[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 149 (Wednesday, August 4, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47122-47123]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-17806]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 072204C]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION:  Receipt of applications for issuance and renewal and 
modification of scientific research/enhancement permits and request for 
comment.

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SUMMARY:  Notice is hereby given that NOAA Fisheries has received 
applications to renew and modify permits from Bureau of Reclamation, 
Weaverville, CA (Permit 1072) and Bureau of Land Management, Arcata, CA 
(Permit 1088), and to issue a new Permit to Humboldt State University 
Foundation, Institute for River Ecosystems (1283). These permits would 
affect any or all of three Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) of 
salmonids identified in the Supplementary Information section. This 
document serves to notify the public of the availability of the permit 
application for review and comment before a final approval or 
disapproval is made by NOAA Fisheries.

DATES:  Written comments on the permit application must be received at 
the appropriate address or fax number (see ADDRESSES) no later than 5 
p.m. Daylight Savings Time on September 3, 2004.

ADDRESSES:  Written comments on any of these requests should be sent to 
the appropriate office as indicated below. Comments may also be sent 
via facsimile to the number indicated for the request. Comments will be 
accepted if submitted via e-mail at [email protected]. Email 
comments must have the permit number in the subject line. The 
applications and

[[Page 47123]]

related documents are available for review in the indicated office, by 
appointment: For Permits 1072, 1088, and 1283: Karen Hans, Protected 
Species Division, NOAA Fisheries, 1655 Heindon Road, Arcata, CA 95521 
(ph: 707-825-5180, fax: 707-825-4840).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Hans at phone number (707 825 
5180), or e-mail: [email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority

    Under section 3(18) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 as 
amended (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1536 et seq.), take is defined as ``to harass, 
harm, pursue , hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or 
to attempt to engage in any such conduct''. Under section 10(a)(1)(A) 
of the ESA, ``The Secretary may permit, under such terms and conditions 
as he shall prescribe- (A) any act otherwise prohibited by section 9 
for scientific purposes...''. Issuance of permits and permit 
modifications, as required by the 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 NOAA Fisheries 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 NOAA Fisheries.

Species Covered in This Notice

    This notice is relevant to the following three threatened salmonid 
ESUs:
    Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast (SONCC) coho salmon 
(Oncorhynchus kisutch),
    California Coastal (CC) Chinook salmon ( O. tshawytscha).
    Northern California (NC) steelhead ( O. mykiss),

Renewal and Modification Requests Received

Permit 1072

    The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) has requested the renewal and 
modification of Permit 1072 for take of juvenile SONCC coho salmon and 
tissue collection from adult carcasses from these species, associated 
with studies assessing presence and population abundances, and genetic 
diversity of salmon and steelhead in the Trinity River. Permit 1072 was 
originally issued on May 4, 1998. The BOR has proposed to use in-stream 
trapping as the method of capture. The BOR has requested non-lethal 
take of 4650 juvenile SONCC coho salmon with an unintentional mortality 
of 3.0 percent of fish captured. Permit 1072 will expire on September 
1, 2014.

Permit 1088

    The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has requested the renewal and 
modification of Permit 1088 for take of SONCC coho salmon, CC Chinook 
salmon, and NC steelhead associated with studies assessing presence and 
population abundances of salmon and steelhead in selected locations on 
BLM lands under the jurisdiction of the Arcata Field Office. The BLM 
proposes to capture juvenile and adult salmon and steelhead by in-
stream traps and electrofishing, and requests take for juvenile salmon 
and steelhead captured during macroinvertebrate sampling. Permit 1088 
was originally issued on April 24, 1998. The BLM has requested non-
lethal take of up to 12,200 juvenile SONCC coho salmon with an 
unintentional mortality of 1.0 percent of fish handled; 20,050 juvenile 
CC Chinook salmon with an unintentional mortality of 1.0 percent of 
fish handled; and 60,400 juvenile NC steelhead with an unintentional 
mortality of 1.0 percent of fish handled. Permit 1088 will expire April 
1, 2014.

Issuance Request Received

Permit 1283

    Humboldt State University Foundation Institute for River Ecosystems 
(IRE) has requested the issuance of Permit 1283 for take of SONCC coho 
salmon, CC Chinook salmon, and NC steelhead associated with studies 
assessing presence and population abundances of coho salmon and 
steelhead in selected locations in the Mad-Redwood hydrologic unit (MR-
HUC). The MR-HUC includes all anadromous streams that drain into 
Humboldt Bay and all streams that drain into the Pacific Ocean north 
to, but not including, the Klamath River. The IRE has requested non-
lethal take of up to 9,000 juvenile SONCC coho salmon with an 
unintentional mortality of 2.0 percent of fish handled; 30 juvenile CC 
Chinook salmon with an unintentional mortality of 1 fish; and 9,600 
juvenile NC steelhead with an unintentional mortality of 2.0 percent of 
fish handled. Permit 1283 will expire January 1, 2012.

    Dated: July 29, 2004.
Susan Pultz,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-17806 Filed 8-3-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S