[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 172 (Tuesday, September 7, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54131-54132]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-20237]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 083104D]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION:  Applications for four scientific research permits (1203, 1498, 
1502, 1504).

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SUMMARY:  Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received four scientific 
research permit applications relating to Pacific salmon and steelhead. 
All of the proposed research is intended to increase knowledge of 
species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and to help guide 
management and conservation efforts.

DATES:  Comments or requests for a public hearing on the applications 
must be received at the appropriate address or fax number (see 
ADDRESSES) no later than 5 p.m. Pacific daylight-saving time on October 
7, 2004.

ADDRESSES:  Written comments on the applications should be sent to 
Protected Resources Division, NMFS, F/NWO3, 525 NE Oregon Street, Suite 
500, Portland, OR 97232-2737. Comments may also be sent via fax to 503-
230-5435 or by e-mail to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Garth Griffin, Portland, OR (ph.: 
503-231-2005, Fax: 503-230-5435, e-mail: [email protected]). 
Permit application instructions are available at http://www.nwr.noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Species Covered in this Notice

    The following listed species and evolutionarily significant units 
(ESUs) are covered in this notice:
    Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): endangered naturally 
produced and artificially propagated upper Columbia River (UCR); 
threatened naturally produced and artificially propagated SR spring/
summer (spr/sum); threatened naturally produced and artificially 
propagated Puget Sound (PS).
    Chum salmon (O. keta): threatened Hood Canal summer-run (HC).
    Steelhead (O. mykiss): threatened middle Columbia River (MCR); 
endangered UCR.

Authority

    Scientific research permits are issued in accordance with Section 
10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and regulations 
governing listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR 222-226). NMFS 
issues permits/modifications based on findings that such permits and 
modifications: (1) are applied for in good faith; (2) if granted and 
exercised, would not operate to the disadvantage of the listed species 
that are the subject of the permit; and (3) are consistent with the 
purposes and policies of section 2 of the ESA. The authority to take 
listed species is subject to conditions set forth in the permits.
    Anyone 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.

Applications Received

Permit 1203 Renewal

    The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is seeking a 
5-year research permit to annually take adult and juvenile UCR spring 
chinook salmon and steelhead in several tributaries to the upper 
Columbia River. The purposes of the research are to (1) assess the 
status (and production levels) of several salmonid stocks in the upper 
Columbia River and (2) evaluate salmonid habitat in the region to 
determine what effects various land use activities may have on it 
particularly hydraulic projects. The research would benefit fish by 
providing data on the survival of migrating juvenile salmonids, the 
abundance of adults on spawning grounds, the annual success of 
spawners, and the relative abundance of salmonids in the available 
habitat. That data would be used to help guide restoration and recovery 
activities as well as decrease the potential impact of certain land- 
and water use actions.
    The WDFW intends to use electrofishing equipment, seines, dip nets, 
and hook-and-line angling to capture the fish. Most of the fish would 
be measured and released, but some may also be marked or tissue-sampled 
or both. The WDFW does not intend to kill any of the fish being 
captured, but a small percentage may die as an unintended result of the 
research.

Permit 1498

    The Port of Bellingham (POB) is requesting a 3-year research permit 
to annually capture, handle, and release adult and juvenile PS chinook 
salmon and HC chum salmon. The research would take place in Bellingham 
Bay, Puget Sound, Washington. The purpose of the research is to 
determine the extent of fish use in shallow subtidal nearshore 
habitats. The POB intends to determine the extent to which salmonids 
use a newly created mitigating site. The research would benefit the 
fish by determining distribution and providing information that may 
help POB and others improve fish habitat near boatyards. The POB 
proposes to capture the fish using a purse seine or bottom trawl seine. 
The captured fish would be anesthetized, weighed and measured, allowed 
to recover, and released. The POB does not intend to kill any of the 
fish being captured, but a small percentage may die as an unintended 
result of the activities.

Permit 1502

    The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is requesting a 5-year research 
permit to annually capture, handle, and release juvenile UCR spring 
chinook and steelhead in the Wenatchee River drainage, Washington. The 
purposes of the research are to (1) monitor

[[Page 54132]]

headwater stream conditions, (2) determine the effects land use 
activities have on the biological productivity of small, fishless 
streams in the upper watersheds, (3) relate that information to 
downstream habitats, and (4) determine whether upper watershed food web 
productivity is a key determinant of downstream fish community health. 
The research would benefit the fish by helping managers understand the 
relationship between upper-watershed food productivity and fish health 
in downstream areas. It would also serve as a new tool to help managers 
monitor watershed condition and the effectiveness of various 
restoration techniques in low-order streams.
    The USFS intends to capture the fish using seines, baited minnow 
traps, and possibly some electrofishing. Most of the sampling would 
take place at the very upper limit of the fishes' range. Once captured, 
the fish would be measured, weighed, allowed to recover, and released. 
A subset of the captured fish would be marked with an elastomer tag, 
and another subset would undergo gastric lavage. The USFS does not 
intend to kill any of the fish being taken, but a small percentage may 
die as an unintended result of the activities.

Permit 1504

    The Pacific Shellfish Institute (PSI) is requesting a 3-year 
research permit to annually capture, handle, and release juvenile PS 
chinook salmon and HC chum salmon. The research would take place in 
Puget Sound, Washington. The purpose of the research is to determine 
fish usage of shellfish aquaculture sites. The PSI intends collect 
information to assist them in determining the best shellfish production 
methods while protecting estuarine environments. The research would 
benefit the fish by providing information intended to reduce the impact 
shellfish aquaculture has on listed fish. The PSI proposes to capture 
the fish using pop-up nets. The captured fish would be counted, checked 
for tags and marks, measured, and released. The PSI does not intend to 
kill any of the fish being captured, but a small percentage may die as 
an unintended result of the activities.
    This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA. NMFS 
will evaluate the applications, associated documents, and comments 
submitted to determine whether the applications meet the requirements 
of section 10(a) of the ESA and Federal regulations. The final permit 
decisions will not be made until after the end of the 30-day comment 
period. NMFS will publish notice of its final action in the Federal 
Register.

    Dated: August 31, 2004.
Phil Williams,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-20237 Filed 9-3-04; 8:45 am]
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