[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 150 (Monday, August 6, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43627-43628]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-15229]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XB78


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION:  Applications for two scientific research permits.

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SUMMARY:  Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received two 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 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 September 5, 
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), threatened upper Willamette River (UWR), 
threatened Snake River (SR) spring/summer-run (spr/sum), threatened SR 
fall-run. Steelhead (O. mykiss): threatened LCR, threatened Snake River 
(SR). Coho salmon (O. kisutch): threatened LCR. Sockeye salmon (O. 
nerka): 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).

[[Page 43628]]

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 1124

    The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) is requesting a 5-year 
permit for seven study tasks that, among them, would annually take 
adult and juvenile threatened SR fall chinook salmon; adult and 
juvenile threatened spring/summer SR chinook salmon; and adult and 
juvenile endangered SR sockeye salmon in the Salmon and Clearwater 
Rivers in Idaho. The original Permit 1124 was in place for 5 years (63 
FR 30199) with one amendment (67 FR 34909); it expired on December 31, 
2002. The permit was renewed for another five years and is due to 
expire on December 31, 2007. Throughout its existence, the permit has 
comprised the same seven tasks (with the addition of rescuing and 
salvaging listed fish): Task 1 - General fish population inventory; 
Task 2 - Spring/summer chinook salmon natural production monitoring and 
evaluation; Task 3 - Spring/summer chinook salmon supplementation 
research; Task 4 - Redfish Lake, Pettit Lake, Alturas Lake kokanee/
sockeye research; Task 5 - Salmon and steelhead fish health monitoring; 
Task 6 - Steelhead natural production monitoring and evaluation; and 
Task 7 - Steelhead supplementation research. Under these tasks, listed 
adult and juvenile salmon would be (a) Observed/harassed during fish 
population and production monitoring surveys; (b) captured (using 
seines, traps, hook-and-line angling equipment, and electrofishing 
equipment) and anesthetized; (c) sampled for biological information and 
tissue samples, (d) PIT-tagged or tagged with radio transmitters or 
other identifiers, (e) and released. Some fish would die as a result of 
the research activities though the permit would include salvage and 
rescue operations as part of the allotted take (i.e., during some of 
the activities, listed fish would be collected and transported to 
improve their survival). In addition, the IDFG is asking to lethally 
take a small number of juvenile SR sockeye and spring/summer chinook 
salmon during some of the research.
    The research has many purposes and would benefit listed SR salmon 
in different ways. In general, the purpose of the research is to 
determine the distribution, abundance, and productivity of anadromous 
and resident fish stocks; measure the efficacy of harvest management 
strategies; gauge the impact of proposed or existing habitat alteration 
projects; and monitor natural production levels, salmonid health, and 
the effectiveness of supplementation efforts. The research would 
benefit listed salmon by helping resource managers tailor land-altering 
activities (e.g., timber harvest, road building) to the needs of the 
fish; set harvest regimes so that they have minimal impacts on listed 
populations; prioritize projects in a way that gives maximum benefit to 
listed species; and design strategies and activities to help recover 
them.

Permit 10021

    The Lower Willamette Group (LWG) is seeking a 2-year permit to 
annually capture UWR Chinook salmon, UWR steelhead, LCR Chinook salmon, 
LCR steelhead, and LCR coho salmon during the course of research 
directed at non-listed fish species in the lower Willamette River, 
Oregon. The information gained from this action would be used to fill 
data gaps in food web models and determine tissue contaminant 
concentrations as part of the ongoing Remedial Investigation/
Feasibility Study of the lower Willamette River superfund site. The 
research would benefit listed salmonids by helping guide the superfund 
site cleanup effort and thereby improve habitat conditions for listed 
anadromous salmonids that migrate through the harbor. The LWG proposes 
to use boat electrofishing to capture non-listed fish. If a salmonid is 
observed, the LWG would not attempt to net it; instead, they would 
cease electrofishing and move to another area before resuming sampling. 
The LWG does not intend to kill any of the salmonids 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 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: August 1, 2007.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-15229 Filed 8-3-07; 8:45 am]
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