[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 61 (Thursday, March 29, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17150-17151]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-7797]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 032201E]


Notice of Decision and Availability of Decision Documents on the 
Issuance of a Permit for Incidental Takes of Threatened and Endangered 
Species (1248)

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

ACTION: Notice of decision and availability of decision documents on

[[Page 17151]]

the issuance of a permit (1248) for incidental takes of endangered 
species.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that a decision on the 
application for an incidental take permit by the State of Washington 
Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), pursuant to the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973 (ESA), has been made and that the decision 
documents are available upon request.

DATES: Permit 1248 was issued on January 8, 2001, subject to certain 
conditions set forth therein, and expires on December 31, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the decision documents or any of the 
other associated documents should be directed to the Hatcheries and 
Inland Fisheries Branch, Sustainable Fisheries Division, F/NWO3, NMFS, 
525 NE Oregon Street, Suite 510, Portland, OR 97232-2737 (503-231-
2178).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lance 
Kruzic, Portland, OR, at phone number: (503) 231-2178, fax: (503) 872-
2737, or e-mail: [email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following species and evolutionary 
significant units (ESU's) are covered in the permit:
    Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): endangered Upper 
Columbia River spring run.
    Steelhead (O. mykiss): endangered Upper Columbia River.

Decision

    Notice was published on April 19, 2000 (65 FR 20952) that WDFW 
applied for a section 10(a)(1)(B) permit for annual incidental takes of 
ESA-listed anadromous fish associated with otherwise lawful 
recreational fisheries on non-listed species in the Upper Columbia 
River Basin above Priest Rapids Dam in the State of Washington in the 
Pacific Northwest. WDFW submitted a Conservation Plan with its permit 
application that describes measures designed to monitor, minimize, and 
mitigate the incidental taking of ESA-listed anadromous salmonids 
associated with the sport-fisheries, some or all of which are expected 
to occur annually for the duration of the permit.
    NMFS' decision is to adopt the preferred alternative in the 
Conservation Plan together with the preferred alternative in the 
Environmental Assessment that was completed for this permit action and 
issue a permit with conditions authorizing incidental takes of the ESA-
listed anadromous fish species. This decision is based on a thorough 
review of the alternatives and their environmental consequences. NMFS' 
conditions will ensure that the incidental takes of ESA-listed 
anadromous fish will not appreciably reduce the likelihood of the 
survival and recovery of the species in the wild. By adopting the 
preferred alternative in the Conservation Plan, with the Conservation 
Plan's stated assurances that WDFW's mitigation program will be 
implemented, all practicable means to avoid or minimize harm have been 
adopted.

Rationale for Decision

    The decision to issue the permit was made because the Conservation 
Plan proposed by WDFW meets the statutory criteria for issuance of an 
incidental take permit under section 10 of the ESA. In issuing the 
permit, NMFS determined that WDFW's Conservation Plan provides adequate 
mitigation measures to avoid, minimize, and/or compensate for the 
anticipated takes of ESA-listed anadromous fish.
    The permit was granted only after NMFS determined that the permit 
was applied for in good faith, that all permit issuance criteria were 
met, including the requirement that granting the permit would not 
jeopardize the continued existence of the species, and that the permit 
is consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended.

    Dated: March 23, 2001.
Phil Williams,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-7797 Filed 3-28-01; 8:45 am]
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