[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 202 (Friday, October 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 61787]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-24800]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XL13


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION:  Notice, issuance of permit.

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SUMMARY:  Notice is hereby given that East Bay Municipal Utility 
District (EBMUD), 1 Winemasters Way, Lodi, CA 95240, has been issued a 
permit to take Central Valley, California steelhead (Oncorhynchus 
mykiss) for purposes of scientific research.

ADDRESSES: The permit and related documents are available for review 
upon written request or by appointment in the following office(s): 
Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 
20910; phone (301) 713-2289; fax (301) 427-2521; and NMFS, Protected 
Resources Division, 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 8-300, Sacramento, CA 
95814-4706; phone (916) 930-3600; fax (916) 930-3629.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shirley Witalis, phone (916) 930-3606.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 27, 2008, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (73 FR 36494), that a request for a scientific 
research permit to take Central Valley steelhead had been submitted by 
the above-named organization. The requested permit has been issued 
under the authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended 
(ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and the regulations governing the taking, 
importing, and exporting of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 
parts 222-226). Researchers will annually capture, tag, and release 
adult and juvenile Central Valley steelhead in the Lower Mokelumne 
River through various sampling methods described in the permit 
application (e.g., trapping, seining, electrofishing, etc.). The 
purpose of the study is to conduct monitoring and research of 
anadromous and resident fishes to measure the success of the Lower 
Mokelumne River Restoration Program and to determine if the 
modifications of the Lower Mokelumne River Project are appropriate for 
conserving fish and wildlife resources in the Lower Mokelumne River. 
This permit also authorizes EBMUD lethal take of wild and hatchery 
adult and juvenile Central Valley steelhead in the Lower Mokelumne 
River for purposes of otolith extraction and analysis, to measure the 
expression of resident life history among natural and hatchery (O. 
mykiss) and assist the development of the Mokelumne River Hatchery 
steelhead Hatchery and Genetic Management Plan. The permit is issued 
for 5 years.
    Issuance of this permit, as required by the ESA, was based on a 
finding that such permit (1) was applied for in good faith, (2) will 
not operate to the disadvantage of any endangered or threatened 
species, and (3) is consistent with the purposes and policies set forth 
in section 2 of the ESA.

    Dated: October 14, 2008.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-24800 Filed 10-16-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S