[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 129 (Thursday, July 6, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38386-38387]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-10557]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D.062706C]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Receipt of an application to renew and to modify a scientific 
research permit; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received an application 
to renew and modify a permit for scientific research from the National 
Park Service (NPS) in Point Reyes Station, CA (1046). The permit would 
affect federally endangered Central California Coast coho salmon, 
threatened California Coastal Chinook salmon, and threatened Central 
California Coast steelhead. This document serves to notify the public 
of the availability of the permit application for review and comment.

DATES: Written comments on the permit application must be received no 
later than 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on August 7, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Comments submitted by e-mail must be sent to the following 
address: [email protected]. The application and related documents 
are available for review by appointment, for Permit 1046 Modification 
2: Protected Resources Division, NMFS, 777 Sonoma Avenue, Room 315, 
Santa Rosa, CA 95404 (ph: 707-575-6097, fax: 707-578-3435).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Jahn at phone number 707-575-
6097, 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 Central California 
Coast coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), threatened California Coastal 
Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha), and threatened Central California 
Coast steelhead (O. mykiss).

Renewal and Modification Request Received

    NPS requests to renew and modify a 5-year permit (1046) for take of 
juvenile Central California Coast coho salmon, California Coastal 
Chinook salmon, and Central California Coast steelhead to monitor out-
migrating salmonid smolts in Olema Creek, Pine Gulch, and Redwood Creek 
watersheds in Marin County, California. NPS requests authorization for 
an estimated annual non-lethal take of 9,875 juvenile Central 
California Coast coho salmon, 750 juvenile California Coastal Chinook 
salmon, and 9,875 juvenile Central California Coast steelhead, with no 
more than 3 percent unintentional mortality to result from capture (by 
fyke-net trap or pipe trap), handling, and release of fish. NPS also 
requests authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal take of 2,625 
juvenile Central California Coast coho salmon, 250 juvenile California 
Coastal Chinook salmon, and 2,625 juvenile Central California Coast 
steelhead, with no more than 5 percent unintentional mortality to 
result from capture (by fyke-net trap or pipe trap), handling, passive 
integrated transponder (PIT) tagging, fin-clipping, and release of 
fish.
    NPS requests take of juvenile Central California Coast coho salmon 
and Central California Coast steelhead to conduct a juvenile salmonid 
diet composition study in Olema Creek, Pine Gulch, and Redwood Creek 
watersheds in Marin County, California. NPS requests authorization for 
an estimated annual non-lethal take of 250 juvenile Central California 
Coast coho salmon and 150 juvenile Central California Coast steelhead, 
with no more than 5 percent unintentional mortality to result from 
capture (by fyke-net trap, pipe trap, or electrofishing), handling, 
stomach sampling (a process during which a blunt hypodermic syringe is 
used to flush stomach contents out of the esophagus), and release of 
fish.
    NPS requests take of previously dead adult carcasses of Central 
California Coast coho salmon, California Coastal Chinook salmon, and 
Central California Coast steelhead to collect genetic information on 
spawning salmonids in the following watersheds: Olema Creek, Lagunitas 
Creek, Pine Gulch, Redwood Creek, and Easkoot Creek in Marin County, 
California; West Union Creek, Martini Creek, San Vicente Creek, and 
Denniston Creek in San Mateo County, California; and Alhambra Creek and 
Frankin Creek in Contra Costa County, California. NPS requests 
authorization to handle, tissue sample, and release an estimated 550 
Central California Coast coho salmon adult carcasses, 150 California 
Coastal Chinook salmon adult carcasses, and 750 Central California 
Coast steelhead adult carcasses annually. NPS does not request any take 
of live adult salmonids for this study.
    NPS requests take of adult Central California Coast coho salmon, 
California Coastal Chinook salmon, and Central California Coast 
steelhead to conduct adult spawner population monitoring, population 
abundance, fish migration, and population genetics studies in

[[Page 38387]]

Olema Creek, Pine Gulch, and Redwood Creek in Marin County, California. 
NPS requests authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal take of 
500 adult Central California Coast coho salmon, 200 adult California 
Coastal Chinook salmon, and 500 adult Central California Coast 
steelhead, with no more than 3 percent unintentional mortality to 
result from capture (by weir-trap), handling, tagging (with an external 
anchor tag), and release of fish.
    NPS requests take of juvenile Central California Coast coho salmon, 
California Coastal Chinook salmon, and Central California Coast 
steelhead to conduct summer fish population monitoring in the following 
watersheds: Olema Creek, Lagunitas Creek, Pine Gulch, Redwood Creek, 
and Easkoot Creek in Marin County, California; West Union Creek, 
Martini Creek, San Vicente Creek, and Denniston Creek in San Mateo 
County, California; and Alhambra Creek and Frankin Creek in Contra 
Costa County, California. NPS requests authorization for an estimated 
annual non-lethal take of 9,500 juvenile Central California Coast coho 
salmon, 50 juvenile California Coastal Chinook salmon, and 11,500 
juvenile Central California Coast steelhead, with no more than 3 
percent unintentional mortality to result from capture (by seine or 
electrofishing), handling, fin-clipping, scale-sampling, and release of 
fish.
    NPS requests take of juvenile Central California Coast coho salmon, 
California Coastal Chinook salmon, and Central California Coast 
steelhead to conduct fish rescue and relocation efforts of stranded 
salmonids in dry streams in the following watersheds: Olema Creek, 
Lagunitas Creek, Pine Gulch, Redwood Creek, and Easkoot Creek in Marin 
County, California; West Union Creek, Martini Creek, San Vicente Creek, 
and Denniston Creek in San Mateo County, California; and Alhambra Creek 
and Frankin Creek in Contra Costa County, California. NPS requests 
authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal take of 5,000 juvenile 
Central California Coast coho salmon, 50 juvenile California Coastal 
Chinook salmon, and 5,200 juvenile Central California Coast steelhead 
with no more than 5 percent unintentional mortality to result from 
capture (by seine or electrofishing), handling, transport, and release 
of fish.
    NPS requests take of juvenile Central California Coast coho salmon 
and Central California Coast steelhead to conduct juvenile salmonid 
winter movement and habitat utilization studies in Olema Creek, Pine 
Gulch, and Redwood Creek watersheds in Marin County, California. NPS 
requests authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal take of 3,000 
juvenile Central California Coast coho salmon and 3,000 juvenile 
Central California Coast steelhead, with no more than 3 percent 
unintentional mortality to result from capture (by seine or 
electrofishing), handling, and release of fish. NPS also requests 
authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal take of 2,000 juvenile 
Central California Coast coho salmon and 2,000 juvenile Central 
California Coast steelhead, with no more than 5 percent unintentional 
mortality to result from capture (by seine or electrofishing), 
handling, PIT tagging, fin-clipping, and release of fish.

    Dated: June 29, 2006.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-10557 Filed 7-5-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S