improve, egg and fry for experimental purposes, and a potential tool to assist in the recovery of the species. CDFG (P622) requests a one-year scientific research permit for takes of adult and juvenile, endangered, Sacramento River winter-run chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) associated with two studies. Any juvenile, ESA-listed, artificially-propagated, winter-run chinook salmon taken during both studies will be sacrificed, frozen, and provided to FWS for research. For Study 1, CDFG propose to establish a pilot program at Knights Landing on the Sacramento River for monitoring juvenile anadromous fish migration. The purpose of the monitoring program is to evaluate the utility of the site and various sampling protocols in determining the timing and abundance of juvenile anadromous salmonids emigrating to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Juvenile, [[Page 53900]] ESA-listed, naturally-produced, juvenile fish are proposed to be captured (with rotary screw traps, fyke traps, and a kodiak trawl), anesthetized, handled, allowed to recover from the anesthetic, and released. Associated indirect mortalities of juvenile, ESA-listed fish are also requested. For Study 2, CDFG propose to determine the relationship between manageable physical habitat attributes (flow, temperature, channel aspects) and anadromous salmonids within the upper reaches of the Sacramento River and throughout the river system up to ocean entry. Information relating spawning distribution (temporal and spatial), spawning success, juvenile survival, production, and emigration will be determined relative to habitat conditions. This information will be used to identify management actions required for the survival of anadromous fish resources. Carcasses of adult, ESA-listed fish (both in-river and hatchery-reared) are proposed to be recovered and sampled for tissues and tags. Juvenile, ESA-listed, naturally-produced, fish are proposed to be captured (with rotary screw traps, a beach seine, and a kodiak trawl), anesthetized, handled, allowed to recover from the anesthetic, and released. Associated indirect mortalities of juvenile, ESA-listed fish are also requested. Those individuals requesting a hearing should set out the specific reasons why a hearing on any of the applications would be appropriate (see ADDRESSES). The holding of such a 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: October 9, 1996. Robert C. Ziobro, Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 96-26388 Filed 10-15-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-F