[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 158 (Wednesday, August 16, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47179-47180]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-13465]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 080806D]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Receipt of applications to renew and to modify scientific 
research permits; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received applications to 
modify and renew permits for scientific research from the Southwest 
Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) in Santa Cruz, CA (1044) and Dr. 
Michael Fawcett (M. Fawcett) in Bodega, CA (1045). This document serves 
to notify the public of the availability of the permit applications for 
review and comment.

DATES:  Written comments on the permit applications must be received no 
later than 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on September 15, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Comments submitted by e-mail must be sent to the following 
address [email protected]. The applications and related documents 
are available for review by appointment, for permits 1044 Modification 
4 and 1045 Modification 1: Protected Resources Division, NMFS, 777 
Sonoma Avenue, Room 315, Santa Rosa, CA 95404 (ph: 707-575-6097, fax: 
707-578-3435, e-mail: [email protected]).

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 threatened Southern Oregon/
Northern California Coast coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), 
endangered Central California Coast coho salmon (O. kisutch), 
threatened California Coastal Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha), 
endangered Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha), 
threatened Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha), 
threatened Northern California steelhead (O. mykiss), threatened 
Central California Coast steelhead (O. mykiss), threatened Central 
Valley steelhead (O. mykiss), threatened South-Central California Coast 
steelhead (O. mykiss), and endangered Southern California steelhead (O. 
mykiss).

Permit Extension and Modification Request Received

    SWFSC requests a 5-year extension and modification of permit (1044) 
for take of Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast coho salmon, 
Central California Coast coho salmon, California Coastal Chinook 
salmon, Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon, Central Valley 
spring-run Chinook salmon, Northern California steelhead, Central 
California Coast steelhead, Central Valley steelhead, South-Central 
California Coast steelhead, and Southern California steelhead to 
conduct salmonid population distribution, population abundance, life 
history, population dynamics, and population genetics research in 
various streams and estuaries throughout California.
    SWFSC requests authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal 
take of 500 juvenile California Coastal Chinook salmon, 500 juvenile 
Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon, and 500 juvenile Central 
Valley spring-run Chinook salmon, with no more than 2.5 percent 
unintentional mortality to result from capture (by electrofishing, 
seine, trap, or hook and line), handling, and release of fish. SWFSC 
also requests authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal take of 
3,500 juvenile Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast coho salmon 
and 2,000 juvenile Central California Coast coho salmon, with no more 
than 2.5 percent unintentional mortality to result from capture (by 
electrofishing, seine, trap, or hook and line), handling, sampling (by 
collection of scales, fin clips, or stomach contents), marking (using 
fin clips, passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags, visible implant 
elastomer (VIE) tags, or visible implant alpha (VI alpha) tags), and 
release of fish.
    SWFSC also requests authorization for an estimated annual non-
lethal take of 25,000 juvenile Northern California steelhead, 20,000 
juvenile Central California Coast steelhead, 5,000 juvenile Central 
Valley steelhead, 35,000 juvenile South-Central California Coast 
steelhead, and 3,000 juvenile Southern California steelhead, with no 
more than 5 percent unintentional mortality to result from capture (by 
electrofishing, seine, trap, or hook and line), handling, sampling (by 
collection of scales, fin clips, or stomach contents), marking (using 
fin clips, PIT tags, VIE tags, or VI alpha tags), and release of fish.
    SWFSC also requests authorization for an estimated annual non-
lethal take of 1,000 adult Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast 
coho salmon and 250 adult Northern California steelhead with no more 
than 1 percent unintentional mortality to result from capture (by 
seine, trap, or hook and line), handling, sampling (by collection of 
scales or fin clips), marking (using fin clips, PIT tags, or external 
anchor tags), and release of fish.

[[Page 47180]]

    In addition, SWFSC requests take of previously dead adult carcasses 
of Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast coho salmon, Central 
California Coast coho salmon, California Coastal Chinook salmon, 
Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon, Central Valley spring-run 
Chinook salmon, and Northern California steelhead to conduct salmonid 
population distribution, population abundance, life history, population 
dynamics, and population genetics research in various streams 
throughout California. SWFSC requests authorization to handle, tissue 
sample, and release an estimated 2,000 Southern Oregon/Northern 
California Coast coho salmon adult carcasses, 250 Central California 
Coast coho salmon adult carcasses, 250 California Coastal Chinook 
salmon adult carcasses, 500 Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon 
adult carcasses, 1,000 Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon adult 
carcasses, and 250 Northern California steelhead adult carcasses 
annually. In addition, SWFSC requests intentional lethal take of 
Northern California steelhead, Central California Coast steelhead, 
Central Valley steelhead, and South-Central California Coast steelhead 
to conduct salmonid life history, population dynamics, and population 
genetics research in various streams, estuaries, and coastal waters of 
California. SWFSC requests authorization for an estimated annual lethal 
take of 1,000 juvenile Northern California steelhead, 1,000 juvenile 
Central California Coast steelhead, 1,000 juvenile Central Valley 
steelhead, 400 adult Central Valley steelhead, 1,000 juvenile South-
Central California Coast steelhead, and 100 adult South-Central 
California Coast steelhead to be captured (by electrofishing, seine, 
trap, or hook and line), handled, and sacrificed for collection of 
various tissues.

Renewal and Modification Request Received

    M. Fawcett requests to renew and modify a 5-year permit (1045) for 
take of juvenile Central California Coast coho salmon, California 
Coastal Chinook salmon, and Central California Coast steelhead to 
conduct fish population monitoring in the Russian River watershed 
(including Green Valley Creek, Mark West Creek, Santa Rosa Creek, 
Maacama Creek, Sausal Creek, Gird Creek, and Miller Creek) in Sonoma 
County, California. M. Fawcett requests authorization for an estimated 
annual non-lethal take of 150 juvenile Central California Coast coho 
salmon, 50 juvenile California Coastal Chinook salmon, and 4,900 
juvenile Central California Coast steelhead, with no more than 1 
percent unintentional mortality to result from capture (by seine), 
handling, and release of fish. M. Fawcett also requests authorization 
for an estimated annual non-lethal take of 100 juvenile Central 
California Coast coho salmon and 300 juvenile Central California Coast 
steelhead, with no more than 1 percent unintentional mortality to 
result from capture (by seine), handling, fin clipping, and release of 
fish.
    M. Fawcett also requests take of juvenile Central California Coast 
coho salmon, California Coastal Chinook salmon, and Central California 
Coast steelhead to conduct fish population monitoring in the estuary 
and watershed of Salmon Creek in Sonoma County, California. M. Fawcett 
requests authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal take of 25 
juvenile Central California Coast coho salmon, 50 juvenile California 
Coastal Chinook salmon, and 900 juvenile Central California Coast 
steelhead, with no more than 1 percent unintentional mortality to 
result from capture (by seine), handling, and release of fish. M. 
Fawcett also requests authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal 
take of 50 juvenile Central California Coast coho salmon and 100 
juvenile Central California Coast steelhead, with no more than 1 
percent unintentional mortality to result from capture (by seine), 
handling, fin clipping, and release of fish.
    In addition, M. Fawcett requests take of juvenile Northern 
California steelhead and Central California Coast steelhead to conduct 
fish population and genetics monitoring in numerous small coastal 
streams between Gualala River and Estero Americano in Sonoma County, 
California. M. Fawcett requests authorization for an estimated annual 
non-lethal take of 50 juvenile Northern California steelhead and 25 
juvenile Central California Coast steelhead, with no more than 1 
percent unintentional mortality to result from capture (by seine), 
handling, and release of fish. M. Fawcett also requests authorization 
for an estimated annual non-lethal take of 200 juvenile Northern 
California steelhead and 75 juvenile Central California Coast 
steelhead, with no more than 1 percent unintentional mortality to 
result from capture (by seine), handling, fin clipping, and release of 
fish.

    Dated: August 11, 2006.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources,National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-13465 Filed 8-15-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S