[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 148 (Thursday, August 1, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49906-49908]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-19431]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 072402A]


Receipt of Two Applications for Direct Take Permits (1395 and 
1396)

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

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: NMFS has received applications for direct take permits 
(Permits) from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) 
and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) pursuant to the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA) (permit numbers 1395 and 1396, 
respectively). Chelan County Public Utilities District (PUD) and 
Douglas County PUD are co-applicants with WDFW for permit 1395 as 
agreed to in the Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) developed for the 
operation of Rock Island, Rocky Reach and Wells hydro electric 
projects; the USFWS is the applicant for permit 1396. As required by 
the ESA, the WDFW, Chelan PUD, Douglas PUD and USFWS have prepared 
conservation plans (Plans) designed to minimize and mitigate any such 
take of endangered or threatened species. The Permit applications are 
for the direct and incidental take of ESA-listed adult and juvenile 
salmonids associated with carrying out hatchery programs for endangered 
Upper Columbia River steelhead in the upper Columbia River and its 
tributaries in the state of Washington. The duration of the proposed 
Plans and Permits is 5 years. NMFS is furnishing this notice in order 
to allow other agencies and the public an opportunity to review and 
comment on these documents. All comments received will become part of 
the public record and will be available for review pursuant to the ESA.

DATES: Written comments from interested parties on the Permit 
applications and Plans must be received at the appropriate address or 
fax number (see ADDRESSES) no later than 5 p.m. Pacific daylight time 
on September 3, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the applications and Plans should be 
sent to Kristine Petersen, Sustainable Fisheries Division, 525 N.E. 
Oregon Street, Suite 510, Portland, OR 97232. Comments may also be sent 
via fax to 503/872-2737. Comments will not be accepted if submitted via 
e-mail or the Internet. Requests for copies of the permit applications 
and Conservation Plans should be directed to the Sustainable Fisheries 
Division, 525 N.E. Oregon Street, Suite 510, Portland, OR 97232. The 
documents are also available on the Internet at http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/. Comments received will also be available for public 
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours by calling 
503/230-5409.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristine Petersen, Portland, OR (ph: 
503/230-5409, fax: 503/872-2737, e-mail: [email protected] ).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 9 of the ESA and Federal regulations 
prohibit the ``taking'' of a species listed as endangered or 
threatened. The term ``take'' is defined under the ESA to mean harass, 
harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or 
to attempt to engage in any such conduct. NMFS may issue permits, under 
limited circumstances, to take listed species for scientific purposes 
or to enhance the propagation or survival of the species under section 
10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA. NMFS regulations governing permits for 
threatened and endangered species are promulgated at 50 CFR 222.307.

Species Covered in This Notice

    The following evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) are included 
in the Plan and Permit application:
    Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss): endangered, naturally produced and 
artificially propagated Upper Columbia River (UCR).
    Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha): endangered, naturally produced and 
artificially propagated, UCR spring-run.

[[Page 49907]]

Applications Received

    Two section 10(a)(1)(A) permits for artificial propagation and 
release of endangered Upper Columbia River Basin ESU steelhead will 
expire on May 31, 2003. In anticipation of this expiration date, the 
WDFW and USFWS are applying for new permits covering similar actions. 
Upper Columbia River Basin ESU steelhead were listed as endangered on 
August 18, 1997 (62 FR 43937). Included in the listing decision was the 
determination that the Wells Hatchery stock was part of the ESU and 
essential for recovery efforts.
    On June 12, 2002, WDFW submitted an application to NMFS for an ESA 
section 10(a)(1)(A) permit for the take of ESA-listed anadromous fish 
species associated with operation of hatchery programs producing 
hatchery steelhead for release into the Columbia River at Ringold 
Springs Rearing facility and upstream of Rock Island Dam from the 
Wenatchee River to the Okanogan River Basin from 2002 to 2007. 
Incidental take would include endangered spring chinook salmon in the 
Upper Columbia River ESU. The proposed programs produce steelhead of 
native stock to enhance local naturally spawning salmon populations.
    On June 11, 2002, USFWS submitted an application to NMFS for an ESA 
section 10(a)(1)(A) permit for the direct take of ESA-listed anadromous 
fish species associated with operation of hatchery programs producing 
endangered steelhead for release into the Methow River from 2002 to 
2007. Incidental take would include endangered spring chinook salmon in 
the Upper Columbia River ESU. The proposed programs produce steelhead 
of native stock to enhance local naturally spawning salmon populations.

Conservation Plans

    The Conservation Plans prepared by WDFW and USFWS describe measures 
designed to monitor, minimize, and mitigate the take of ESA-listed 
anadromous steelhead and the incidental takes of ESA-listed salmon 
associated with the following steelhead hatchery programs that are 
proposed to be implemented from 2002 through 2007:

Eastbank Fish Hatchery Steelhead Program

    The hatchery began operation in 1989 to mitigate for steelhead and 
salmon smolt losses resulting from the operation of Rock Island Dam. 
The hatchery is used for incubation and rearing of anadromous fish. 
Eastbank Fish Hatchery is located on the east side of the Columbia 
River near Rocky Reach Dam at river mile 475, 7 miles north of 
Wenatchee, Washington. Artificial propagation of steelhead is intended 
to recover and enhance the natural steelhead population in the 
Wenatchee River Basin. Up to 208 adult steelhead are collected for 
broodstock at Tumwater and Dryden dams on the Wenatchee River. Holding 
and spawning of broodstock is conducted at Eastbank or Wells 
hatcheries. There are no on-station releases of fish at Eastbank 
Hatchery. Fish reared at Eastbank Hatchery and transferred to other 
locations for acclimation/release or scatter planted using tank trucks. 
The proposed steelhead program goal is 200,000 smolts released into the 
Wenatchee River basin in April or May.

Turtle Rock Fish Hatchery Steelhead Program

    The Turtle Rock Hatchery is located immediately downstream of Rocky 
Reach Dam on the Columbia River. The steelhead rearing ponds are 
located on Turtle Rock Island at river mile 475 in the Rocky Reach Dam 
pool on the Columbia River. The hatchery is operated as a mitigation 
facility for fishery impacts caused by the construction and operation 
of Rocky Reach Dam. Artificial propagation of steelhead at this 
facility are intended to enhance the natural steelhead population in 
the Wenatchee River Basin. Broodstock are not collected at Turtle Rock 
Hatchery. Currently, broodstock for the program is provided annually 
through the Eastbank Hatchery steelhead program. Rearing occurs on 
Columbia River water which provides the juvenile steelhead natural 
water temperature regimes and may increase smolt to adult survival and 
increase the hatchery reared steelhead's ability to reproduce in the 
wild. The annual hatchery production goals are 200,000 juvenile 
steelhead for release in the Wenatchee River Basin in April and May.

Wells Fish Hatchery Steelhead Program

    Wells Hatchery is located on the mainstem Columbia River just below 
Wells Dam at river mile 515. The hatchery operates as a mitigation 
facility for anadromous fish impacts caused by Wells Dam. The 
artificial propagation program is intended to enhance and assist in the 
recovery of natural populations in the Methow and Okanogan River 
Basins. Steelhead adults collected as broodstock for the enhancement 
program are trapped each year in July through November at Wells Dam 
fish ladders or as volunteers to the hatchery trap. Progeny of spawners 
trapped at Wells Hatchery are incubated on-station and reared on-
station or transferred as eyed eggs to other WDFW facilities with final 
rearing and release at Ringold Springs facility, or transferred as eyed 
eggs to Winthrop National Fish Hatchery for rearing and release. The 
annual Wells Fish Hatchery release goal is 450,000 juvenile steelhead. 
Juvenile steelhead are released at various locations throughout the 
Methow and Okanogan basins.

Winthrop National Fish Hatchery Steelhead Program

    Winthrop National Fish Hatchery (NFH) is operated by USFWS and 
located on the Methow River at river mile 50, near the town of 
Winthrop. The hatchery operates as a mitigation facility for anadromous 
fish impacts caused by the Grand Coulee Fish Maintenance Project. 
Artificially produced steelhead are intended to enhance and recover 
natural steelhead populations in the Methow River. This program 
receives 125,000 eyed eggs from WDFW Wells Fish Hatchery steelhead 
program for rearing and release. The annual program release goal is 
100,000 juvenile steelhead. Juvenile hatchery steelhead are released 
from Winthrop NFH into the Methow River.

Ringold Steelhead Program

    The program's purpose is to provide a genetic reserve of UCR ESU 
steelhead. Approximately 240,000 eyed eggs from Wells Fish Hatchery 
will be transferred to other WDFW facilities for incubation and early 
rearing. Final rearing and release will occur at Ringold Springs 
Rearing Pond. The program goal is the release of 180,000 steelhead 
smolts in April or May.
    Mortalities of ESA-listed fish associated with the steelhead 
hatchery programs are requested at levels specified in the Permit 
applications and in the Conservation Plans. The WDFW is proposing to 
limit broodstock collection and juvenile fish production and release 
methods applied at the hatcheries such that the direct impacts on ESA-
listed salmonids will be minimized.

Broodstock Management Techniques

    It is possible that in some years returns to the hatchery may 
exceed the number of returns necessary to produce the number of 
offspring considered advisable for release into this ESU. Therefore, 
this surplus may by definition not be essential for

[[Page 49908]]

 recovery efforts. Measures to manage hatchery adult returns include 
collection at specific sites for transplantation into landlocked lakes 
and limited harvest.
    This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA. NMFS 
will evaluate the applications, associated documents, and comments 
submitted thereon to determine whether the application meets the 
requirements of section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA. If it is determined 
that the requirements are met, permits will be issued to WDFW and USFWS 
for the steelhead enhancement programs in the Upper Columbia River. 
NMFS will publish a record of its final action in the Federal Register.

    Dated: July 26, 2002.
Phil Williams,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-19431 Filed 7-31-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S