[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 21 (Tuesday, February 2, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5030-5032]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-2438]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 012599C]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of applications for scientific research permits (1193, 
1197, 1198) and modifications to scientific research permits (1058, 
1130)

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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: Fish Passage Center in Portland, OR (FPC) (1193), 
Mr. John Crutchfield, of Harris Energy & Environmental Center of 
Carolina Power and Light Company (HEEC-CPL) (1197), and J. Alan Huff, 
Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) (1198); and NMFS 
has received applications for modifications to existing permits from: 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Ahsahka, ID (FWS) (1058) and U.S. 
Geological Survey in Cook, WA (USGS) (1130).

DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on any of the 
applications must be received on or before March 4, 1999.


[[Page 5031]]


ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for 
review in the following offices, by appointment:
    For permits 1197 and 1198: Protected Resources Division, F/SEO3, 
9721 Executive Center Dr., St. Petersburg, FL 33702-2432 (813-570-
5312).
    For permits 1058, 1130, and 1193: 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 permit 1197: Terri Jordan, Silver 
Spring, MD (301-713-1401).
    For permit 1198: Michelle Rogers, Silver Spring, MD (301-713-1401).
    For permits 1058, 1130, and 1193: Leslie Schaeffer, Portland, OR 
(503-230-5433).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority

    Issuance of permits and permit modifications, as required by the 
ESA, is based on a finding that such permits/modifications: (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 and modifications 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 and populations are covered in this notice: 
Green turtle (Chelonia mydas), Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys 
imbricata), Kemp's ridley turtle (Lepidochelys kempii), Leatherback 
turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), 
Shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum).
    Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka): Snake River (SnR).
    Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): SnR fall, SnR spring/
summer, Upper Columbia River (UCR) spring.
    Steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): SnR, UCR, Lower Columbia 
River (LCR)
    To date, a listing determination for UCR spring chinook salmon 
under the ESA has not been promulgated by NMFS. To date, protective 
regulations for threatened SnR and threatened 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 an UCR spring chinook 
salmon listing determination and/or SnR and LCR steelhead protective 
regulations. The initiation of a 30-day public comment period on the 
applications, including their proposed takes of UCR spring chinook 
salmon and/or SnR and LCR steelhead, does not presuppose a listing 
determination or the contents of the eventual protective regulations, 
respectively.

New Applications Received

    FPC (1193) requests a 5-year permit that would authorize annual 
direct takes of juvenile, endangered, SnR sockeye salmon; juvenile, 
threatened, SnR fall chinook salmon; juvenile, threatened, artificially 
propagated and naturally produced, SnR spring/summer chinook salmon; 
juvenile, threatened, SnR steelhead; juvenile, endangered, artificially 
propagated and naturally produced, UCR steelhead; and juvenile, 
threatened, LCR steelhead associated with the Smolt Monitoring Program 
(SMP). Takes of juvenile UCR spring chinook salmon are also requested 
in anticipation of a possible listing decision of this species by NMFS. 
The permit is proposed to replace permit 822 which expired on December 
31, 1998. The objective of the SMP is to generate information on the 
migrational characteristics of various salmon and steelhead stocks in 
the Columbia River Basin, to provide advice on the implementation of 
flow and spill measures to improve fish passage conditions in the Snake 
and Columbia Rivers, to provide a long-term consistent database for 
year-to-year comparisons, and to monitor gas bubble trauma as required 
by the states' water quality agencies. ESA-listed fish are proposed to 
be captured, sampled for biological data and/or tagged with passive 
integrated transponder tags, and released. A study of resident fish 
species in the Clearwater River, Idaho using electrofishing as a 
collection method is also included in this permit application. ESA-
listed juvenile fish indirect mortalities are also requested.
    HEEC-CPL (1197) requests a 3-year permit to take endangered 
shortnose sturgeon while conducting original research regarding the 
population of fishes in the Pee Dee River, North Carolina. The Pee Dee 
River has been historically included in the shortnose sturgeon's native 
range. The applicant will be performing a baseline assessments of the 
resident and migratory fish species inhabiting the river below the 
Blewett Hydroelectric Plant. To ensure compliance with the Endangered 
Species Act, the applicant requests a permit to capture, handle and 
release shortnose sturgeon that may be taken during this study.
    FDEP requests a 5-year scientific research permit to take up to 700 
loggerhead, 250 green, 5 leatherback, 25 hawksbill, and 100 Kemp's 
ridley sea turtles annually from Florida waters. Turtles captured will 
include all life history stages from post-hatchling through adult. Of 
the 700 loggerheads requested annually, 400 will be hatchlings. This 
research will further the understanding of life histories, habitat 
requirements, migratory behaviors, and threats to these five species of 
sea turtles occurring in Florida waters. The turtles will be captured 
by tended, straight-set, large-mesh tangle nets; tended, drifting 
large-mesh tangle nets; tended, encircling (strike) large-meshed nets; 
dip nets; and hand-capture. Captured turtles will be weighed, measured, 
photographed, and flipper and PIT tagged. Select turtles will be blood 
sampled, lavaged, and will receive radio, sonic, and/or satellite 
transmitters. Additionally, laparoscopy and tumor collection will be 
performed on selected turtles. This work is a continuation of research 
permitted under scientific research permit #878, which expires on 
February 28,1999.

Modification Requests Received

    FWS requests modification 2 to permit 1058, which authorizes annual 
direct takes of adult, threatened, SnR fall chinook salmon associated 
with research designed to monitor and evaluate adult returns of 
hatchery-origin fall chinook salmon released as juveniles above Lower 
Granite Dam on the Snake River in the Pacific Northwest. For 
modification 2, FWS requests annual direct takes juvenile, threatened, 
SnR steelhead and juvenile, threatened, SnR fall chinook salmon 
associated with an additional study designed to examine steelhead 
residualism in the Clearwater River Basin in Idaho. The purpose of the 
research is to gain a better understanding of factors leading to 
residualism and interactions between residuals and wild or natural 
stocks of fish. ESA-listed juvenile fish are proposed to be captured 
using electrofishing equipment, handled, and released. ESA-listed 
juvenile fish indirect mortalities are requested. An incidental take of 
ESA-listed adult steelhead is also requested. The additional study is 
requested to be valid

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through 2001. Permit 1058 expires on December 31, 2002.
    USGS requests modification 1 to permit 1130, which authorizes takes 
of juvenile, threatened, artificially propagated and naturally 
produced, SnR spring/summer chinook salmon; juvenile, threatened, SnR 
fall chinook salmon; and juvenile, endangered, artificially propagated, 
UCR steelhead associated with research designed to determine the 
movement, distribution, and passage behavior of radio-tagged juvenile 
salmonids at Bonneville, The Dalles, and John Day Dams on the Columbia 
River. For modification 1, USGS requests to rearrange the distribution 
of authorized fish takes across collection sites. Also for modification 
1, USGS requests annual takes of juvenile UCR spring chinook salmon in 
anticipation of a possible listing decision of this species by NMFS. 
Modification 1 is requested to be valid for the duration of permit 
1130, which expires on December 31, 2002.

    Dated: January 26, 1999.
Kevin Collins,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-2438 Filed 2-1-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F