[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 166 (Thursday, August 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45799-45800]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-22949]



DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 081298B]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of applications for scientific research permits (1169, 
1175) and a modification to a scientific research permit (990); 
Issuance of scientific research permits (1126, 1156) and a modification 
to a scientific research permit (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 permit 
applications from: U.S. Forest Service, Mt. Hood National Forest at 
Sandy, OR (MHNF)(1169) and U.S. Forest Service, Gifford Pinchot 
National Forest at Vancouver, WA (GPNF)(1175); NMFS has received an 
application for a modification to an existing permits from the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, California State Office, Sacramento, CA 
(FWS)(990); NMFS has issued permits to: Washington Department of Fish 
and Wildlife at Olympia, WA (WDFW)(1126) and the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) (1156); and NMFS has issued a modification to a 
scientific research permit to Public Utility District No. 1 of Douglas 
County (PUDDC)(1116).

DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on any of the 
applications must be received on or before September 28, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for 
review in the following offices, by appointment:
    For permit 990: Protected Species Division, NMFS, 777 Sonoma 
Avenue, Room 325, Santa Rosa, CA 95404-6528 (707-575-6066).
    For permits 1116, 1126, 1156, 1169, and 1175: Protected Resources 
Division (PRD), F/NWO3, 525 NE Oregon Street, Suite 500, Portland, OR 
97232-4169 (503-230-5400).
    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 permit 990: Tom Hablett, Protected 
Resources Division, (707-575-6066).
    For permit 1126: Robert Koch, Portland, OR (503-230-5424).
    For permits 1116, 1156, 1169, and 1185: Tom Lichatowich, Portland, 
OR (503-230-5438).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority

    Permits 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.
    Issuance of these permits and modifications, as required by the 
ESA, was based on a finding that such permits, modifications: (1) Were 
applied for in good faith; (2) would not operate to the disadvantage of 
the listed species which are the subject of the permits; and (3) are 
consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the 
ESA. These permits and modifications, were also issued in accordance 
with and are subject to parts 217-222 of Title 50 CFR, the NMFS 
regulations governing listed species permits.

Species Covered in This Notice

    The following species are covered in this notice: Chinook salmon 
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), and 
Steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).
    To date, protective regulations for 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 
this species is issued as a precaution in the event that NMFS issues 
protective regulations that prohibit takes of threatened LCR steelhead. 
The initiation of a 30-day public comment period on these applications, 
including their proposed takes of threatened LCR steelhead, does not 
presuppose the contents of the eventual protective regulations.

New Applications Received

    MHNF (1169) requests a 5-year permit for a direct take of adult and 
juvenile, threatened, LCR steelhead associated with four routine fish 
distribution and

[[Page 45800]]

monitoring research studies. The proposed studies will produce 
essential stock status data needed to manage programs for the recovery 
of listed fish. Study 1 is located in the Clackamas River and involves 
adult spawning surveys, juvenile trapping and tagging work as well as 
juvenile presence/absence surveys using snorkeling and electrofishing 
techniques. Study 2 is located in the Hood River Ranger District and 
involves snorkel distribution surveys as well as trapping and tagging 
juveniles. Study 3 is located in the Zig Zag Ranger District and 
involves adult spawning surveys, juvenile trapping, electrofishing, 
tagging and a lethal take of juveniles for genetic analysis. Study 4 
involves presence/absence surveys in the Mt Hood National Forest. ESA-
listed juvenile fish indirect mortalities associated with the research 
are also requested.
    GPNF (1175) requests a 5-year permit for a direct take of juvenile, 
threatened, LCR steelhead associated with two research studies. The 
scientific research will provide necessary information to assess the 
impact of proposed land use activities on ESA-listed fish. The purpose 
of Study 1 is to conduct fish distribution, fish species presence/
absence, and habitat quality surveys on streams across the forest. The 
purpose of Study 2 is to evaluate the biological benefits of fish 
habitat improvement projects. ESA-listed fish are proposed to be 
observed or captured (using seines or electrofishing), examined, and 
released. ESA-listed fish are also proposed to be relocated away from 
stream rehabilitation project areas in the course of conducting the 
research. ESA-listed juvenile fish indirect mortalities associated with 
the research are also requested.

Modification Request Received

    FWS requests modification 1 to permit 990 for authorization to 
include takes of juvenile, endangered, Sacramento River winter-run 
chinook salmon associated with fish population studies in Battle Creek, 
a tributary to the Sacramento River. The studies consist of four tasks 
for which ESA-listed fish are proposed to be taken: (1) emergence/
emigration size and timing; (2) production estimates; (3) collection of 
tissue samples for genetic analysis; and (4) investigation of potential 
limiting factors for survival. 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 990 expires on June 30, 2001.

Permits and Modifications Issued

    Notice was published on June 10, 1998 (63 FR 31739), that an 
application had been filed by the PUDDC, for Modification 1 to permit 
1116. Modification 1 was issued on August 11, 1998, and authorizes 
PUDDC an increase in the take of juvenile, endangered, upper Columbia 
River steelhead associated with a new study designed to inventory fish 
species in Wells reservoir on the Columbia River. ESA-listed fish will 
be observed by SCUBA divers or collected in beach seines, anesthetized, 
examined, allowed to recover, and released. Modification 1 is valid for 
the duration of the permit. Permit 1116 expires on December 31, 2002.
    Notice was published on February 19, 1998 (63 FR 8435), that an 
application had been filed by WDFW for a scientific research permit. 
Permit 1126 was issued to WDFW on August 11, 1998, and authorizes WDFW 
an annual direct take of adult and juvenile, threatened, naturally 
produced and artificially propagated, Snake River spring/summer chinook 
salmon and juvenile, threatened, Snake River fall chinook salmon 
associated with scientific research conducted in the Snake River Basin 
in WA. The purpose of the research is to monitor and evaluate the 
success of hatchery supplementation programs in the region, as well as 
naturally produced fish populations, and to identify factors that are 
limiting ESA-listed fish productivity. In addition to non-lethal takes, 
an annual lethal take of ESA-listed juvenile fish is authorized for 
morphometric, meristic, pathologic, and electrophoretic studies. Permit 
1126 expires on December 31, 2002.
    Notice was published on June 19, 1998 (63 FR 33632), that an 
application had been filed by EPA for a 5-year research/enhancement 
permit. Permit 1156 was issued on August 14, 1998, and authorizes takes 
of juvenile, threatened, southern Oregon/northern California coast coho 
salmon; juvenile, threatened, naturally produced and artificially 
propagated, Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon; and juvenile, 
threatened, Snake River fall chinook salmon associated with research 
designed to collect data in the Rogue and Snake Rivers. ESA-listed fish 
are proposed to be captured using electrofishing, examined, and 
released. The data will be used to enforce the Clean Water Act which 
will increase the recovery potential of listed species. Permit 1156 
expires on December 31, 2002.

    Dated: August 20, 1998.
Kevin Collins,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-22949 Filed 8-26-98; 8:45 am]
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