[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 178 (Friday, September 13, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58021-58022]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-23400]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 082602C]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Notice of Issuance of enhancement permits 1196 and 1300.

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SUMMARY: NMFS has issued permit 1196 to the State of Washington 
Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and permit 1300 to the U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Interior.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the permits may be obtained from the Hatcheries 
and Inland Fisheries Branch, Sustainable Fisheries Division, NMFS, 525 
N.E. Oregon Street, Suite 510, Portland, OR 97232.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristine Petersen, Portland, OR at 
phone number: (503) 230-5409, e-mail: [email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following species and evolutionarily 
significant units (ESUs) are covered in this notice:
    Spring Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): endangered Upper 
Columbia River (UCR), and
    Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss): endangered UCR.

Permits

    Permit 1196 was issued to WDFW on August 16, 2002, and permit 1300 
was issued to USFWS on August 16, 2002. Permits 1196 and 1300 authorize 
WDFW and USFWS take of naturally produced and artificially propagated 
ESA-listed anadromous fish associated with the operation of hatchery 
programs for endangered UCR spring chinook salmon. Permits 1196 and 
1300 expire December 31, 2007.
    Permit 1196 authorizes WDFW artificial propagation programs 
designed to supplement natural spawning populations in the Wenatchee 
River and Methow River basins. WDFW's program

[[Page 58022]]

includes the collection of ESA-listed adults for broodstock, the use of 
artificial propagation in a hatchery environment, the rearing of 
artificially spawned progeny in the hatcheries, and the release of 
artificially propagated juveniles in their respective streams of 
origin. Incremental changes in production levels in response to adult 
escapement levels, predetermined means to manage stray fish, and two 
approaches for population separation are some strategies that will be 
employed to minimize risks to listed populations. All aspects of the 
program will be monitored in a manner that allows comparison of the 
effectiveness of alternative strategies.
    WDFW operates two hatchery complexes within the mid- and upper 
Columbia River Basin for the propagation of spring chinook salmon: The 
Methow Fish Hatchery Complex and the Rock Island Fish Hatchery Complex. 
These complexes are funded by the local Public Utility Districts in the 
upper Columbia River region to mitigate the impacts of the hydropower 
dams on the mainstem Columbia River. The Methow Complex uses returning 
spring chinook salmon adults collected at the Methow State Fish 
Hatchery, and/or weirs on the Methow River tributaries, the Twisp and 
Chewuch Rivers. Adult spring chinook salmon used for broodstock may 
also be collected at Wells Dam. The Rock Island Complex uses spring 
chinook salmon broodstock collected at weirs on the Chiwawa River and 
Nason Creek, tributaries to the Wenatchee River, and at Tumwater Dam on 
the mainstem Wenatchee River. WDFW's Eastbank Hatchery is part of the 
Rock Island Complex. WDFW-managed satellite facilities included within 
the two complexes are the Twisp Pond, Chiwawa Ponds, Chewuch Pond and 
the aforementioned adult collection weirs on the Methow, Chiwawa, 
Twisp, Chewuch rivers and Nason Creek. Permit 1196 will also authorize 
the annual incidental take of ESA-listed UCR steelhead associated with 
broodstock collection activities, hatchery operations, and juvenile 
fish releases from the program.
    Permit 1300 authorizes USFWS' artificial propagation program 
designed to supplement the natural spawning populations in the Methow 
River Basin. The USFWS' program includes the collection of ESA-listed 
adults for broodstock, the use of artificial propagation in a hatchery 
environment, the rearing of artificially spawned progeny in the 
hatcheries, and the release of artificially propagated juveniles in 
their respective stream of origin. This program is operated in 
coordination with the WDFW program in the Methow River Basin (Permit 
1196). Incremental changes in production levels in response to 
adult escapement levels, predetermined means to manage stray fish, and 
two approaches for population separation are some strategies that will 
be employed to minimize risks to listed populations. All aspects of the 
program will be monitored in a manner that allows comparison of the 
effectiveness of alternative strategies.
    USFWS operates three Federal hatcheries within the Upper Columbia 
River Basin: Leavenworth, Entiat and Winthrop National Fish Hatcheries 
(NFH). These facilities rear non-listed spring chinook salmon to 
mitigate for impacts from the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam and 
Basin Project. Mitigation was authorized by the Grand Coulee Fish 
Maintenance Project, April 3, 1937. These facilities are currently 
operated by the USFWS and funded by the Bureau of Reclamation. The 
Winthrop NFH is located on the Methow River 1 mile downstream of the 
Methow Fish Hatchery. The Winthrop NFH is shifting production from non-
listed Carson stock spring chinook salmon to listed Methow River 
composite stock spring chinook salmon. A proportion of the Methow 
composite stock broodstock collected by WDFW at Wells Dam, the Methow 
Fish Hatchery and/or at weirs on the Methow River tributaries, the 
Twisp and Chewuch Rivers (Permit 1196), may be transferred to Winthrop 
NFH. Additional broodstock will be collected from volunteers to the 
Winthrop NFH, and/or collected from Methow Fish Hatchery outfall. 
Hatchery spring chinook salmon produced at Winthrop NFH may be released 
on-station or transferred to WDFW satellite facilities: Twisp Pond, and 
Chewuch Pond. Permit 1300 also authorizes the annual incidental take of 
ESA-listed UCR steelhead associated with broodstock collection 
activities, hatchery operations, and juvenile fish releases from the 
program.
    While the hatchery programs have the potential to cause deleterious 
direct and indirect effects on the ESA-listed species, such as 
maladaptive genetic, physiological, or behavioral changes in donor or 
target populations, the programs will continue to be necessary to 
prevent the extinction of the UCR spring chinook salmon ESU until 
habitat conditions that limit the productivity of naturally-produced 
spring chinook salmon in the region can be improved. Measures are 
described in the permits to minimize such deleterious effects to the 
extent possible.
    NMFS' conditions in the permits will ensure that the takes of ESA-
listed anadromous fish will not jeopardize the continued existence of 
the listed species. In issuing the permits, NMFS determined that WDFW's 
and USFWS' Conservation Plans provide adequate mitigation measures to 
avoid, minimize, and/or compensate for the anticipated takes of ESA-
listed anadromous fish.
    Issuance of these permits, as required by the ESA, was based on a 
finding that such permits: (1) were applied for in good faith; (2) will 
not operate to the disadvantage of the listed species which are the 
subject of the permits; and (3) is consistent with the purposes and 
policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA. These permits were issued 
in accordance with, and are subject to, 50 CFR part 222, the NMFS 
regulations governing listed species permits.

    Dated: September 9, 2002.
Chris Mobley,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division,Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-23400 Filed 9-12-02; 8:45 am]
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