[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 25, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38640-38641]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-18573]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 071601D]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Receipt of applications for scientific research permits.

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SUMMARY: NMFS has received applications for Endangered Species Act 
(ESA) scientific research permits from the Fish Ecology Division of the 
Northwest Fisheries Science Center, NMFS at Seattle, WA (NWFSC); the 
Hecla Mining Company at Challis, ID (HMC); and the Washington 
Department of Fish and Wildlife at Olympia, WA (WDFW).

DATES: Comments or requests for a public hearing on any of the new 
applications or the modification request must be received no later than 
5 p.m. Pacific daylight time on August 24, 2001

ADDRESSES: Written comments and requests for copies of the permit 
applications should be sent to Protected Resources Division (PRD), F/
NWO3, 525 NE Oregon Street, Suite 500, Portland, OR 97232-2737 (503/
230-5400). Comments may also be sent via fax to 503/230-5435. The 
documents are also available on the Internet at http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/ . Comments will not be accepted if submitted via e-
mail or the Internet.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Koch, Portland, OR, phone: 503-
230-5424, Fax: 503-230-5435, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 38641]]

Species Covered in this Notice

    The following species and evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) 
are covered in This notice:
    Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha): endangered, naturally produced and 
artificially propagated, upper Columbia River (UCR) spring; threatened, 
naturally produced and artificially propagated, SnR spring/summer; 
threatened SnR fall; threatened lower Columbia River (LCR); threatened 
upper Willamette River (UWR); threatened, naturally produced and 
artificially propagated, Puget Sound.
    Steelhead (O. mykiss): endangered, naturally produced and 
artificially propagated, UCR; threatened SnR; threatened middle 
Columbia River (MCR); threatened UWR.

New Applications Received

    NWFSC requests a 5-year permit (1322) for annual takes of the 
juvenile life stage of 7 of the 10 anadromous fish ESUs identified in 
this document (all ESUs except endangered UCR spring chinook salmon, 
endangered UCR steelhead, and threatened Puget Sound chinook salmon) 
associated with a scientific research project proposed to occur in the 
lower Columbia River and estuary. The objective of the research is to 
identify associations between salmon and habitat. The approach will be 
to (1) determine the relationship between habitat and the presence, 
use, and benefit to juvenile salmon, with an emphasis on subyearling 
chinook salmon, and (2) understand the relationships between changes in 
flow, sediment input, and availability of habitat in the lower Columbia 
River and estuary. The need to develop effective restoration strategies 
requires that the benefits of estuarine habitats to juvenile salmon be 
identified by evaluating habitat-salmon linkages. The long history of 
wetland loss in the Columbia River estuary coupled with changes in flow 
patterns suggests that restoration of these habitats may benefit 
depressed salmon stocks. Information obtained from the research will 
serve as the basis for developing habitat restoration and preservation 
plans. NWFSC proposes to sample for the presence and abundance of 
salmon species in the estuary and lower Columbia River at monthly 
intervals throughout each annual period. ESA-listed juvenile salmon and 
steelhead are proposed to be captured with beach seines and trapnets, 
sampled for biological information, and released. ESA-listed juvenile 
fish indirect mortalities associated with the research are requested. 
In addition, NWFSC is also requesting intentional lethal takes of ESA-
listed juvenile salmon for stomach content identification and the 
collection of scales and otoliths.
    HMC requests a 5-year permit (1344) for annual takes of juvenile, 
threatened, naturally produced and artificially propagated, SnR spring/
summer chinook salmon and juvenile, threatened, SnR steelhead 
associated with research designed to monitor the aquatic fish 
populations in Jordan Creek and the Yankee Fork of the Salmon River in 
the vicinity of HCM's Grouse Creek Mine. Grouse Creek Mine is an open 
pit gold/silver mine operation located adjacent to Jordan Creek, a 
tributary of the Yankee Fork of the Salmon River. In early 2000, the 
operations at Grouse Creek Mine were permanently suspended. Annual 
biological monitoring is proposed to determine the effects of mine 
operations on the aquatic life in Jordan Creek and the Yankee Fork. The 
monitoring is required by the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency under a National Pollutant Discharge 
and Elimination System permit and an Administrative Order on Consent. 
The biomonitoring project will benefit all aquatic species, including 
chinook salmon and steelhead, in that annual monitoring will detect any 
adverse impacts to the aquatic species as a result of mining 
operations. ESA-listed juvenile salmon and steelhead are proposed to be 
observed/harassed during snorkel surveys. ESA-listed juvenile fish are 
also proposed to be captured using electrofishing, sampled for 
biological information, and released. ESA-listed juvenile fish indirect 
mortalities associated with the research are also requested.
    WDFW requests a 5-year permit (1345) for annual takes of both the 
adult and juvenile life stages of 6 of the 10 anadromous fish ESUs 
identified in this document (all ESUs except threatened SnR fall 
chinook salmon, threatened LCR chinook salmon, threatened UWR chinook 
salmon, and threatened UWR steelhead) associated with two scientific 
research projects proposed to occur in selected rivers and tributaries 
throughout the state of Washington. The objective of Project 1 is to 
conduct annual warmwater fish stock assessment surveys necessary for 
inland fish management purposes. Surveys of warmwater fish species are 
usually conducted in the backwater sloughs, oxbow lakes, and ponds 
associated with major river systems. Boat electrofishing is a critical 
component of WDFW's standardized sampling methodology for warmwater 
fish species. ESA-listed adult and juvenile salmon and steelhead are 
proposed to be captured using boat electrofishing, sampled for 
biological information, and released. The objective of Project 2 is to 
evaluate the fish populations present in gravel pit ponds connected to 
the Yakima River. Current proposals for increased gravel extraction and 
the requirement to protect fish listed under the ESA highlight the need 
for a better understanding of the impacts of floodplain gravel mining. 
Gravel pit avulsion (being captured by the river) may be detrimental to 
ESA-listed fish due to increases in suspended fine sediments, increased 
temperatures, the introduction of exotic fish species from a formerly 
stocked pond, and the creation of habitat preferred by native and non-
native piscine predators. In order to better plan future mining 
operations in the state and manage existing gravel pit ponds, WDFW 
proposes to assess the possible impacts of connecting the Yakima River 
to the gravel pits by comparing the assemblages, densities, stomach 
fullness, and stomach contents of all species of fish present at sites 
adjacent to the gravel pit ponds with those at sites away from the 
ponds. Adult and juvenile, threatened, MCR steelhead are proposed to be 
observed/harassed during snorkel surveys. In addition, adult and 
juvenile, threatened, MCR steelhead are proposed to be captured using 
boat electrofishing or beach seines, sampled for biological information 
and stomach contents, and released. ESA-listed juvenile salmon and 
steelhead indirect mortalities associated with both of WDFW's proposed 
projects are also requested.

    Dated: July 19, 2001.
Phil Williams,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-18573 Filed 7-24-01; 8:45 am]
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