[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 86 (Monday, May 5, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24421-24422]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-11670]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 042897C]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of an application for modification 4 to incidental take 
permit 844 (P503I).

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Idaho Department of Fish and 
Game in Boise, ID (IDFG) has applied in due form for modification 4 to 
permit 844 authorizing an incidental take of a threatened species 
associated with sport-fishing activities.

DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on the 
modification application must be received on or before June 4, 1997.

ADDRESSES: The application 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
    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, Environmental and Technical Services Division, 
Portland.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: IDFG requests modification 4 to permit 844 
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 844 authorizes IDFG an incidental take of adult and 
juvenile, threatened, Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon 
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and adult, threatened, Snake River fall 
chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) associated with the State of 
Idaho's sport-fishing activities. For modification 4, IDFG requests an 
incidental take of residual, endangered, Snake River sockeye salmon 
(Oncorhynchus nerka) associated with a kokanee fishery in Redfish Lake 
from May 1 through August 7, 1997. The fishery is proposed as a kokanee 
control measure. A reduction of the kokanee population in Redfish Lake 
is desirable because kokanee compete directly with ESA-listed sockeye 
salmon in the lake for food and habitat and threaten IDFG's effort to 
re-establish the endangered salmon's productivity in the lake. In 1995 
and 1996, NMFS provided authorization to IDFG for an incidental take of 
residual, endangered, Snake River sockeye salmon associated with a 
kokanee fishery in Redfish Lake. Angler retention of Redfish Lake 
kokanee has not been allowed since 1992 because of

[[Page 24422]]

the potential incidental harvest of ESA-listed residual sockeye, 
visually indistinguishable from kokanee. The take of ESA-listed adult 
fish associated with the proposed kokanee fishery in Redfish Lake is 
requested in 1997 only.
    Also for modification 4 to permit 844 (P503I), IDFG requests an 
additional incidental take of adult, threatened, Snake River spring/
summer chinook salmon associated with a salmon sport fishery on the 
upper South Fork of the Salmon River after June 12, 1997. The fishery 
will target non-listed, artificially-propagated, summer chinook salmon. 
The primary source of take would be the incidental catch, handling, and 
release of ESA-listed adult fish with an associated catch and release 
mortality. The specifics of the fishery, including season dates, 
duration, locations, and mitigative activities are tailored to provide 
the appropriate level of protection for ESA-listed fish in the 
watershed. The fishery is proposed to be terminated when quotas are 
reached or before the onset of spawning activities. The additional take 
of ESA-listed adult fish associated with the proposed upper South Fork 
Salmon River salmon fishery is requested in 1997 only. Permit 844 
expires on April 30, 1998.
    Those individuals requesting a hearing on the permit modification 
request should set out the specific reasons why a hearing 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 the above application summary are 
those of the applicant and do not necessarily reflect the views of 
NMFS.

    Dated: April 29, 1997.
Nancy Chu,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-11670 Filed 5-2-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F