[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 33 (Tuesday, February 20, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7769-7770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-2847]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 021207B]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Applications for three scientific research permits and one 
modification.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received four 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 March 22, 
2007.

ADDRESSES: 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 (spr/sum), 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), endangered 
SR.

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

Applications Received

Permit 1339

    The Columbia River Inter-tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) is 
currently authorized to annually take adult, threatened, SR spr/sum 
Chinook salmon and adult, threatened, SR steelhead while conducting 
research in a number of the tributaries to the Imnaha River in Oregon. 
Their permit to do so is expiring this year and they desire to renew it 
for another five years. The purpose of the research is to acquire 
information on the status (escapement abundance, genetic structure, 
life history traits) of steelhead in the Imnaha River Basin. The 
research will continue to benefit the listed species by providing 
information that fisheries managers can use to determine if recovery 
actions are helping increase wild Snake River salmonid populations. 
Baseline information on steelhead populations in the Imnaha River Basin 
would also be used to help guide future management actions. Adult 
salmon and steelhead would be observed/harassed during spawning ground 
surveys and snorkeling activities. They would also be collected using 
temporary/portable picket weirs, sampled for biological information, 
sampled for fin tissues and scales, marked with opercule punches, 
tagged with Tyvek disc tags, and released. Adult steelhead carcasses 
would also be collected and sampled for tissues and/or scales and 
biological information. The CRITFC 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 1379 -- Modification 2
    For a number of years, CRITFC has been permitted to annually take 
UCR Chinook salmon, UCR steelhead, SR spr/sum Chinook salmon, SR fall 
Chinook salmon, SR sockeye salmon, LCR Chinook salmon, and LCR coho 
salmon while conducting three studies designed to increase what we know 
about the status and productivity of various fish populations, collect 
data on migratory and exploitation (harvest) patterns, and develop 
baseline information on various population and habitat parameters in 
order to guide salmonid restoration strategies. The studies are: 
Project 1 Juvenile Upriver Bright Fall Chinook Sampling at the Hanford 
Reach; Project 2 Adult Chinook, Sockeye, and Coho Sampling at 
Bonneville Dam; and Project 3 Adult Sockeye Sampling at Tumwater Dam, 
Wenatchee River.
    This year, CRITFC is seeking to add three new aspects to their 
currently allowed research: (1) They wish add adult tagging as a 
permitted activity for all species sampled at Bonneville Dam; (2) they 
are seeking to add adult steelhead sampling at Bonneville Dam to their 
permit rather than having it covered by a separate permit (this action 
would necessitate adding MCR steelhead to the permit); and (3) they 
seek to increase their allowable take for the Hanford project as it 
appears likely they will receive funding for a new project which would 
increase the number of UCR and SR spring-run Chinook salmon they catch.
    The research would benefit listed fish by helping managers set in-
river and ocean harvest regimes so that they have minimal impacts on 
listed populations. It would also help managers prioritize projects in 
a way that gives maximum benefit to listed species including projects 
designed to help the listed fish recover. The CRITFC does not intend to 
kill any of the fish being captured but a small number may die as an 
unintended result of the activities.

[[Page 7770]]

Permit 1590

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is requesting a permit to 
annually take juvenile PS Chinook salmon and HC chum salmon over the 
next five years. The research would also affect the PS steelhead 
(currently proposed for listing as ``threatened''). The purpose of the 
research is to study the marine phase of ``resident'' Chinook salmon, a 
life-history type that rears to adulthood in the Puget Sound marine 
zone foregoing the typical ocean migration of the species. The goals 
are to describe the behavior and life history of resident Chinook 
salmon, and determine whether the proportion of PS Chinook salmon 
adopting this resident pattern varies among populations and hatchery 
stocks. Research activities would be conducted throughout the marine 
zone of Puget Sound and Hood Canal, Washington. The information 
gathered by this research would be used to develop a conceptual model 
of the life history of resident PS Chinook. The research would benefit 
PS Chinook by helping managers develop a better understanding of the 
abundance, distribution, and habitat requirements of this life history 
strategy. The USACE proposes to capture fish using shoreline and boat 
angling, beach seining, and purse-seining. Captured fish would be 
anesthetized, measured, checked for fin clip or CWT, tagged with 
acoustic or archival loggers, and fin clipped for tissue samples. 
Additionally, stomach content samples would be collected from a portion 
of the captured fish. The USACE 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 1598

    The Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is requesting a 
5-year research permit to annually take all fish species identified in 
this notice while conducting research throughout the State of 
Washington. The purpose of the research is determine the distribution 
and diversity of anadromous fish species in waterbodies crossed by or 
adjacent to the state transportation systems (highways, railroads, and/
or airports). The surveys would help establish presence of listed 
salmon and steelhead in waterbodies about which we currently have 
little data. That information would be used to assess the impacts 
proposed projects may have on listed species. The research would 
benefit the listed species by helping WSDOT develop best management 
practices and in-water work window timing so they can minimize the harm 
their projects may do to listed fish. Survey methods would depend on 
the size of the stream system and may include snorkel surveys, dip 
nets, stick seines, baited gee minnow traps and electrofishing. Fish 
would be captured, identified, and released in the same location. The 
WSDOT does not intend to kill any of the fish being captured but a 
small number 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: February 14, 2007.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-2847 Filed 2-19-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S