[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 199 (Wednesday, October 15, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53596-53597]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-27162]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 100397B]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of applications for modifications to incidental take 
permits 901 and 902.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Washington Department of Fish 
and Wildlife at Olympia, WA (WDFW) has applied in due form for 
modifications to permits that would provide authorization for 
incidental takes of an endangered anadromous fish species.

DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on either of 
these applications must be received on or before November 14, 1997.

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
    Protected Resources Division, F/NWO3, 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, Protected Resources Division in Portland, OR.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: WDFW requests modifications to 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).
    Permits 901 and 902 authorize WDFW incidental takes of endangered 
Snake River sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka); threatened, naturally-
produced and artificially-propagated, Snake River spring/summer chinook 
salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha); and threatened Snake River fall 
chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) associated with numerous non-
listed fish hatchery complexes and educational projects throughout the 
state of WA. These artificial propagation projects may result in 
incidental takes of ESA-listed species from ecological and/or genetic 
interactions and from hatchery operations. Impacts on ESA-listed 
juvenile fish may include competition for food and habitat, disease 
transmission, predation by non-listed hatchery fish, and an increased 
vulnerability to predation by other predators. Non-listed, hatchery-
produced fish may also impact the ESA-listed species through 
interbreeding, which could result in a loss of genetic variability in 
the ESA-listed fish populations.
    The modifications of permits 901 and 902 are required to authorize 
the incidental takes of endangered upper Columbia River steelhead trout 
(Oncorhynchus mykiss) and threatened Snake River steelhead trout 
(Oncorhynchus mykiss) associated with: 1) the operation of non-listed 
fish hatchery facilities and educational programs in the Columbia River 
Basin, 2) the on-station releases or transfers of non-listed fish 
produced from those facilities, and 3) the operation of tributary smolt 
traps in the Columbia River Basin for non-listed fish hatchery program 
research and evaluation purposes. WDFW has submitted revised 
conservation plans in the permit modification applications that specify 
steps proposed to be taken to monitor, minimize, and mitigate impacts 
to ESA-listed fish. In the permit modification applications, WDFW 
included descriptions of incidental takes of lower Columbia River 
steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in anticipation of a possible 
listing determination of this Evolutionarily Significant Unit by NMFS 
in 1998. The modifications to permits 901 and 902 are requested to be 
valid for the duration of the permits. Permits 901 and 902 both expire 
on December 31, 1998.
    Those individuals requesting a hearing (see ADDRESSES) should set 
out the specific reasons why a hearing on either of these applications 
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 these application summaries are those of the 
applicant and do not necessarily reflect the views of NMFS.


[[Page 53597]]


    Dated: October 7, 1997.
Nancy Chu,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-27162 Filed 10-14-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F