[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 159 (Monday, August 18, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49438-49439]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-21066]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 081203A]


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 1433 
and 1440 and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received an application 
for scientific research from US Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) in Shasta 
Lake, CA (1433) and Interagency Ecological Program (IEP) in Stockton, 
CA (1440). These permits would affect federally endangered Sacramento 
River winter-run Chinook salmon, threatened Central Valley spring-run 
Chinook salmon, and threatened Central Valley steelhead. The latter 
permit (1440) would also affect threatened Central California Coast 
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 September 17, 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 for permits 1433 and 1440 are available for review by 
appointment at the following address: Protected Resources Division, 
NMFS, 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 8-300, Sacramento, CA 95814 (ph: 916-930-
3614, fax: 916-930-3629).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rosalie del Rosario at phone number 
916-930-3614, 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 federally endangered Sacramento River 
winter-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), threatened 
Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha), threatened 
Central Valley steelhead (O. mykiss), and threatened Central California 
Coast steelhead (O. mykiss).

[[Page 49439]]

Applications Received

    BOR requests a 3-year permit (1433) for take of juvenile endangered 
Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon, threatened Central Valley 
spring-run Chinook salmon, and threatened Central Valley steelhead to 
characterize the biological community in the upper Sacramento River 
during gate operations of the Red Bluff Diversion Dam. BOR requests 
authorization for an estimated total take of 1,950 juvenile winter-run 
Chinook salmon (that includes 1 percent incidental mortality), 50 
juvenile spring-run Chinook salmon (that includes 4 percent incidental 
mortality), and 65 juvenile steelhead (3 percent incidental mortality) 
resulting from capturing by beach seine, measuring, and releasing of 
fish.
    IEP requests a 5-year permit (1440) for incidental take of adult 
and juvenile Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon, Central Valley 
spring-run Chinook salmon, Central Valley steelhead, and Central 
California Coast steelhead associated with 11 studies that aim to 
evaluate the effects of water export facilities (State Water Project 
and Central Valley Water Project) on aquatic organisms. IEP requests 
authorization for an estimated annual take of 18 adult and 167 juvenile 
winter-run Chinook salmon (that includes 6 percent and 13 percent 
incidental mortality, respectively), 17 adult and 1,040 spring-run 
Chinook salmon (that includes 6 percent and 7 percent incidental 
mortality), 22 adult and 143 juvenile steelhead (that includes 5 
percent and 12 percent incidental mortality), and 2 juvenile Central 
California Coast steelhead (no mortality) resulting from the proposed 
studies.

    Dated: August 12, 2003.
Susan Pultz,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-21066 Filed 8-15-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S