[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 221 (Monday, November 17, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61295-61296]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-30123]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 110797A]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of applications for scientific research permits (1070, 
1091, 1097, 1105, 1106) and modifications to scientific research 
permits (1039, 1042)

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Louisiana-Pacific Corporation 
(LPC) in Fort Bragg, CA (1070), the Santa Ynez River Technicial 
Advisory Committee (YTAC) in Santa Barbara, CA (1091), Resource 
Management International Inc. (RMI) in San Rafael, CA (1097), Hagar 
Environmental Science (HES) in Richmond, CA (1105), and Dr. David Wm. 
Owens of Texas A&M University (1106) have applied for scientific 
research permits authorizing the take of endangered or threatened 
species. Notice is also given that the Natural Resources Management 
Corporation (NRMC) in Eureka, CA (1039) and William M. Kier in 
Sausalito, CA (1042) have applied for modifications to their existing 
scientific research permits.

DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on any of 
these applications must be received on or before December 17, 1997.
ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for 
review in the following offices, by appointment:
    Application for permits 1070, 1091, 1097, and 1105, and 
modification requests for permits 1039 and 1042: Protected Species 
Division, NMFS, 777 Sonoma Avenue, Room 325, Santa Rosa, CA 95404-6528 
(707-575-6066).
    Application for permit 1106: Director, Southeast Region, NMFS, 
NOAA, 9721 Executive Center Drive, St. Petersburg, FL 33702-2432 (813-
893-3141).
    All documents may also be reviewed by appointment in the Office of 
Protected Resources, F/PR3, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910-3226 (301-713-1401);

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For Permits 1039, 1042, 1070, 1091, 
1097, and 1105: Tom Hablett, Protected Species Division, NMFS Santa 
Rosa Office (707-575-6066).
    For Permit 1106: Michelle Rogers, Office of Protected Resources 
(301-713-1401).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: LPC, YTAC, RMI, HES, and David Wm. Owens, 
Texas A&M University, request permits and NRMC and William Kier request 
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). These listed species covered by these permits include: 
coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus 
mykiss), loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta), hawksbill sea 
turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), and Kemp's ridley sea turtles 
(Lepidochelys kempii).
    LPC (1070) requests a five-year permit for takes of adult and 
juvenile, threatened, southern Oregon/northern California coast (SONCC) 
coho salmon associated with fish population studies in Humboldt County 
drainages within the Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU). The studies 
consist of juvenile coho salmon distribution/abundance surveys and 
adult salmon spawner surveys. ESA-listed juvenile fish are proposed to 
be captured, anesthetized, handled (identified, measured, and sampled 
for tissues), allowed to recover from the anesthetic, and released. 
ESA-listed adult fish carcasses are proposed

[[Page 61296]]

to be collected, measured and sampled for tissues, and returned to the 
water. ESA-listed juvenile salmon indirect mortalities associated with 
the research are also requested.
    YTAC (1091) requests a three-year permit for takes of adult and 
juvenile, endangered, southern California coast steelhead associated 
with fish population studies in the lower Santa Ynez River and its 
tributaries within the Evolutionarily Significant Unit. The studies 
consist of five assessment tasks for which ESA-listed fish are proposed 
to be taken: (1) Presence/absence, (2) population estimates, (3) 
spawner surveys, (4) genetic sampling, and (5) habitat assessment. ESA-
listed fish are proposed to be observed or captured, anesthetized, 
handled, allowed to recover from the anesthetic, and released. ESA-
listed adult and juvenile steelhead indirect mortalities associated 
with the research are also requested.
    RMI (1097) requests a three-year permit for takes of adult and 
juvenile, endangered, southern California coast steelhead, threatened 
SONCC coho salmon, and threatened central California coho, associated 
with fish population studies in coastal waterways within the ESUs. The 
studies consist of five assessment tasks for which ESA-listed fish are 
proposed to be taken: (1) Presence/absence, (2) population estimates, 
(3) spawner surveys, (4) genetic sampling, and (5) habitat assessment. 
ESA-listed fish are proposed to be observed or captured, anesthetized, 
handled, allowed to recover from the anesthetic, and released. Indirect 
mortalities associated with the research are also requested.
    HES (1105) requests a five-year permit for takes of adult and 
juvenile, endangered, southern California coast steelhead, threatened 
SONCC coho salmon, and threatened central California coho, associated 
with fish population studies in coastal waterways within the ESUs. The 
studies consist of four assessment tasks for which ESA-listed fish are 
proposed to be taken: (1) Presence/absence, (2) population estimates, 
(3) spawner surveys, and (4) habitat assessment. ESA-listed fish are 
proposed to be observed or captured, anesthetized, handled, allowed to 
recover from the anesthetic, and released. Indirect mortalities 
associated with the research are also requested.
    David Wm. Owens, Texas A&M University, (1106) requests a five year 
scientific research permit to take listed loggerhead , hawksbill, and 
Kemp's ridley turtles at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine 
Sanctuary, Gulf of Mexico. Up to 15 loggerhead and 5 hawksbill turtles 
will be captured over the five-year life of the permit. Although no 
Kemp's ridley turtles have been observed at the site in the past, the 
applicant requests authorization to take this species in the event one 
is observed during sampling. The turtles will be captured by hand using 
SCUBA and a catch bag at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine 
Sanctuary for the puposes of habitat utilization, migration, and 
reproductive biological studies. Captured turtles will be weighed, 
measured, blood sampled, and PIT and flipper tagged. Satellite 
transmitters will be attached to the carapace of each turtle. 
Additionally, ultrasonography, a non-invasive technique that allows 
imaging of a female turtle's ovaries, will be performed on captured 
turtles.
    NRMC requests modification 1 to permit 1039 for authorization to 
include takes of juvenile, threatened, SONCC coho salmon associated 
with fish population and habitat studies throughout the ESU. The 
studies consist of four assessment tasks for which ESA-listed fish are 
proposed to be taken: (1) Presence/absence, (2) population estimates, 
(3) redd counts, and (4) habitat quality evaluation. ESA-listed 
juvenile fish are proposed to be observed and counted. Modification 1 
is requested to be valid for the duration of the permit. Permit 1039 
expires on June 30, 2002.
    William M. Kier requests modification 1 to permit 1042 for 
authorization to include takes of juvenile, threatened, SONCC coho 
salmon associated with fish population and habitat studies throughout 
the ESU. The studies consist of three tasks for which ESA-listed fish 
are proposed to be taken: (1) Presence/absence, (2) population 
estimates, and (3) habitat quality evaluation. ESA-listed juvenile fish 
are proposed to be observed or captured, anesthetized, handled, allowed 
to recover from the anesthetic, and released. ESA-listed juvenile 
salmon indirect mortalities are also requested. Modification 1 is 
requested to be valid for the duration of the permit. Permit 1042 
expires on June 30, 1999.
    Those individuals requesting a hearing on any of these applications 
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 permit application summaries are those 
of the applicants and do not necessarily reflect the views of NMFS.

    Dated: November 10, 1997.
Nancy Chu,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-30123 Filed 11-14-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F