[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 68 (Monday, April 9, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18447-18448]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-8656]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 040201B]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: NMFS has issued permits 1237 and 1273.

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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 under the Endangered Species 
Act (ESA): NMFS has issued a permit to the Walla Walla District of the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Walla Walla, WA (Corps), and NMFS has 
issued permit #1273 to Mr. Chris Ivers of the North Carolina Aquarium 
Division (NCAD) (1273).

ADDRESSES: The Permits and related documents are available for review 
in the indicated office, by appointment:
    For permit 1273: Endangered Species Division, F/PR3, 1315 East West 
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (phone:301-713-1401, fax: 301-713-
0376).
    For permits 1237: Protected Resources Division, F/NWO3, 525 NE 
Oregon Street, Suite 500, Portland, OR 97232-2737 (phone: 503-230-5400, 
fax: 503-230-5435).
    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 (phone:301-713-1401).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For permit 1273: Terri Jordan, Silver 
Spring, MD (phone: 301-713-1401, fax: 301-713-0376, e-mail: 
[email protected])
    For permit 1237: Robert Koch, Portland, OR (ph: 503-230-5424, fax: 
503-230-5435, e-mail: [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority

    Issuance of permits and permit modifications, as required by the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) (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. Scientific 
research and/or enhancement permits are issued under Section 
10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA. Authority to take listed species is subject to 
conditions set forth in the permits. Permits and modifications are 
issued in accordance with and are subject to the ESA and NMFS 
regulations governing listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR parts 
222-226).
    Those individuals requesting a hearing on an application listed in 
this notice should set out the specific reasons why a hearing on that 
application would be appropriate (see ADDRESSES). The holding of such 
hearing is at the discretion of the Assistant Administrator for 
Fisheries, NOAA. All statements and opinions contained in the permit 
action summaries are those of the applicant and do not necessarily 
reflect the views of NMFS.

Species Covered in This Notice

    The following species and evolutionarily significant units (ESU's) 
are covered in this notice:

Fish

    Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka): endangered Snake River (SnR).
    Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha): threatened, naturally produced and 
artificially propagated, SnR spring/summer; threatened SnR fall.
    Steelhead (O. mykiss): threatened SnR.
    Endangered Shortnose Sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum)

[[Page 18448]]

Permits and Modified Permits Issued

Permit 1237

    Notice was published on February 16, 2000 (65 FR 7855) that the 
Corps applied for an enhancement permit (1237). Permit 1237 was issued 
to the Corps on March 22, 2001. Permit 1237 authorizes the Corps annual 
takes of ESA-listed juvenile salmon and steelhead associated with 
transporting juvenile anadromous fish around the dams and past the 
reservoirs on the mainstem lower Snake and Columbia Rivers in the 
Pacific Northwest. The purpose of the Corps' Juvenile Fish 
Transportation Program is to increase juvenile fish survival over the 
alternative of in-river passage, given current in-river migratory 
conditions. The collection and transportation of juvenile salmonids is 
projected to occur approximately March 25 through October 31 each year 
at Lower Granite, Little Goose, and Lower Monumental Dams on the lower 
Snake River, and approximately early to mid-June through December 15 
each year at McNary Dam on the lower Columbia River. The Corps will 
load the juvenile fish into aerated trucks and barges for 
transportation to below Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River. Further 
handling of the fish does not occur, except for loading via raceways or 
when the fish are handled for monitoring purposes by Corps personnel or 
for scientific research purposes by individuals holding separate take 
authorizations. Annual takes of ESA-listed adult fish associated with 
handling fallbacks at the juvenile fish transportation facilities are 
also authorized. Permit 1237 expires on December 31, 2005.

Permit 1273

    Notice was published on December 7, 2000 (65 FR 76612) that Mr. 
Chris Ivers, of NCAD applied for an enhancement permit (1273). NCAD 
proposes to continue to maintain 17 endangered shortnose sturgeon for 
the purposes of public education through species enhancement as 
identified in the Final Recovery Plan for Shortnose Sturgeon. Permit 
1273 was issued on March 24, 2001, authorizing take of listed species. 
Permit 1273 expires March 1, 2006.

    Dated: April 3, 2001.
Phil Williams,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-8656 Filed 4-6-01; 8:45 am]
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