[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 118 (Thursday, June 19, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33396-33397]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-16101]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 060697A]


Marine Mammals; Pinniped Removal Authority

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

ACTION: Proposed extension of Letter of Authorization and request for 
public comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS solicits public comments on a request from the State of 
Washington and a proposal by NMFS to extend a Letter of Authorization 
for the lethal removal of individually identifiable California sea 
lions that are having significant negative impact on the status and 
recovery of winter steelhead that migrate through the Ballard Locks in 
Seattle, WA. This action is authorized under Section 120 of the Marine 
Mammal Protection Act.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 21, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to William Stelle, Jr., 
Administrator, Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, 
WA 98115, or to Michael Payne, Chief, Marine Mammal Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 
20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe Scordino (206) 526-6143, or Tom 
Eagle (301) 713-2322.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Section 120(b) of the Marine 
Mammal Protection Act, NMFS issued a 3-year Letter of Authorization 
(LOA) that is valid through June 30, 1997, to the Washington Department 
of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) for the lethal removal of California sea 
lions that are having significant negative impact on the status and 
recovery of winter steelhead that migrate through the Ballard Locks in 
Seattle, WA. Information on Washington's application for lethal 
removal, the process for considering the application which included 
formation of a Pinniped-Fishery Task Force, and the terms and 
conditions of the LOA issued to WDFW was published in the Federal 
Register on August 2, 1994 (59 FR 39325), September 27, 1994 (59 FR 
49234), January 19, 1995 (60 FR 3841), August 15, 1995 (60 FR 42146), 
March 26, 1996 (61 FR 13153), and August 26, 1996 (61 FR 43737). 
Background information on the sea lion-steelhead conflict at the 
Ballard Locks and findings on the environmental consequences of 
issuance of the LOA are provided in two Environmental Assessments 
prepared by NMFS in 1995 and 1996 (see ADDRESSES).
    No lethal removals were conducted during the 3-year authorization. 
In 1995, one sea lion (#17) was captured on January 25 and held in 
temporary captivity until June 7. Two other sea lions (#87 and #225) 
were captured late in the season and translocated out to the Strait of 
San Juan de Fuca and released. In 1996, three sea lions (#17, #45, and 
#225) were captured and placed in permanent captivity for public 
display. No sea lions were removed, either temporarily or permanently, 
from the Ballard Locks area in 1997.

[[Page 33397]]

    The State of Washington has requested that NMFS extend the LOA for 
an additional 8 years (with a new expiration date of June 30, 2005) 
citing a need to manage the problem of sea lion predation on winter 
steelhead beyond the current expiration date of June 30, 1997. WDFW 
requested an 8-year extension so that it encompasses approximately two 
complete steelhead life cycles which WDFW believes is the minimum time 
necessary to determine whether their efforts to recover the steelhead 
population have succeeded. WDFW is not requesting any modifications to 
the terms and conditions of the LOA other than the extension to June 
30, 2005. WDFW made its request after considering the deliberations of 
the Pinniped-Fishery Interaction Task Force (Task Force). The Task 
Force met in September 1996 and submitted a report to NMFS that 
recommends that the LOA be extended because insufficient time had 
passed to evaluate the success of management actions at Ballard Locks. 
The Task Force opinions on the extension ranged from no extension to a 
period of 8 years (two steelhead cycles) with the majority of the Task 
Force favoring an extension of 4 years (one steelhead cycle) to June 
30, 2001. Copies of the Task Force report and the letter from WDFW 
requesting the extension are available (see ADDRESSES).
    NMFS is proposing to extend the LOA and seeks public comments on 
extending the LOA for a period of 4 to 8 years. Pending a final 
decision on the State's request, NMFS has provided an interim extension 
to the current LOA through September 30, 1997. This interim extension 
will not result in lethal removal of sea lions because the terms and 
conditions of the current LOA would allow lethal removal only between 
January 1 and May 30 of any year. After consideration of public 
comments, NMFS will decide whether to extend the LOA beyond September 
30, 1997, and for what period of time. Notice of the final decision 
will be published in the Federal Register.

    Dated: June 13, 1997.
Hilda Diaz-Soltero,
Acting Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-16101 Filed 6-18-97; 8:45 am]
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