[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 43 (Monday, March 5, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13293-13294]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-5259]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D.022601C]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Puget 
Sound Treaty Tribes submitted a jointly developed Resource Management 
Plan (RMP) pursuant to the protective regulations promulgated for Puget 
Sound chinook salmon under section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act 
(ESA). The RMP specifies the future management of commercial, 
recreational and tribal salmon fisheries potentially affecting listed 
Puget Sound chinook salmon. This document serves to notify the public 
of the availability for comment of the proposed evaluation of the 
Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) as to how the RMP addresses the 
criteria in the ESA.

DATES: Written comments on the Secretary's proposed evaluation must be 
received at the appropriate address or fax number (see ADDRESSES) no 
later than 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on March 26, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and requests for copies of the evaluation 
should be addressed to Susan Bishop, Sustainable Fisheries Division, 
National Marine Fisheries Service, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, 
Washington 98115-0070. Comments may also be sent via fax to 206/526-
6736. The document is also available on the Internet at http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/, Sustainable Fisheries Division site. Comments will 
not be accepted if submitted via e-mail or the internet.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Bishop at phone number: 206/526-
4587, or e-mail: [email protected] regarding the RMP.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is relevant to the Puget Sound 
chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) Evolutionarily Significant 
Unit (ESU).

Background

    The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Puget Sound 
Treaty Tribes have provided a jointly

[[Page 13294]]

developed RMP for Puget Sound chinook. The RMP encompasses fisheries 
within the range of the Puget Sound chinook salmon ESU, as well as the 
western Strait of Juan de Fuca, which is not within the ESU. Harvest 
objectives specified in the RMP account for fisheries-related mortality 
throughout the migratory range of Puget Sound chinook from Oregon and 
Washington to Southeast Alaska. The RMP also includes implementation, 
monitoring and evaluation procedures designed to ensure fisheries are 
consistent with these objectives.
    As required by Sec. 223.203 (b)(6) of the ESA 4(d) rule, the 
Secretary must determine pursuant to 50 CFR 223.209 and pursuant to the 
government to government processes therein whether the RMP for Puget 
Sound chinook would appreciably reduce the likelihood of survival and 
recovery of the Puget Sound chinook and other affected threatened ESUs. 
The Secretary must take comments on how the RMP addresses the criteria 
in Sec. 223.203(b)(4) in making that determination.

Authority

    Under section 4 of the ESA, the Secretary is required to adopt such 
regulations as he deems necessary and advisable for the conservation of 
the species listed as threatened. The ESA salmon and steelhead 4(d) 
rule (65 FR 42422, July 10, 2000) specifies categories of activities 
that contribute to the conservation of listed salmonids and sets out 
the criteria for such activities. The rule further provides that the 
prohibitions of paragraph (a) of the rule do not apply to actions 
undertaken in compliance with a RMP developed jointly by the State of 
Washington and the Tribes (joint plan) and determined by the Secretary 
to be in accordance with the salmon and steelhead 4(d) rule (65 FR 
42422, July 10, 2000).

    Dated: February 27, 2001.
Phil Williams,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-5259 Filed 3-2-01; 8:45 am]
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