[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 178 (Tuesday, September 15, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49336-49337]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-24726]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 090498B]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Issuance of scientific research permits (1141, 1148, 1152) and 
modifications to scientific research permits (900, 946, 948, 994).

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has issued permits to: Public 
Utility District No 2 of Grant County at Ephrata, WA (PUDGC) (1141), 
the Resource Enhancement and Utilization Technologies Division of the 
Northwest Fisheries Science Center, NMFS at Seattle, WA (NWFSC) (1148), 
and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife at La Grande, OR (ODFW) 
(1152); and has issued modifications to permits to: Northwest Fisheries 
Science Center, NMFS at Seattle, WA (NWFSC) (900 and 946), the Northern 
Wasco County People's Utility District at The Dalles, OR (NWCPUD) 
(948), and the Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at 
Moscow, ID (ICFWRU)(994).

ADDRESSES: The permits, applications and related documents are 
available for review in the following offices, by appointment: 
Protected Resources Division, F/NWO3, 525 NE Oregon Street, Suite 500, 
Portland, OR 97232-4169 (503-230-5400); and
    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 1141: Tom Lichatowich (503-
230-5438).
    For permits 900, 946, 948, 994, 1148, and 1152: Robert Koch (503-
230-5424).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority

    Permits are issued 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).
    Issuance of the permits and permit modifications, as required by 
the ESA, was based on a finding that such actions: (1) Were requested/
proposed in good faith, (2) would not operate to the disadvantage of 
the ESA-listed species that are the subject of the permits, and (3) are 
consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the 
ESA and the NMFS regulations governing ESA-listed species permits.

Species Covered in this Notice

    The following species are covered in this notice: Chinook salmon 
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), Sockeye salmon (O. nerka), Steelhead (O. 
mykiss).

Permits Issued

    Notice was published on April 16, 1998 (63 FR 73), that an 
application had been filed by PUDGC for a 5-year research permit. 
Permit 1141 was issued on August 21, 1998, and authorizes takes of 
endangered, juvenile, upper Columbia River (UCR) steelhead in three 
research activities. In the first, one-third of the smolts netted at 
Wanapum Dam would be anesthetized, counted, examined for marks, and 
lengths taken on a representative 5% sample before the fish would be 
allowed to recover in a holding tank until release. In the second 
activity, 50-100 smolts are examined twice per week for gas bubble 
trauma. The third study involves a lethal take of ESA-listed steelhead 
smolts captured during weekly fyke-netting efforts at Wanapum Dam from 
mid-July through August as part of a hydro acoustics study. Permit 1141 
expires on December 31, 2002.
    Notice was published on May 15, 1998 (63 FR 27055), that an 
application had been filed by NWFSC for a scientific research/
enhancement permit. Permit 1148 was issued to NWFSC on September 2, 
1998. Permit 1148 authorizes NWFSC annual direct takes of adult and 
juvenile, endangered, Snake River sockeye salmon associated with its 
role in a captive broodstock program. The captive broodstock program is 
a cooperative effort among the Idaho Department of Fish and Game 
(IDFG), NMFS, the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, the University of Idaho, the 
Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, the Oregon Department of 
Fish and Wildlife, and the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). 
Funding is provided by BPA. IDFG is authorized annual takes of ESA-
listed sockeye salmon under scientific research/enhancement Permit 
1120. Permit 1148 expires on December 31, 2002.
    Notice was published on May 29, 1998 (63 FR 29382), that an 
application had been filed by ODFW for a scientific research permit. 
Permit 1152 was issued to ODFW on August 26, 1998. Permit 1152 
authorizes ODFW annual direct takes of adult and juvenile, threatened, 
naturally produced, Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon associated 
with scientific research conducted in the Grande Ronde and Imnaha River 
Basins in the state of OR. ODFW will conduct five research tasks: (1) 
Spring chinook salmon spawning ground surveys, (2) spring chinook 
salmon early life history, (3) habitat and fish inventory surveys, (4) 
passage and irrigation screening, and (5) monitoring of residual 
hatchery steelhead. Permit 1152 expires on December 31, 2002.

Permits Modifications Issued

    Notice was published on May 29, 1998 (63 FR 29382) that an 
application had been filed by NWFSC for modification 6 to scientific 
research permit 900. Modification 6 to permit 900 was issued to NWFSC 
on September 4, 1998. Permit 900 authorizes NWFSC annual direct takes 
of juvenile, endangered, Snake River sockeye salmon; juvenile, 
threatened, naturally produced and artificially propagated, Snake River 
spring/summer chinook salmon; juvenile, threatened, Snake River fall 
chinook salmon; and juvenile, endangered, naturally produced and 
artificially propagated, upper Columbia River steelhead associated with 
three studies designed to determine the relative survival of migrating 
juvenile salmonids at hydropower dams and reservoirs on the Snake and 
Columbia Rivers in the Pacific Northwest. For modification 6, NWFSC is 
authorized an increase in the annual takes of ESA-listed juvenile fish 
associated with The Dalles Dam survival study. Actual field conditions 
to date in 1998 indicate that NWFSC underestimated the amount of ESA-
listed fish takes needed to validate the study. Modification 6 is valid 
for the duration of the permit, which expires on December 31, 1999.
    Notice was published on May 29, 1998 (63 FR 29382) that an 
application had been filed by NWFSC for modification 5 to scientific 
research permit 946. Modification 5 to permit 946 was issued to NWFSC 
on September 4, 1998. Permit 946 authorizes NWFSC annual direct takes 
of juvenile, endangered, Snake River sockeye salmon; juvenile, 
threatened, naturally produced and artificially propagated, Snake River 
spring/summer chinook salmon; juvenile, threatened, Snake River fall 
chinook salmon; and juvenile, endangered, naturally produced and

[[Page 49337]]

artificially propagated, upper Columbia River steelhead associated with 
two scientific research studies. The studies are designed to assess the 
migration timing and relative survival of chinook salmon smolts 
transported by barge to below Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River with 
the survival to adulthood of smolts migrating volitionally inriver to 
Bonneville Dam and to the mouth of the Columbia River. For modification 
5, NWFSC is authorized an increase in the takes of ESA-listed juvenile 
fish associated with both studies. Actual field conditions to date in 
1998 indicate that NWFSC underestimated the amount of ESA-listed fish 
takes needed to complete the studies. Modification 5 is valid for the 
duration of the permit which expires on December 31, 1999.
    Notice was published on March 6, 1998 (63 FR 11220) that an 
application had been filed by NWCPUD for modification 2 to scientific 
research permit 948. Modification 2 to permit 948 was issued to NWCPUD 
on September 2, 1998, and authorizes annual direct takes of juvenile, 
endangered, Snake River sockeye salmon; juvenile, threatened, naturally 
produced and artificially propagated, Snake River spring/summer chinook 
salmon; and juvenile, threatened, Snake River fall chinook salmon 
associated with a study designed to assess run-of-the-river juvenile 
anadromous fish condition after passage through the screened turbine 
intake channel at The Dalles Dam, located on the Columbia River. For 
modification 2, NWCPUD is authorized an annual direct take of juvenile, 
endangered, naturally produced and artificially propagated, UCR 
steelhead associated with the research. Modification 2 is valid for the 
duration of the permit. Permit 948 expires on September 30, 1999.
    Notice was published on May 29, 1998 (63 FR 29382) that an 
application had been filed by ICFWRU for modification 4 to scientific 
research permit 994. Modification 4 to permit 994 was issued to ICFWRU 
on September 2, 1998, and authorizes annual direct takes of adult, 
threatened, Snake River spring/summer and fall chinook salmon and 
adult, endangered, Snake River sockeye salmon associated with two 
studies. Study 1 is designed to assess the passage success of migrating 
adult salmonids at the four dams and reservoirs in the lower Columbia 
River. Study 2 is designed to determine if adult salmon successfully 
return to natal streams or hatcheries after passing Lower Granite Dam 
on the Snake River. For modification 4, ICFWRU is authorized an annual 
direct take of adult, endangered, UCR steelhead associated with a new 
study designed to determine the effects of transporting steelhead 
smolts on the homing of returning adults. Modification 4 is valid for 
the duration of the permit, which expires on December 31, 2000.

    Dated: September 9, 1998.
Kevin Collins,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-24726 Filed 9-14-98; 8:45 am]
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