[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 111 (Wednesday, June 10, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31739-31741]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-15439]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 060498A]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of application for scientific research permit (1151) 
and for modifications to scientific research permits (899, 901, 902, 
903, 908, 1057, 1116).

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the following actions regarding 
permits for takes of endangered and threatened species for the purposes 
of scientific research and/or enhancement: NMFS has received a permit 
application from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife at 
Portland, OR (ODFW) (1151); and NMFS has received applications for 
modifications to existing permits from: ODFW (899), Washington 
Department of Fish and Wildlife at Olympia, WA (WDFW) (901, 902), Idaho 
Department of Fish and Game at Boise, ID (IDFG) (903, 908), Umpqua 
National Forest of the U.S. Forest Service at Tiller, OR (UNF-USFS) 
(1057), and the Public Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County at East 
Wenatchee, WA (PUD DC) (1116).

DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on any of the 
applications must be received on or before July 10, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for 
review in the following office, by appointment: Protected Resources 
Division (PRD), F/NWO3, 525 NE Oregon Street, Suite 500, Portland, OR 
97232-4169 (503-230-5400).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For permits 899, 901, 902, 903, and 
908: Robert Koch, Portland, OR (503-230-5424).
    For permits 1057 and 1116: Tom Lichatowich, Portland, OR (503-230-
5438).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority

    Permits and modifications are requested 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).
    Those individuals requesting a hearing on these requests for 
permits 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 below application summaries 
are those of the applicant and do not necessarily reflect the views of 
NMFS.

Species Covered in this Notice

    The following species are covered in this notice: Chinook salmon 
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), Cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki 
clarki), Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), and Steelhead trout 
(Oncorhynchus mykiss).
    To date, protective regulations for threatened Snake River 
steelhead and threatened lower Columbia River (LCR) steelhead under 
section 4(d) of the ESA have not been promulgated by NMFS. This notice 
of receipt of applications requesting takes of these species is issued 
as a precaution in the event that NMFS issues protective regulations 
that prohibit takes of Snake River steelhead and LCR steelhead. The 
initiation of a 30 day public comment period on the applications, 
including their proposed takes of Snake River steelhead and LCR, does 
not presuppose the contents of the eventual protective regulations.

New Application Received

    ODFW requests a 5 year permit (1151) that would authorize an annual 
incidental take of adult and juvenile, endangered, Umpqua River 
cutthroat trout associated with non-listed fish hatchery operations in 
the Umpqua River Basin. ODFW hatchery operations in the basin include: 
one state-operated coho and chinook salmon hatchery (Rock Creek); one 
state-supervised Salmon Trout Enhancement Program hatchery (Gardiner); 
nineteen state-supervised volunteer projects operating 55 to 65 hatch 
boxes; salmon and steelhead broodstock collection at Winchester Dam, 
Galesville Dam, and Smith River fishway; and the volitional release or 
transfer of non-listed hatchery produced fish. Impacts on ESA-listed 
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. ODFW included a 
conservation plan in the

[[Page 31740]]

permit application that provides measures to monitor, minimize, and 
mitigate impacts to ESA-listed fish.

Modification Requests Received

    ODFW requests modification 1 to incidental take permit 899. Permit 
899 authorizes ODFW annual incidental takes of endangered Snake River 
sockeye salmon; threatened, naturally produced and artificially 
propagated, Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon; and threatened 
Snake River fall chinook salmon associated with six non-listed fish 
hatchery programs. The ODFW propagation programs (Wallowa, Round Butte, 
Roaring River, Oak Springs, Clatsop Economic Development Council 
Fisheries Project, and the Salmon Trout Enhancement Program) rear and 
release rainbow trout and anadromous salmonids that could potentially 
interact with ESA-listed fish. Impacts on ESA-listed 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. For 
modification 1, ODFW requests annual incidental takes of endangered, 
naturally produced and artificially propagated, upper Columbia River 
(UCR) steelhead; threatened Snake River steelhead; and threatened LCR 
steelhead associated with hatchery operations and non-listed fish 
releases. ODFW has submitted a revised conservation plan in the permit 
modification request that provides measures to monitor, minimize, and 
mitigate impacts to ESA-listed steelhead. Modification 1 is requested 
to be valid for the duration of the permit. Permit 899 expires on 
December 31, 1998.
    On October 15, 1997 (62 FR 53596), NMFS announced the receipt of an 
application from WDFW for modification 1 to incidental take permits 901 
and 902 for authorization for incidental takes of endangered, naturally 
produced and artificially propagated, UCR steelhead and threatened 
Snake River steelhead. Permits 901 and 902 authorize WDFW annual 
incidental takes of endangered Snake River sockeye salmon; threatened, 
naturally produced and artificially propagated, Snake River spring/
summer chinook salmon; and threatened Snake River fall chinook salmon 
associated with numerous non-listed fish hatchery complexes and 
educational projects throughout the state of WA. For modification 1 to 
both permits, WDFW also requests annual incidental takes of LCR 
steelhead, which was listed as threatened by NMFS on March 18, 1998. 
For modification 1 to permit 902, NMFS received a supplemental 
application from WDFW requesting an annual incidental take of adult and 
juvenile, endangered, naturally produced and artificially propagated, 
UCR steelhead associated with non-listed summer/fall chinook salmon 
spawning ground surveys in tributaries upstream of Wells Dam on the 
Columbia River. Activities that may result in an incidental take of 
ESA-listed fish include foot and/or float surveys. ESA-listed fish are 
proposed to be observed and/or harassed. The modifications to permits 
901 and 902 are requested to be valid for the duration of the permits. 
Permits 901 and 902 expire on December 31, 1998.
    IDFG requests modification 1 to incidental take permit 903. Permit 
903 authorizes IDFG annual incidental takes of endangered Snake River 
sockeye salmon; threatened, naturally produced and artificially 
propagated, Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon; and threatened 
Snake River fall chinook salmon associated with four non-listed fish 
hatcheries that are part of the Idaho Power Company hatchery mitigation 
program. The IDFG propagation facilities (Rapid River, Niagra, 
Pahsimeroi, and Oxbow Fish Hatchery/Hells Canyon trap) rear and release 
chinook salmon and steelhead that could potentially interact with ESA-
listed fish. Impacts on ESA-listed 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. For 
modification 1, IDFG requests annual incidental takes of endangered, 
naturally produced and artificially propagated, UCR steelhead; 
threatened Snake River steelhead; and threatened LCR steelhead 
associated with hatchery operations and non-listed fish releases. Also 
for modification 1, IDFG requests an annual incidental take of adult, 
threatened, Snake River steelhead associated with the trapping and 
release of adult steelhead at Pahsimeroi and Hells Canyon traps. IDFG 
has submitted a revised conservation plan in the permit modification 
request that provides measures to monitor, minimize, and mitigate 
impacts to ESA-listed steelhead. Modification 1 is requested to be 
valid for the duration of the permit. Permit 903 expires on December 
31, 1998.
    IDFG requests modification 2 to incidental take permit 908. Permit 
908 authorizes IDFG annual incidental takes of endangered Snake River 
sockeye salmon and threatened, naturally produced and artificially 
propagated, Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon associated with 
IDFG's resident fish-stocking program, designed to increase the supply 
of fish in the Salmon River and its tributary streams and lakes for 
sport-angling. For modification 2, IDFG requests: (1) An annual 
incidental take of threatened Snake River steelhead, (2) an increase in 
the number of catchable-sized hatchery rainbow trout to be stocked 
annually into the Salmon River and tributaries, (3) an increase in the 
number of sub-catchable hatchery rainbow trout to be stocked annually 
into the lower Salmon and Clearwater Rivers, and (4) an annual 
incidental take of ESA-listed species associated with the stocking of 
westslope cutthroat trout into native areas of the Salmon River and 
tributaries for population restoration purposes. Modification 2 is 
requested to be valid for the duration of the permit. Permit 908 
expires on December 31, 1998.
    UNF-USFS requests modification 1 to scientific research permit 
1057. Permit 1057 authorizes takes of adult and juvenile, endangered, 
Umpqua River cutthroat trout associated with presence/absence surveys 
in the Umpqua River Basin. Data from the surveys is used to clarify the 
impact of projected timber harvests in the Fish Creek watershed. For 
modification 1, UNF-USFS requests authorization for takes of endangered 
Umpqua River cutthroat trout associated with presence/absence surveys 
in the headwaters of the South Umpqua River. UNF-USFS proposes to start 
electrofishing in upstream headwaters and proceed downstream, stopping 
when the first cutthroat trout is encountered. The information gathered 
will be used to establish fish distribution maps to clarify impacts of 
projected timber harvest in the South Umpqua River. Modification 1 is 
requested to be valid for the duration of the permit. Permit 1057 
expires on December 31, 1998.
    PUD GC requests modification 1 to scientific research permit 1116. 
Permit 1116 authorizes takes of juvenile, endangered, naturally 
produced and artificially propagated, UCR steelhead associated with a 
study designed to determine the survival and migration

[[Page 31741]]

differences of juvenile fish as they pass downstream through Lake 
Pateros and Wells Dam. For modification 1, PUD GC requests an increase 
in the take of juvenile, endangered, UCR steelhead associated with a 
study designed to inventory fish species in Wells reservoir on the 
Columbia River. ESA-listed fish are proposed to be observed by SCUBA 
divers or collected in beach seines, anesthetized, examined, allowed to 
recover, and released. Modification 1 is requested to be valid for the 
duration of the permit. Permit 1116 expires on December 31, 2002.

    Dated: June 4, 1998.
Patricia A. Montanio,
Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-15439 Filed 6-9-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F