[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 3, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17684-17686]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-8165]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D.032301D]


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 (WDFW) has 
submitted four Hatchery and Genetic Management Plans (HGMP) for Salmon 
Creek, Chimacum Creek, Jimmycomelately Creek, and Big Beef Creek summer 
chum salmon pursuant to the protective regulations promulgated for Hood 
Canal summer-run chum salmon under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). 
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has submitted four HGMPs for 
Quilcene River, Hamma Hamma River, Lilliwaup Creek, and Union River 
summer chum salmon pursuant to the same ESA rule. The WDFW and USFWS 
HGMPs describe artificial propagation programs designed to increase the 
abundance of listed, indigenous summer chum salmon stocks. The WDFW 
HGMPs include two programs designed to reintroduce

[[Page 17685]]

summer chum salmon into watersheds where populations have been 
extirpated. This document serves to notify the public of the 
availability of the HGMPs for review and comment before a final 
approval or disapproval is made by NMFS.

DATES: Written comments on the draft HGMPs must be received no later 
than 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on May 3, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and requests for copies of the draft HGMPs 
should be addressed to Tim Tynan, Sustainable Fisheries Division, 
National Marine Fisheries Service, 510 Desmond Drive, Suite 103, Lacey, 
Washington 98503. Comments may also be sent via fax to 360/753-9517. 
The documents are 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: Tim Tynan at phone number: 360/753-
9579, or e-mail: [email protected] regarding the HGMPs.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is relevant to the Hood Canal 
summer-run chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) and Puget Sound chinook 
salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) Evolutionarily Significant Units 
(ESU).

Background

    The Salmon Creek HGMP submitted by WDFW describes an artificial 
propagation program that proposes to take up to 130 natural and 
hatchery-origin summer chum salmon adults as broodstock and produce 
123,000 juvenile fish of the native stock for rearing in Salmon Creek 
and release into adjacent marine waters annually. The program also 
proposes to take up to 110 additional adult summer chum salmon as 
broodstock to provide gametes for summer chum salmon reintroduction 
into Chimacum Creek, a neighboring watershed where summer chum salmon 
have been extirpated. The purposes of the program are: (1) to preserve 
and increase the abundance of the local, indigenous stock of summer 
chum salmon; (2) to assist in restoring natural spawning escapement to 
historical levels, (3) to provide broodstock for the reintroduction of 
summer chum salmon into Chimacum Creek; and (4) to monitor and evaluate 
the effectiveness of the supplementation program.
    The Chimacum Creek HGMP submitted by WDFW describes an artificial 
propagation program that proposes to use gametes spawned from 110 
Salmon Creek stock natural and hatchery-origin summer chum salmon to 
produce 86,000 juvenile fish of the transferred stock for rearing in 
the Chimacum Creek watershed and release into adjacent marine waters 
annually. The purposes of the program are: (1) to reintroduce summer 
chum salmon into a watershed where the native population has been 
extirpated, using transferred local stock; (2) to restore a healthy, 
natural, self-sustaining population of summer chum salmon in Chimacum 
Creek that will maintain the genetic characteristic of the native donor 
stock; and (3) to monitor adult returns from the initial releases and 
evaluate the natural spawning success of these adults.
    The Jimmycomelately Creek HGMP submitted by WDFW describes an 
artificial propagation program that proposes to take 100 percent of the 
returning summer chum salmon adults as broodstock for artificial 
propagation as an emergency measure for an extremely small population 
identified as at immediate risk of extinction. This emergency measure 
will be continued until the population rebounds to annual return levels 
greater than 100 spawners. Up to 86,000 juvenile fish of the native 
stock are proposed to be released in Jimmycomelately Creek annually. 
The purposes of the program are: (1) to initiate a supplementation 
program using the indigenous summer chum broodstock, thus retaining 
future options for recovery of the population; (2) to increase the 
numbers of naturally produced fish by developing and maintaining a 
population comprised of supplemented and naturally spawning fish using 
hatchery and wild-origin broodstock; and (3) to monitor and evaluate 
the effectiveness of the supplementation program.
    The Big Beef Creek HGMP submitted by WDFW describes an artificial 
propagation program that proposes to use gametes spawned from 100 
Quilcene stock natural and hatchery-origin summer chum salmon adults to 
produce 103,000 juvenile fish for release into Big Beef Creek annually. 
An artificial spawning channel is also proposed to enhance the 
productivity of naturally spawning adults returning to the creek as a 
result of transferred fish releases. The purposes of the program are: 
(1) to reintroduce summer chum salmon into a watershed where the native 
population has been extirpated, using transferred local stock; (2) to 
restore a healthy, natural, self-sustaining population of summer chum 
salmon in Big Beef Creek that will maintain the genetic characteristic 
of the native donor stock; (3) to identify and compare wild and 
hatchery-origin chum spawner productivity, and survival from out-
migration to adult return; and (4) to monitor and evaluate the 
effectiveness of the reintroduction program.
    The Quilcene River HGMP submitted by USFWS describes an artificial 
propagation program that proposes to take up to 400 natural and 
hatchery-origin summer chum salmon adults as broodstock and produce 
373,000 juvenile fish of the native stock for release into the Big 
Quilcene River annually. The program also proposes to take up to 100 
additional summer chum salmon as broodstock to provide gametes for 
reintroduction into Big Beef Creek, a neighboring Hood Canal watershed 
where summer chum salmon have been extirpated. The purposes of the 
program are: (1) to preserve and increase the abundance of the local, 
indigenous stock of summer chum salmon; (2) to assist in restoring 
natural spawning escapement to historical levels; (3) to provide 
broodstock for the reintroduction of summer chum salmon into Big Beef 
Creek; (4) to identify and compare wild and hatchery-origin chum 
spawner productivity, and survival from out-migration to adult return; 
and (5) to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the program.
    The Hamma Hamma River HGMP submitted by USFWS describes an 
artificial propagation program that proposes to take up to 100 natural 
and hatchery-origin summer chum salmon adults as broodstock and produce 
up to 125,000 juvenile fish of the native stock for release into the 
Hamma Hamma River annually. The purposes of the program are: (1) to 
preserve and increase the abundance of the local, indigenous stock of 
summer chum salmon; (2) to assist in restoring natural spawning 
escapement to historical levels; and (3) to monitor and evaluate the 
effectiveness of the supplementation program.
    The Lilliwaup Creek HGMP submitted by USFWS describes an artificial 
propagation program that proposes to take 100 percent of the returning 
adult summer chum as broodstock for artificial propagation as an 
emergency measure for an extremely small population identified as at 
immediate risk of extinction. This emergency measure will be continued 
until the population rebounds to annual return levels greater than 100 
spawners. Up to 50,000 juvenile fish of the native stock will be 
produced for release in Lilliwaup Creek annually. The purposes of the 
program are: (1) to conduct a supplementation program using the 
indigenous summer chum broodstock, thus retaining future options for 
recovery of the population; (2) to

[[Page 17686]]

increase the numbers of naturally produced fish by developing and 
maintaining a population comprised of supplemented and naturally 
spawning fish using hatchery and wild-origin broodstock; and (3) to 
monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the supplementation program.
    The Union River HGMP submitted by USFWS describes an artificial 
propagation program that proposes to take up to 97 natural and 
hatchery-origin summer chum salmon adults as broodstock and produce 
86,000 juvenile fish of the native stock for release into the Union 
River annually. The purposes of the program are: (1) to initiate a 
supplementation program using the indigenous summer chum broodstock; 
(2) to increase the numbers of naturally produced fish by developing 
and maintaining a population comprised of supplemented and naturally 
spawning fish using hatchery and wild-origin broodstock; (3) to monitor 
and evaluate the effectiveness of the supplementation program; and (4) 
(when adult returns have been increased to appropriate levels) to 
provide broodstock for the reintroduction of summer chum salmon into 
the Tahuya River, a neighboring Hood Canal watershed where summer chum 
salmon have been extirpated.
    As specified in Sec.  223.203 (b)(5) of the ESA 4(d) rule, NMFS may 
approve an HGMP if it meets criteria set forth in Sec.  223.203 
(b)(5((i)(A) through (K). Prior to final approval of an HGMP, NMFS must 
publish notification announcing its availability for public review and 
comment.

Authority

    Under section 4 of the ESA, the Secretary of Commerce is required 
to adopt such regulations as he deems necessary and advisable for the 
conservation of 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 activity associated with artificial propagation provided that 
a state or Federal HGMP has been approved by NMFS to be in accordance 
with the salmon and steelhead 4(d) rule (65 FR 42422, July 10, 2000).

    Dated: March 28, 2001.
Phil Williams,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-8165 Filed 4-2-01; 8:45 am]
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