[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 198 (Thursday, October 14, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60986-60987]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-23063]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 100104F]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Application for scientific research permit 1499.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received a scientific 
research permit application relating to Pacific salmon. 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 application 
must be received at the appropriate address or fax number (see 
ADDRESSES) no later than 5 p.m. Pacific daylight-saving time on 
November 15, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the application 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:

[[Page 60987]]

[email protected]). Permit application instructions are available 
at http://www.nwr.noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Species Covered in This Notice

    The following listed species (evolutionarily significant unit) is 
covered in this notice:
    Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha): threatened naturally produced and 
artificially propagated Puget Sound (PS).

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 Parts 222-226). NMFS 
issues permits based on findings that such permits: (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 policy 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.

Application Received

Permit 1499

    The Battelle Marine Sciences Laboratory (BMSL) is requesting a 1-
year research permit to annually capture, handle, and release adult and 
juvenile PS chinook salmon. The research would take place in Puget 
Sound, Washington. The purpose of the research is to develop a more 
comprehensive understanding of salmon behavior and movement near large 
overwater structures. The BMSL intends to determine juvenile fish 
movement, residence time, activity pattern, and migration routes along 
unshaded shoreline and adjacent to and under ferry structures. The 
research would benefit the fish by determining fish behavior near ferry 
terminals and providing information to be used in reducing the impact 
the structures have on listed fish. The BMSL proposes to capture the 
fish using enclosure nets. Most of the captured fish would be 
anesthetized, identified, counted, checked for tags and marks, allowed 
to recover, and released. A portion of the juvenile salmonids would be 
measured, implanted with acoustic tags, released, and tracked remotely. 
The BMSL 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 application, associated documents, and comments 
submitted to determine whether the application meets 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: October 8, 2004.
Marta Nammack,
Acting Division Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-23063 Filed 10-13-04; 8:45 am]
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