[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 74 (Thursday, April 17, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18951-18952]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-9492]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 032703F]


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 1430 
and 1431 and request for comment.

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

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received an application 
for scientific research from Jones & Stokes (J&S) in Sacramento, CA 
(1430) and California Department of Water Resources (CDWR) in 
Sacramento, CA (1431). These permits would affect federally threatened 
Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon and Central Valley steelhead. 
This document serves to notify the public of the availability of the 
permit applications 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 19, 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 permits 
1430 and 1431: Protected Resources Division, NMFS, 650 Capitol Mall, 
Suite 8-300, Sacramento, CA 95814 (ph: 916-930-3600, fax: 916-930-
3629). 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. 1531B1543) (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 threatened Central Valley 
spring-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and threatened 
Central Valley steelhead (O. mykiss).

Applications Received

    J&S requests a 1-year permit (1430) for take of adult and juvenile 
threatened Central Valley spring-run Chinook

[[Page 18952]]

salmon and threatened Central Valley steelhead to assess potential 
impacts of water transfers on Central Valley fall-run Chinook salmon, 
spring-run Chinook salmon, and steelhead in the lower Yuba River. J&S 
requests authorization for an estimated total take of 18,306 adult 
spring-run Chinook salmon (that includes 0.5 percent incidental 
mortality) and 2,000 adult steelhead (0.5 percent incidental mortality) 
resulting from observation and release of adult fish, and 619,865 
juvenile spring-run Chinook salmon (0.9 percent incidental mortality) 
and 18,324 juvenile steelhead (2 percent incidental mortality) 
resulting from capture, handling, and releasing of juvenile fish.
    CDWR requests a 5-year permit (1431) for take of adult and juvenile 
Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon and Central Valley steelhead 
associated with studies to evaluate the effects of Oroville-Thermalito 
Complex operations on andromous fishes in the Feather River. The 
studies concern spring-run Chinook salmon holding areas and spawning 
areas, Chinook salmon spawning escapement surveys, and steelhead life 
history. CDWR requests authorization for an estimated annual take 
resulting from carcass surveys, marking, releasing, and/or tissue 
samples of 40,555 adult spring-run Chinook salmon (that includes 
0.01 percent incidental mortality) for the first 3 years and 
50 adult spring-run Chinook salmon annually thereafter, 115 adult 
steelhead (4 percent incidental mortality), and 775 juvenile steelhead 
(3 percent incidental mortality) resulting from the proposed studies.

    Dated: April 11, 2003.
Phil Williams,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-9492 Filed 4-16-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P