[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 25, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38641-38643]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-18576]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 070901F]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Issuance of modifications to scientific research permits 1114, 
1115, 1119, 1141, 1203 and issuance of scientific research permit 1292.

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[[Page 38642]]

SUMMARY: NMFS has issued permit modifications to the Washington 
Department of Fish and Wildlife at Olympia, WA (WDFW); Chelan County 
Public Utility District (PUD) No. 1 at Wenatchee, WA; the Mid-Columbia 
River Fisheries Resource Office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
at Leavenworth, WA (USFWS); Grant County PUD No. 2 at Ephrata, WA and 
has issued a permit to the Pacific Northwest Research Station of the 
U.S. Forest Service at La Grande, OR (USFS).

ADDRESSES: Copies of the permits may be obtained from Protected 
Resources Division, F/NWO3, 525 NE Oregon Street, Suite 500, Portland, 
OR 97232-2737, phone: 503-230-5400, fax: 503-230-5435.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following species and evolutionary 
significant units (ESUs) are covered in this notice:
    Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): endangered, naturally 
produced and artificially propagated, upper Columbia River (UCR).
    Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss): endangered, naturally produced and 
artificially propagated, UCR.

Permit Modifications Issued

    Notice was published on April 21, 1999 (64 FR 19515) that WDFW 
applied for a modification to scientific research/enhancement permit 
1094. The permit modification request was subsequently converted to 
modification 3 to scientific research permit 1114. Modification 3 to 
permit 1114 was issued to WDFW on July 6, 2001. Permit 1114 authorizes 
WDFW annual takes of Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed adult and 
juvenile salmon and steelhead associated with two scientific research 
studies conducted at Rock Island Dam on the Columbia River. For 
modification 3, WDFW is authorized annual takes of ESA-listed adult 
steelhead associated with an additional study. The purpose of the 
additional study is to assess ESA-listed adult steelhead hydroelectric 
project passage and fallback rates (at the five dams on the mainstem 
upper Columbia River), migratory behavior, and spawning distribution 
within the upper Columbia River watersheds. ESA-listed adult steelhead 
will be collected at Priest Rapids Dam, tagged with gastrically 
implanted radiotransmitters, released, and tracked electronically. ESA-
listed adult steelhead indirect mortalities associated with the 
research are also authorized. Modification 3 is valid for the duration 
of the permit which expires on December 31, 2002.
    Notice was published on April 19, 2000 (65 FR 20954), that Chelan 
County PUD applied for modification 3 to scientific research permit 
1115. Modification 3 to permit 1115 was issued on July 6, 2001. Permit 
1115 authorizes Chelan County PUD annual takes of ESA-listed adult and 
juvenile salmon and steelhead associated with six scientific research 
studies. For modification 3, increases in annual takes of ESA-listed 
salmon and steelhead juveniles associated with four of the six studies 
are authorized. Chelan County PUD requires take increases because more 
effort and resources are being devoted to the research and thus, more 
fish are being handled. Take increases are also requested because in 
recent years, Chelan County PUD researchers have had to sort through 
more fish to find test animals for study purposes. Also for 
modification 3, Chelan County PUD is authorized an annual take of 
adult, endangered, UCR spring chinook salmon associated with a fish 
salvage operation at Rocky Reach Dam. Some ESA-listed adult chinook 
salmon that fallback after passing the dam tend to inadvertently enter 
and get trapped in the juvenile fish bypass system at the dam. The 
trapped adult fish will be collected using sanctuary nets and carefully 
returned to the Columbia River. Also for modification 3, Chelan County 
PUD is authorized annual takes of ESA-listed adult and juvenile salmon 
and steelhead associated with a new study designed to assess the 
abundance, distribution, and timing of the species' spawning activity 
in the Chiwawa River, White River, Nason Creek, and the Little 
Wenatchee River in WA. ESA-listed adult and juvenile salmon and 
steelhead will be observed/harassed during snorkel surveys and spawning 
ground surveys. ESA-listed adult fish carcasses will also be collected 
and sampled for tissues and scales. Modification 3 is valid for the 
duration of the permit which expires on December 31, 2002.
    Notice was published on March 22, 2000 (65 FR 15312), that USFWS 
applied for modification 2 to scientific research permit 1119. 
Modification 2 to permit 1119 was issued on July 6, 2001. Permit 1119 
authorizes USFWS annual takes of ESA-listed adult and juvenile salmon 
and steelhead associated with four scientific research studies. For 
modification 2, USFWS is authorized an increase in the annual take of 
ESA-listed juvenile steelhead associated with the study (Study 1) 
designed to assess the annual emigration of emerging juvenile salmonids 
in the Entiat River Basin. USFWS determined that the previous level of 
steelhead take for the study is not enough to conduct a statistically 
valid assessment of the juvenile steelhead emigration from the Entiat 
River throughout the annual outmigration season. Also for modification 
2, USFWS will obtain tissue samples from the ESA-listed adult spring 
chinook salmon carcasses that are authorized to be handled during 
routine spawning ground surveys in the Entiat River Basin and from the 
ESA-listed juvenile spring chinook salmon that are authorized to be 
handled under Study 1. Tissue samples will be transferred to the 
Northwest Fisheries Science Center, NMFS for genetic analysis. 
Modification 2 is valid for the duration of the permit which expires on 
December 31, 2002.
    Notice was published on April 7, 2000 (65 FR 18310), that Grant 
County PUD applied for modification 2 to scientific research permit 
1141. Modification 2 to permit 1141 was issued on July 6, 2001. Permit 
1141 authorizes Grant County PUD annual takes of ESA-listed adult and 
juvenile salmon and steelhead associated with four scientific research 
studies at or in the vicinity of Wanapum and Priest Rapids Dams located 
on the upper Columbia River in WA. For modification 2, Grant County PUD 
is authorized an increase in the annual take of juvenile, endangered, 
artificially propagated, UCR steelhead associated with the steelhead 
survival study at Wanapum and Priest Rapids Dams. Also for modification 
2, Grant County PUD is authorized annual takes of adult and juvenile, 
endangered, UCR spring chinook salmon and adult and juvenile, 
endangered, UCR steelhead associated with fish salvage efforts at 
Wanapum and Priest Rapids Dams. Each year, migrating fish are 
inadvertently entrained within the project's wheelgate bulkhead 
gatewell slots during the annual spring and summer migration periods. 
Without assistance, the fish would remain within the gatewells for 
periods ranging from a few days to weeks and even months. Migrating 
fish, including some downstream migrating steelhead kelts, will be 
removed from the gatewells via boom truck, gatewell dip-net, hopper 
box, or sanctuary box and transported to a temporary holding tank until 
release. Grant County PUD is also authorized annual takes of ESA-listed 
juvenile salmon and steelhead associated with efforts to monitor the 
condition of smolts subjected to salvage. ESA-listed juvenile fish 
indirect mortalities associated with fish salvage and monitoring 
activities are

[[Page 38643]]

authorized. Modification 2 is valid for the duration of the permit 
which expires on December 31, 2002.
    Notice was published on June 3, 1999 (64 FR 29839), and on March 
22, 2000 (65 FR 15312), that WDFW applied for a modification to 
scientific research permit 1203. Modification 1 to permit 1203 was 
issued on July 6, 2001. Permit 1203 authorizes WDFW annual takes of 
ESA-listed adult and juvenile salmon and steelhead associated with four 
scientific research studies in the UCR Basin. For modification 1, WDFW 
is authorized annual takes of juvenile, endangered, artificially 
propagated, UCR spring chinook salmon and adult and juvenile, 
endangered, UCR steelhead associated with the Wenatchee River Basin 
production research. Also, an increase in the annual take of juvenile, 
endangered, naturally produced, UCR spring chinook salmon is authorized 
for the study. Also for modification 1, annual takes of adult and 
juvenile, endangered, UCR spring chinook salmon and adult and juvenile, 
endangered, artificially propagated, UCR steelhead are added to the UCR 
Basin spawning ground assessment study. Also for the permit 
modification, annual takes of juvenile, endangered, naturally produced, 
UCR steelhead are added to the salmonid habitat carrying capacity study 
and the salmonid distribution study. Also for modification 1, WDFW is 
authorized annual takes of ESA-listed adult and juvenile salmon and 
steelhead associated with fish salvage operations in dewatered areas in 
the Wenatchee River Basin. ESA-listed fish indirect mortalities 
associated with the research and/or enhancement activities are 
authorized. Modification 1 is valid for the duration of the permit 
which expires on December 31, 2003.
    Notice was published on February 21, 2001 (66 FR 11002), that USFS 
applied for a scientific research permit (1292). Permit 1292 was issued 
to USFS on July 6, 2001. Permit 1292 authorizes USFS annual takes of 
ESA-listed juvenile salmon and steelhead associated with research to be 
conducted in the Yakima River, the Wenatchee River, the Entiat River, 
and the Methow River in WA. The purpose of the research is to determine 
the extent and distribution of hybridization between westslope 
cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, and anadromous steelhead for selected 
populations in the middle Columbia River and UCR Basins. The research 
will benefit the ESA-listed species by providing information on 
westslope cutthroat trout and rainbow trout/steelhead interactions and 
could provide insight into possible genetic introgression of introduced 
rainbow trout stocks in the areas of native rainbow trout/steelhead 
distribution. Permit 1292 expires on December 31, 2002.
    The issuance of the permit modifications and the new permit is 
based on a finding that such permits: (1) were 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.

    Dated: July 20, 2001.
Donna Brewer,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-18576 Filed 7-24-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S