[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 23, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14657-14659]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-5752]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 031705A]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Permit modifications and request for new research permits.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received three scientific 
research permit applications and two modification requests 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 April 
22, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the application should be sent to 
Protected Resources Division, NMFS, F/NWO3, 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 
1100, Portland, OR 97232-2737. Comments may also be sent via fax to 
503-230-5441 or by e-mail to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Garth Griffin, Portland, OR (ph.: 503-
231-2005, Fax: 503-230-5441, 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 Snake River 
(SR) spring/summer (spr/sum); threatened SR fall; threatened lower 
Columbia River (LCR); threatened upper Willamette River (UWR); 
threatened naturally-produced and artificially propagated Puget Sound 
(PS).
    Chum salmon (O. keta): threatened Columbia River (CR).
    Steelhead (O. mykiss): threatened SR; threatened middle Columbia 
River (MCR); endangered UCR; threatened LCR; threatened UWR.

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    Coho salmon (O. kisutch): proposed threatened Oregon Coast (OC); 
proposed threatened LCR.

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 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, NMFS.

Applications Received

Permit 1410 - Modification 2

    The Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) is asking to modify 
its 5-year permit to expand on a study in the Columbia River plume and 
surrounding ocean environment. The NWFSC is requesting to increase its 
annual take of adult and juvenile LCR chinook salmon, SR fall chinook 
salmon, SR spring/summer chinook salmon, UCR chinook salmon, UWR 
chinook salmon, CR chum salmon, SR steelhead, and OC coho salmon. OC 
coho salmon are currently proposed as a threatened species. The 
research is designed to investigate the distribution, abundance, 
condition, and health of juvenile salmonids in relation to 
oceanographic conditions. The purpose of the study is to help 
researchers and managers better understand the factors controlling 
estuarine and marine survival. The study will provide information to 
help forecast survival potential as a function of plume and ocean 
conditions. Further, the study will be coordinated with a predation 
study which is a component of the plume study but was covered under a 
different authorization in previous years.
    The NWFSC is requesting authorization to capture (using surface 
trawling), handle, and release adult and juvenile fish and to 
intentionally kill some juveniles for endocrine assessment, stock 
identification, pathogen prevalence and intensity, otolith and stomach 
content analysis, and histopathological attributes. The NWFSC does not 
intend to kill any adult fish being captured but some may die as an 
unintentional result of the research activities.

Permit 1479 - Modification 1

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is asking to modify its 5-year 
permit to expand on a study in the Wind River, Washington. The USGS is 
asking to increase its annual take of LCR chinook salmon and add takes 
of CR chum salmon and LCR coho salmon. LCR coho salmon are currently 
proposed as a threatened species. The research is designed to 
investigate the efficacy of nutrient enhancement in increasing juvenile 
fish growth and condition and thereby determine how effectively it can 
be used to restore juvenile salmonid production in nutrient-deficient 
watersheds. The research will help state, tribal, and Federal managers 
in their efforts to restore lower Columbia River salmon and steelhead 
populations and their habitats.
    The USGS proposes to capture (using backpack electrofishers), 
handle, tag with passive integrated transponders or visual implants, 
and release listed salmonids. The USGS does not intend to capture adult 
fish but some may be in the area being fished and will be avoided as 
much as possible. While most of the fish would be unharmed, some 
juveniles may unintentionally be killed during the course of the 
research.

Permit 1523

    The National Council of Air and Stream Improvements (NCASI) is 
requesting a 5-year permit to conduct research in the McKenzie and 
Willamette rivers in Oregon. The NCASI is asking to take juvenile UWR 
chinook salmon and steelhead while studying water quality and 
biological conditions in rivers receiving paper- and pulp mill 
discharges. The research will provide information on existing 
conditions in the watersheds and on changes in those conditions over 
time, and ultimately on the aquatic communities' responses to 
environmental stressors.
    The information will be used in a larger effort to monitor 
watershed health, water quality, and salmon recovery in the Upper 
Willamette watershed.
    The NCASI proposes to capture (using boat electrofishers), handle, 
and release listed salmonids. The NCASI does not intend to capture 
adult fish but some may be in the area being fished and will be avoided 
as much as possible. While most of the fish would be unharmed, some 
juveniles may unintentionally be killed during the course of the 
research.

Permit 1524

    The NWFSC is requesting a 5-year research permit for intentional 
mortality and unintentional mortality of juvenile Puget Sound chinook 
salmon. The research would consist of two studies. Study 1 would take 
place in the Skagit River estuary, Washington, and Study 2 would take 
place in Puget Sound, Washington. The purpose of study 1 is to examine 
density dependence and survival during estuarine residence in juvenile 
chinook salmon. The purpose of Study 2 is to examine nearshore habitat 
use, movements, and survival of juvenile chinook and coho salmon in 
Puget Sound. The goal of this research is to understand changes in 
population characteristics (primarily abundance, productivity, and life 
history diversity) of wild chinook salmon in response to projects 
designed to reconnect and restore estuarine habitat. These studies are 
among the top priorities of the NMFS' Salmon Research Plan, including 
the need to estimate and evaluate estuarine and marine survival at 
several spatial scales.
    In Study 1, fish would be captured at several sites in the Skagit 
River tidal delta by beach seining. Naturally produced juvenile chinook 
salmon would be marked and placed in enclosures for a period of 2 
weeks. A small number of the fish may die as an unintended result of 
the capture, handle, and mark procedure. The NWFSC would also kill a 
portion of the fish for diet and otolith analysis. In Study 2, fish 
would be captured at several sites in the Skagit Bay by beach seining. 
Naturally-produced juvenile chinook salmon would be marked with a 
combination of an external tag and an internal acoustic tag. The NWFSC 
does not intend to kill any of the fish being captured in study 2, but 
a small number may die as an unintended result of the activities.

Permit 1525

    The Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) is requesting a 5-
year research permit to study salmonids in the Lower Willamette River, 
Oregon, and in the Columbia River from Bonneville Dam to the mouth. The 
NWFSC is requesting to take juvenile SR spring/summer chinook salmon, 
SR fall chinook salmon, SR steelhead, UCR chinook salmon, UCR 
steelhead, MCR steelhead, LCR chinook salmon, LCR steelhead, UWR 
chinook salmon, UWR steelhead, and CR chum salmon.
    The research is currently authorized under Permit 1140, Study 3. If

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authorized, the research will be authorized by this new permit and 
removed from Permit 1140. The purposes of the study are to (1) 
determine contaminant concentrations in fish, (2) understand 
bioaccumulation in juvenile salmon and determine site-specific factors, 
(3) analyze for the presence of physiological biomarkers, and (4) 
investigate the presence of indicators of exposure to environmental 
estrogens. The NWFSC would collect samples with seines or high speed 
rope trawls and is asking for authorization to handle juvenile fish and 
to intentionally kill some of them for pathogen prevalence and 
intensity, biochemical composition, histopathological attributes, and 
stomach content analyses.
    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: March 17, 2005.
Marta Nammack,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-5752 Filed 3-22-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S