[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 64 (Thursday, April 3, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16263-16264]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-8121]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 032703G]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Receipt of application for renewal of scientific research 
permit 1027 and request for comment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received an application 
for renewal of scientific research permit 1027 from U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service (USFWS) in Sacramento, CA. The permit would affect 
federally endangered Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon. This 
document serves to notify the public of the availability of the permit 
renewal application for review and comment.

DATES: Written comments on the permit applications must be received at 
the appropriate address or fax number (see ADDRESSES) no later than 5 
p.m. Pacific Standard Time on May 5, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on this request should be sent to the 
appropriate office as indicated below. Comments may also be sent via 
fax to the number indicated for the request. Comments will not be 
accepted if submitted via e-mail or the Internet. The applications and 
related documents are available for review by appointment, for permit 
1027: Protected Resources Division, NMFS, 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 8-
300, Sacramento, CA 95814 (ph: 916-930-3600, fax: 916-930z63629). 
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 (301 713 1401).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rosalie del Rosario at phone number 
916-930-3600, or 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. 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 a 
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

    This notice is relevant to the federally endangered Sacramento 
River Winter-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha).

Applications Received

    USFWS requests a renewal of permit 1027, a 5-year permit that 
authorized take of adult and juvenile endangered Sacramento River 
winter-run Chinook salmon ESU associated with artificial production and 
captive broodstock programs. The broodstock collection target for 
winter-run Chinook is 15 percent of the estimated upriver escapement, 
up to a maximum of 120 natural-origin winter-run Chinook broodstock per 
brood year (i.e., run sizes 800). In that effort, up to 400 
winter-run Chinook may be captured annually and the remaining 280 
adults will be tagged and returned to the Sacramento River to spawn 
naturally. To maintain genetic diversity, no fewer than 20 adults will 
be taken for the broodstock collection regardless of run size (i.e., 
run sizes <135). Based on three years of trapping data (e.g., 2000-
2002), mortality is expected to be <2 percent of total captured, and 
pre-spawning mortality is expected to be <10 percent of 120 fish 
retained for spawning. To minimize potential negative effects resulting 
from natural selection in the hatchery (i.e., domestication), the 
number of hatchery-origin winter-run Chinook incorporated as broodstock 
will not exceed 10 percent of the total number of winter-run Chinook 
spawned (not including captive broodstock crosses). No more than 
250,000 pre-smolt winter-run Chinook will be released annually. Post-
release contribution potential of progeny derived from captive 
broodstock adults that were reared to maturity is also

[[Page 16264]]

being evaluated. The effects of the artificial production and captive 
broodstock programs on federally threatened Central Valley spring-run 
Chinook salmon and threatened Central Valley steelhead are being 
considered under ESA section 7 interagency consultation on Coleman 
National Fish Hatchery and Livingston Stone National Fish Hatchery 
actions.

    Dated: March 28, 2003.
Phil Williams,
Chief, Endangered Species Division,Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-8121 Filed 4-2-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S