[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 221 (Tuesday, November 17, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63910-63911]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-30618]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 110998E]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of applications for scientific research and research/
enhancement permits (1179, 1185, 1186); Issuance of scientific research 
permits (1162, 1167).

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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 Natural Resource Scientists, Inc.,(NRSI) in Red 
Bluff, CA (1185) and Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) at Boise, 
ID (1179, 1186); NMFS has issued permits to Salmon Protection and 
Watershed Network (SPAWN) (1162) and Peter B. Moyle (1167).

DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on any of the 
applications must be received on or before December 17, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for 
review in the following offices, by appointment:
    For permits 1162, 1167, and 1185: Protected Species Division, NMFS, 
777 Sonoma Avenue, Room 325, Santa Rosa, CA 95404-6528 (707-575-6066).
    For permits 1179 and 1186: 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 1162, 1167, and 1185: Tom 
Hablett, Protected Resources Division, (707-575-6066).
    For permits 1179 and 1186: Robert Koch, Portland, OR (503-230-
5424).

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) 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. Permits are 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 (O. kisutch), and Steelhead 
trout (O. mykiss).
    To date, protective regulations for threatened California Central 
Valley (CCVa) 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 CCVa 
steelhead. The initiation of a 30-day public comment period on these 
applications, including their proposed takes of threatened CCVa 
steelhead, does not presuppose the contents of the eventual protective 
regulations.

New Applications Received

    IDFG requests two 5-year permits (1179, 1186) that would authorize 
an annual direct take of adult and juvenile, threatened, naturally 
produced and artificially propagated, Snake River spring/summer (SnRS/
S) chinook salmon associated with a hatchery supplementation program at 
the Pahsimeroi River in ID (1186), and at the headwaters of the Salmon 
River (Sawtooth Hatchery), East Fork Salmon River, and South Fork 
Salmon River in ID (1179). Permit 1186 would replace permit 922 which 
expires on December 31, 1998. Permit 1179 would replace permits 919, 
920, and 921 which expire on December 31, 1998. The enhancement of ESA-
listed SnRS/S chinook salmon stocks is expected by increasing the 
genetic integrity of the species and by providing egg-to-adult survival 
improvement through hatchery rearing as compared to natural incubation 
and rearing. IDFG proposes to retain a percentage of the ESA-listed 
adult salmon that return to the respective watersheds each year for 
broodstock and to release all of the ESA-listed adult salmon not 
retained for broodstock to spawn naturally. ESA-listed adult salmon 
retained for broodstock are proposed to be transported to a hatchery 
and spawned. The resulting progeny are proposed to be reared in the 
hatcheries, tagged with internal identifiers, and released in the 
respective streams of origin when ready to outmigrate to the ocean. 
Annual incidental takes of ESA-listed species associated with adult and 
juvenile fish releases are also requested.
    NRSI (1185) requests a 5-year permit for takes of adult and 
juvenile, threatened, CCVa steelhead associated with fish population 
studies on the Mokelumne and Merced Rivers within the Evolutionarily 
Significant Unit (ESU). Steelhead studies conducted by NRSI consist of 
three assessment tasks for which ESA-listed fish are proposed to be 
taken: (1) Presence/absence, (2) population estimates, and (3) 
migratory trends. ESA-listed fish will be observed or captured, 
anesthetized, handled (weighed and measured), allowed to recover from 
the anesthetic, and released. Indirect mortalities associated with the 
research are also requested.

Permits Issued

    Notice was published on July 14, 1998 (63 FR 37851), that an 
application had been filed by SPAWN for a scientific research permit. 
Permit 1162 was issued to SPAWN on October 28, 1996, and authorizes 
takes of juvenile, threatened, central California coast (CCC) coho 
salmon associated with fish population and habitat studies on San 
Geronimo Creek and its tributaries within the ESU. ESA-listed fish may 
be captured, handled and released. Permit 1162 expires on June 30, 
2003.
    Notice was published on July 14, 1998 (63 FR 37851), that an 
application had been filed by Peter B. Moyle for a scientific research 
permit. Permit 1167 was issued to Peter B. Moyle on October 28, 1998, 
and authorizes takes of juvenile, threatened, CCC coho salmon 
associated with fish population and habitat studies throughout the ESU. 
ESA-listed fish may be observed. Permit 1167 expires on June 30, 2003.


[[Page 63911]]


    Dated: November 9, 1998.
Patricia A. Montanio,
Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-30618 Filed 11-16-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F