[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 216 (Wednesday, November 8, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65474-65476]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-18866]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 103106C]


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 for scientific research permits and 
permit modifications.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received ten scientific 
research permit application 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 applications 
must be received at the appropriate address or fax number (see 
ADDRESSES) no later than 5 p.m. Pacific standard time on December 8, 
2006.

ADDRESSES: The applications are available online at http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/ESA-Salmon-Regulations-Permits/Section-10-Permits/Scientific-Research-Authorizations/Appls-for-Cmnt.cfm. Written comments 
on the applications should be sent to the Protected Resources Division, 
NMFS, 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 1100, Portland, OR 97232-1274. 
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 from the address above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Species Covered in This Notice

    The following listed species are covered in this notice:
    Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): threatened lower 
Columbia River (LCR), endangered upper Columbia River (UCR), threatened 
Snake River (SR) spring/summer-run, threatened SR fall-run, threatened 
Puget Sound (PS).
    Chum salmon (O. keta): threatened Columbia River (CR), threatened 
Hood Canal (HC).
    Steelhead (O. mykiss): threatened LCR, threatened middle Columbia 
River (MCR), threatened Snake River (SR), threatened UCR, proposed 
threatened PS.
    Coho salmon (O. kisutch): threatened LCR.
    Sockeye salmon (O. nerka): threatened Ozette Lake (OL).

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). Such hearings are held at the 
discretion of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NMFS.

Applications Received

Permit 1175--Modification 1

    The Gifford Pinchot National Forest (GPNF) is requesting a 5-year 
research permit to take juvenile PS Chinook salmon, LCR Chinook salmon, 
LCR coho salmon, and LCR steelhead. It would also take juvenile PS 
steelhead. The purpose of this research is to determine fish species 
presence and distribution, record fish habitat conditions, and 
inventory spawning areas on the GPNF. The information would be used in 
broad-scale analyses (e.g. watershed analysis) and project-level 
planning (e.g., timber sales and habitat restoration projects). The 
research would benefit listed salmonids by providing the GPNF with 
information to improve forest management. Permit 1175 has been in place 
for almost 5 years and is due to expire on December 31, 2006. The GPNF 
would observe/harass adult and juvenile salmonids during spawner and 
redd counts, snorkel surveys, and habitat surveys. The GPNF would also 
capture (using backpack electrofishing equipment or seines), handle, 
and release juvenile salmonids. The GPNF does not intend to kill any 
fish being captured, but a small number of fish may die as an 
unintentional result of the research activities.

Permit 1313--Modification 1

    Pentec Environmental (Pentec) is requesting a 4-year research 
permit to take Puget Sound Chinook salmon associated with research to 
be conducted in Port Gardner and the Snohomish River estuary, 
Washington. It would also take juvenile PS steelhead. The purpose of 
the research is to monitor juvenile salmonid use of habitat restoration 
sites. The habitat restoration work was conducted by the Port of 
Everett in 2002 and monitoring has continued (under this permit) since 
then. Permit 1313 is due to expire on December 31, 2006. The habitat 
restoration projects were designed to improve salmonid rearing and 
migration habitat, and the research would benefit the fish by helping 
managers learn the effectiveness of those measures. Juvenile salmonids 
would be captured (using a floating beach seine), counted, measured, 
checked for adipose fin clips, and released. Pentec does not intend to

[[Page 65475]]

kill any of the fish being captured, but a small number may die as an 
unintended result of the activities.

Permit 1372--Modification 1

    The Puget Sound Energy, Incorporated (PSE) is requesting a 5-year 
research permit to take adult and juvenile PS Chinook salmon. It would 
also take juvenile PS steelhead. The purposes of the research are to 
(1) identify the numbers of redds of listed species in the Skagit River 
downstream from its confluence of the Baker River, (2) identify the 
timing and distribution of Chinook salmon spawning in the middle Skagit 
River, and (3) collect tissue samples from bull trout in the Baker 
River basin. Adult PS Chinook would be observed and harassed during 
redd counts and spawning surveys. The research would benefit PS Chinook 
by providing resource managers with information to improve management 
of the Baker River Hydroelectric Project. The Baker River bull trout 
study would not target PS Chinook, but juvenile Chinook may be captured 
(using backpack electrofishing equipment), handled, and released. The 
PSE does not intend to kill any of the juvenile fish being captured, 
but a small number may die as an unintended result of the activities.

Permit 1386--Modification 2

    The Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE) is requesting a 5-
year research permit to take all fish species identified in this notice 
while conducting research throughout the State of Washington. It would 
also take juvenile PS steelhead. The purpose of the research is to 
investigate and monitor toxic contaminants in fish tissues and 
freshwater environments in Washington. The research is part of the 
Washington State Toxics Monitoring Program. The listed species would 
benefit from the development of actions to control, reduce, and remove 
toxic contaminants from Washington State's waters. The DOE would 
capture fish (using nets, seines, backpack electrofishing equipment, 
and hook and line), handle, and release them. The DOE does not intend 
to kill any listed fish, but a small number may die as an unintended 
result of the activities.

Permit 1498--Modification 1

    The Port of Bellingham (POB) is requesting a 1-year research permit 
to take juvenile PS Chinook salmon. It would also take juvenile PS 
steelhead. The purpose of the research is to monitor PS Chinook in 
newly created habitat in northern Bellingham Bay, Washington. As 
mitigation for dredging projects, the POB created that habitat (a 
subtidal sediment bench) west of Squalicum Harbor. Under permit 1498, 
the POB has monitored the mitigation site since 2005, but the permit is 
due to expire on December 31, 2006. The subtidal sediment bench was 
designed to improve Chinook salmon rearing habitat, and the research 
would benefit the species by helping managers learn the effectiveness 
of these mitigation measures. Fish would be captured (using beach 
seines and enclosure nets), anesthetized, measured, allowed to recover 
from the anesthesia, and released. The POB does not intend to kill any 
of the fish being captured, but a small number may die as an unintended 
result of the activities.

Permit 1521--Modification 1

    Wyllie-Echeverria Associates (WEA) is requesting a 3-year research 
permit to take juvenile PS Chinook salmon. It would also take juvenile 
PS steelhead. The purpose of the research is to identify which salmonid 
species and Chinook salmon stocks use intertidal beaches and subtidal 
eelgrass meadows at representative sites near San Juan, Orcas, Shaw, 
Lopez, Jones, and Waldron Islands, Washington. This research would 
benefit PS Chinook by helping managers set priorities for protecting 
nearshore habitats. The WEA proposes to capture fish with beach seines, 
toss nets, and surface tow nets. Captured fish would be identified, 
counted, checked for tags or marks, measured, and released. Fin-clip 
samples would be collected for genetic analysis from an anesthetized 
subsample of juvenile PS Chinook. These anesthetized fish would be 
allowed to recover from the anesthetic before being released. The WEA 
does not intend to kill any of the fish being captured, but a small 
number may die as an unintended result of the activities.

Permit 1585

    The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is 
requesting a 5-year research permit to take juvenile PS Chinook and HC 
chum salmon. It would also take juvenile PS steelhead. The purpose of 
the research is to determine the presence and distribution of salmonids 
on DNR lands in the Puget Sound basin. The research would benefit 
listed salmonids by helping to improve management decisions. Fish would 
be captured (using backpack electrofishing equipment), handled, and 
released. The DNR does not intend to kill any of the fish being 
captured, but a small number my die as an unintended result of the 
activities.

Permit 1586

    The Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Fish Ecology Division (FED) 
is requesting a 5-year research permit to take juvenile PS Chinook and 
HC chum salmon. It would also take juvenile PS steelhead. The purpose 
of the research is to characterize how wild, juvenile PS Chinook salmon 
use nearshore habitats in Whidbey Basin, Admiralty Inlet, the Strait of 
Juan de Fuca, and the San Juan Islands. Additional goals are to define 
what life history strategies are present in these areas, and identify 
their residence time, distribution, timing of movements, diet, health, 
age, and origin. This research would benefit the listed species by 
helping managers develop protection and restoration strategies and 
monitor the effects of recovery actions. Fish would be captured (using 
beach seines, townets, purse seines, and lampera nets), temporarily 
held (in live-wells, mesh pens, aerated buckets, or in the bag of the 
net before processing), separated into salmonids and non-salmonids, 
anesthetized, measured, weighed, checked for tags or marks, fin-
clipped, allowed to recover from anesthesia, and released. A subsample 
of juvenile PS Chinook would be tagged with acoustic transmitters. A 
small portion of the captured juvenile PS Chinook would be killed for 
whole body analysis, but the great majority are not intended to be 
sacrificed.

Permit 1587

    The U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center 
(USGS) is requesting a 5-year research permit to take juvenile PS 
Chinook salmon. It would also take juvenile PS steelhead. The USGS 
proposes to conduct two studies: (1) U.S. Geological Survey Integrated 
Science Plan to Support Restoration of Puget Sound Deltas, The Skagit 
Delta Whidbey Basin Study; and (2) Effects of Urbanization of Nearshore 
Ecosystems in Puget Sound, Washington, Pilot Study in an Urban 
Embayment. The USGS would conduct study 2 in the nearshore marine 
waterways and inlets of east Kitsap County. The purpose of the research 
is to investigate the effects of urbanization on nearshore ecosystems. 
The research would benefit listed salmonids by serving as a basis for 
nearshore marine and estuarine habitat restoration and preservation 
plans. Non-salmonids are the target species in both studies, but PS 
Chinook may be unintentionally captured. The USGS would capture (using 
beach seines, dip nets, or cast nets, and angling), handle, and release 
PS Chinook salmon. The USGS does not intend to kill any of the PS 
Chinook

[[Page 65476]]

being captured, but a small number may die as an unintended result of 
the activities.

Permit 1588

    The U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center 
(USGS) is requesting a 2-year research permit to take juvenile PS 
Chinook salmon in the Lake Washington basin and the south and central 
Puget Sound, Washington. It would also take juvenile PS steelhead. The 
purpose of the research is to develop and use otolith microstructure 
analysis to characterize the importance of lake and estuarine rearing 
habitats for Chinook salmon. The research would benefit PS Chinook by 
helping managers prioritize habitat protection and restoration. The 
USGS would capture (using dip nets and beach seines) and intentionally 
kill naturally produced juvenile PS Chinook in the Lake Washington 
basin. The USGS will also obtain and intentionally kill juvenile listed 
hatchery fish from multiple hatchery facilities in the south and 
central Puget Sound.
    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: November 2, 2006.
Marta Nammack,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-18866 Filed 11-7-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S