[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 9, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11444-11445]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5796]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 030199D]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of applications for new scientific research permits 
(1202, 1203), receipt of an amendment to an application for a 
scientific research permit (1129), and receipt of a request to modify 
an existing scientific research permit (1114).

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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 new permit 
applications from the U.S. Forest Service in Corvallis, OR (USFS) 
(1202) and from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife in 
Olympia, WA (WDFW)(1203); NMFS has received an amendment to a pending 
application from WDFW (1129); and NMFS has received a request to modify 
an existing permit from WDFW (1114).

DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on any of the 
new applications or modification requests must be received on or before 
April 8, 1999.

ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for 
review in the following office, by appointment: 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 1129: Leslie Schaeffer, 
Portland, OR (503-230-5433).
    For permits 1114, 1202, and 1203: Tom Lichatowich, Portland, OR 
(503-230-5438)

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 evolutionarily significant units (ESU's) 
are covered in this notice:
    Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): Upper Columbia River 
(UCR) spring, Snake River (SnR) spring/summer and Steelhead trout (O. 
mykiss): Lower Columbia River (LCR), UCR.
    To date, neither a listing determination for UCR spring chinook 
salmon under the ESA, nor protective regulations for threatened LCR 
steelhead under section 4(d) of the ESA have 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 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 LCR steelhead, does not presuppose a 
listing determination or the contents of the eventual protective 
regulations, respectively.

New Applications Received

    USFS (1202) requests a 5-year permit authorizing direct takes of 
juvenile, threatened, LCR steelhead associated with three salmonid 
monitoring studies in the Clackamas River and tributaries. In study 1, 
USFS proposes to evaluate the downstream migration of juvenile 
salmonids. The fish will be captured with screw traps, anesthetized, 
tagged with passive integrated transponders (PIT) tags, and released. 
For study 2, USFS proposes to conduct a catch and effort study. 
Juvenile salmonids will be captured with fly fishing gear, 
anesthetized, PIT tagged, and released. In study 3, USFS proposes to 
use snorkel surveys to count juvenile salmonids. Data from these three 
studies will be used to assess the survival of downstream salmonids as 
they pass through various habitats. USFS has also requested some 
indirect mortalities of the ESA-listed, juvenile fish associated with 
the research.
    WDFW (1203) requests a 5-year permit, for takes of adult and 
juvenile, UCR spring chinook salmon associated with five research 
studies in UCR tributaries and the mainstem river in anticipation of a 
possible listing decision of this species by NMFS. In study 1, WDFW 
proposes to assess migrating juvenile salmonid populations. The fish 
will be captured with screw traps, anesthetized, sampled for biological 
data and released downstream. In study 2, WDFW proposes to trap 
returning adults at fish ladders, record biological information, and 
release them upstream. In study 3, WDFW proposes to survey the spawning 
grounds to identify redds and collect biological data from carcasses. 
In study 4, WDFW proposes to assess the capacity of salmonid habitat. 
Juvenile salmonids will be captured using electroshockers, seines, and 
other techniques; anesthetized; sampled for biological data; and 
released. In study 5, WDFW proposes to conduct presence/absence studies 
by using electroshockers to determine the distribution of salmonids in 
various watersheds. Data from these five studies will provide managers 
valuable information that will be used to assess the survival of 
migrating juvenile salmonids, the abundance of adults on spawning 
grounds, the annual success of spawners, and the relative abundance of 
salmonids in the available habitat. WDFW has also requested some 
indirect mortalities of the ESA-listed, juvenile fish associated with 
the research.

Amended Application

    On March 24, 1998, a notice was published (63 FR 14069) that NMFS 
had received an application (1129) for a 5-year permit from WDFW that 
would authorize takes of adult and juvenile, threatened, naturally 
produced and artificially propagated, SnR spring/summer chinook salmon 
associated with a supplementation program at the Tucannon River and 
Lyons Ferry Hatcheries. NMFS has received an amendment to that 
application requesting the initiation of a captive broodstock program 
for Tucannon River spring chinook salmon. The goal of the captive 
broodstock program is for the short term rebuilding of the Tucannon 
River spring chinook salmon run because of poor expected runs through 
the year 2001. Supplementation fish are

[[Page 11445]]

proposed to be selected for the captive broodstock program. The 
amendment also requests the use of remote site incubators to reseed the 
uppermost reaches of the Tucannon River with spring chinook salmon to 
aid in the long term recovery and rebuilding of the spring chinook 
salmon run. Eggs for these incubators would come from the Tucannon 
River spring chinook supplementation program or from the captive 
broodstock program. WDFW has also requested some indirect mortalities 
of the ESA-listed, juvenile fish associated with the research/
enhancement activities.

Modification Request Received

    WDFW requests modification 2 to permit 1114, which authorizes 
annual direct takes of adult and juvenile, endangered, naturally 
produced and artificially propagated, UCR steelhead associated with a 
smolt monitoring program at Rock Island Dam. For modification 2, WDFW 
requests takes of juvenile, UCR spring chinook salmon in anticipation 
of a possible listing decision of this species by NMFS. The requested 
takes are associated with a proposed research program designed to 
collect information on juvenile salmonid migration timing, survival, 
travel timing, and general fish health. The data will be used to make 
in-season adjustments to water releases from upstream reservoirs that 
optimize downstream migration conditions. Juvenile salmonids will be 
collected in a permanent inclined screen trap, anesthetized, examined 
and/or PIT tagged, allowed to recover from the anesthetic, and 
released. WDFW has also requested some indirect mortalities of the ESA-
listed, juvenile fish associated with the research/enhancement 
activities. Modification 2 is requested to be valid for the duration of 
the permit, which expires on December 31, 2002.

    Dated: March 2, 1999.
Margaret Lorenz,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-5796 Filed 3-8-99; 8:45 am]
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