[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 208 (Wednesday, October 28, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57665-57666]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-28860]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 101698K]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of an application for a scientific research permit 
(1184) and a modification to a scientific research permit (895); 
Issuance of scientific research permits (1138, 1166, 1177).

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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 Garcia and Associates in San Anselmo, CA (GAA)(1184); 
NMFS has received an application to modify an existing permit from the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District at Walla Walla, WA 
(Corps-WWD)(895); NMFS has issued permits to: Dr. Jennifer Nielsen 
(1138), A.A. Rich and Associates (AARC)(1166), and the U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers, Portland District in Portland, OR (Corps-PD)(1177).

DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on any of the 
applications must be received on or before November 27, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for 
review in the following offices, by appointment:
    For permits 1138, 1166, and 1184: Protected Species Division, NMFS, 
777 Sonoma Avenue, Room 325, Santa Rosa, CA 95404-6528 (707-575-6066);
    For permits 895 and 1177: Protected Resources Division, 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 permits 1138, 1166, and 1184: Tom 
Hablett, Protected Resources Division, (707-575-6066).
    For permit 895: Robert Koch, Portland, OR (503-230-5424).
    For permit 1177: 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 permits, as required by the ESA, is based on a finding 
that such permits: (1) Are applied for in good faith; (2) will 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. Permits are 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 ESA-listed species are covered in this notice: 
Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), Coho salmon (O. kisutch), 
Sockeye salmon (O. nerka), and Steelhead trout (O. mykiss).

New Application Received

    GAA (1184) requests a 5-year permit for takes of adult and 
juvenile, threatened, central California coast (CCC) coho salmon, and 
adult and juvenile, endangered, southern California coast (SCC) 
steelhead associated with fish population studies throughout the 
Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) within California. Salmon and 
steelhead studies conducted by GAA consist of four assessment tasks for 
which ESA-

[[Page 57666]]

listed fish are proposed to be taken: (1) Presence/absence, (2) 
population estimates, (3) fish rescue, and (4) tissue/scale sampling 
for genetic studies. Fish will be observed or captured, anesthetized, 
handled (weighed, measured, fin-clipped), allowed to recover from the 
anesthetic, and released. Indirect mortalities associated with the 
research are also requested.

Modification Request Received

    Corps-WWD requests modification 5 to permit 895, which authorizes 
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 the operation of the Juvenile Fish 
Transportation Program at four hydroelectric projects on the Snake and 
Columbia Rivers in the Pacific Northwest (Lower Granite, Little Goose, 
Lower Monumental, and McNary Dams). Permit 895 also authorizes Corps-
WWD annual incidental takes of adult salmonids associated with 
fallbacks through the juvenile fish bypass systems at the four dams. 
The purpose of the Juvenile Fish Transportation Program is to enhance 
the survival of migrating anadromous salmonids that would otherwise be 
subjected to adverse environmental conditions at the dams and 
reservoirs on the rivers. For modification 5, the Corps requests an 
increase in the annual direct take of juvenile, threatened, Snake River 
fall chinook salmon. Due to unknown factors, an unusually large number 
of wild juvenile fall chinook salmon are migrating out of the Snake 
River in 1998 and are being collected and transported at the Corps 
projects. An associated increase in juvenile fall chinook salmon 
indirect mortalities are also requested. Modification 5 is requested to 
be valid for the duration of the permit, which expires on December 31, 
1999.

Permits Issued

    Notice was published on July 14,1998 (63 FR 37851), that an 
application had been filed by Dr. Jennifer Nielsen for a scientific 
research permit. Permit 1138 was issued to Dr. Nielsen on October 14, 
1998, and authorizes the receiving, possession and analyzing of tissues 
taken from adult and juvenile, threatened, CCC and southern Oregon/
northern California coast (SONCC) coho salmon, and adult and juvenile, 
endangered, SCC steelhead associated with genetic studies throughout 
the ESUs. Fish will be captured only by other authorized NMFS Permit 
Holders. Permit 1138 expires on June 30, 2003.
    Notice was published on July 14,1998 (63 FR 37851), that an 
application had been filed by AARC for a scientific research permit. 
Permit 1166 was issued to AARC on October 14, 1998, and authorizes 
takes of of adult and juvenile, threatened, CCC and SONCC coho salmon, 
and takes of adult and juvenile, endangered, SCC steelhead associated 
with fish population and habitat studies throughout the ESUs. ESA-
listed fish may be captured, handled, and released. Indirect 
mortalities are also authorized. Permit 1166 expires on June 30, 2003.
    Notice was published on August 31, 1998 (63 FR 46218), that an 
application had been filed by Corps-PD for a scientific research/
enhancement permit. Permit 1177 was issued to Corps-PD on October 15, 
1998, and authorizes annual direct takes of adult and juvenile, 
threatened, SONCC coho salmon associated with scientific research and 
an adult fish trap-and-haul program at Elk Creek Dam on the Rogue River 
in OR. The purpose of the trap-and-haul program is to move returning 
ESA-listed adult fish above Elk Creek Dam, an impassable barrier for 
adult salmonids, so that the fish may use the habitat upstream of the 
dam for natural spawning. To determine the annual spawning success of 
the fish upstream of the dam, ESA-listed juvenile fish will be observed 
by snorkeling. In addition, ESA-listed adult fish carcasses will be 
examined for evidence of spawning and immediately returned to the 
stream. Permit 1177 expires on June 30, 2000.

    Dated: October 21, 1998.
Kevin Collins,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-28860 Filed 10-27-98; 8:45 am]
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