[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 37 (Wednesday, February 25, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9505-9507]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-4782]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 021998B]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Notice of receipt of applications for scientific research 
permits (1130, 1131, 1132, 1133) and an amendment to an application for 
a scientific research permit (1102).

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Geological Survey, Cook, 
WA (USGS) (1130), the Port of Portland, Portland, OR (POP) (1131), S. 
Gordon Rogers, Satilla Management Associates, Inc. (1132), and Andre M. 
Landry, Texas A&M University (1133), have applied in due form for 
permits, and that the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife at 
Vancouver, WA (WDFW) (1102) has submitted in due form an amendment to 
an application for a

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permit to take listed species for the purpose of scientific research.

DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this 
application must be received on or before March 27, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for 
review by appointment in the following offices:
    For permits 1102, 1130, and 1131: Protected Resources Division 
(PRD), F/NWO3, 525 NE Oregon Street, Suite 500, Portland, OR 97232-4169 
(503-230-5400); and
    For permits 1132 and 1133: 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, Endangered Species Division, NMFS, 1315 East-West 
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301-713-1401).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For permits 1102, 1130, and 1131: 
Robert Koch, Protected Resources Division (503-230-5424).
    For permit 1132: Terri Jordan, Endangered Species Division, Office 
of Protected Resources, (301-713-1401).
    For permit 1133: Michelle Rogers, Endangered Species Division, 
Office of Protected Resources, (301-713-1401).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: USGS (1130), POP (1131), S. Gordon Rogers 
(1132), Andre M. Landry (1133), and WDFW (1102) 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).
    USGS (1130) requests a five-year permit for takes of juvenile, 
threatened, naturally-produced and artificially-propagated, Snake River 
spring/summer chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha); juvenile, 
threatened, Snake River fall chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha); 
juvenile, endangered, artificially-propagated, upper Columbia River 
steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss); and juvenile, threatened, Snake River 
steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) associated with research designed to 
determine the movement, distribution, and passage behavior of radio-
tagged juvenile salmonids at Bonneville, The Dalles, and John Day Dams 
on the Columbia River. USGS also requests a take of juvenile lower 
Columbia River steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) which is currently 
proposed as threatened. The results of the research will be used by the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to assess fish passage efficiency at John 
Day and The Dalles Dams and to increase bypass efficiency for juvenile 
salmonids at the dams by effectively designing and positioning 
prototype surface bypass/collection structures. ESA-listed fish are 
proposed to be acquired from Smolt Monitoring Program (SMP) personnel 
at Bonneville, John Day, and McNary Dams; implanted with radio 
transmitters; transported; held for as long as 24 hours; released; and 
tracked electronically. SMP personnel are authorized to collect ESA-
listed fish under the authority of permit 822. Indirect mortalities of 
ESA-listed juvenile fish associated with the scientific research are 
also requested.
    POP (1131) requests a two-year permit for takes of juvenile, 
threatened, naturally-produced and artificially-propagated, Snake River 
spring/summer chinook salmon; juvenile, threatened, Snake River fall 
chinook salmon; juvenile, endangered, naturally-produced and 
artificially-propagated, upper Columbia River steelhead; and juvenile, 
threatened, Snake River steelhead associated with research designed to 
determine the presence and distribution of fish in shallow water 
habitats between the lower end of Hayden Island and the Sandy River 
delta on the Columbia River. POP also requests a take of juvenile lower 
Columbia River steelhead which is currently proposed as threatened. 
Information obtained as a result of research activities will be used 
to: 1) develop a comprehensive management plan for the lower Columbia 
River steelhead evolutionarily significant unit in cooperation with the 
states of OR and WA; 2) prepare environmental impact assessments 
associated with shoreline development projects, such as a proposed 
marine terminal facility on the western half of Hayden Island; and 3) 
design mitigation plans to compensate for the loss of shallow water 
habitat due to future shoreline development projects. ESA-listed fish 
are proposed to be captured using electrofishing, seines, or bottom 
trawls; handled; and released. ESA-listed juvenile fish indirect 
mortalities associated with research activities are also requested.
    S. Gordon Rogers, Satilla Management Associates, Inc. (1132), 
requests a one year permit to collect tissue samples and morphometric 
measurements from 30 shortnose sturgeon in Georgia rivers. In addition, 
the any fish that samples were collected from would also be marked with 
conventional and PIT tags. Collection method would be tended gill and 
trammel nets.
    Andre M. Landry, Texas A&M University (1133), requests a five-year 
permit (1133) to take listed sea turtles for the purpose of conducting 
studies on population status and recovery potential, habitat 
preference, movement and migration, foraging patterns, and impact of 
man's activities such as commercial and recreational fishing, dredging 
and habitat alteration/pollution. The applicant requests authorization 
to take up to 200 Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), 20 hawksbill 
(Eretmochelys imbricata), 300 green (Chelonia mydas), and 200 
loggerhead (Caretta caretta) turtles annually from locations within the 
Gulf of Mexico, primarily through the use of entanglement nets. 
Captured turtles may be weighed, photographed, and measured; tagged 
with flipper, PIT, radio and/or satellite tags; and blood, fecal and 
tissue sampled. Additionally, stomach lavage techniques may be deployed 
where necessary.
    On October 31, 1997, a notice was published (62 FR 58942) that NMFS 
received an application (1102) for a three-year permit from WDFW that 
would authorize takes of ESA-listed adult salmon and steelhead, 
including adult, threatened, Snake River steelhead, for the purpose of 
scientific research. NMFS has received an amendment to the application 
requesting: 1) That the permit be valid for a duration of five years; 
and 2) a take of adult lower Columbia River steelhead, which is 
currently proposed as threatened. Indirect mortalities of ESA-listed 
adult steelhead associated with research activities are also requested.
    To date, protective regulations for threatened Snake River 
steelhead under section 4(d) of the ESA have not been promulgated by 
NMFS. This notice of receipt of applications requesting takes of this 
species is issued as a precaution in the event that NMFS issues 
protective regulations that prohibit takes of Snake River steelhead. 
The initiation of a 30-day public comment period on the applications, 
including their proposed takes of Snake River steelhead, does not 
presuppose the contents of the eventual protective regulations. To 
date, a listing determination for lower Columbia River steelhead under 
the ESA has not been promulgated by NMFS. This notice of receipt of 
applications requesting takes of this species is issued as a precaution 
in the event that NMFS issues a listing determination. The initiation 
of a 30-day public comment period on the applications, including their 
proposed takes of lower Columbia River steelhead, does not presuppose a 
listing determination.
    Those individuals requesting a hearing should set out the specific

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reasons why a hearing on this particular application would be 
appropriate (see ADDRESSES). The holding of such hearing is at the 
discretion of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA. All 
statements and opinions contained in this application summary are those 
of the applicant and do not necessarily reflect the views of NMFS.

    Dated: February 19, 1998.
Nancy I. Chu,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-4782 Filed 2-24-98; 8:45 am]
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