[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 105 (Wednesday, June 3, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26651-26652]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-12946]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XP53


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; 
request for comments.

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

SUMMARY:  Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received applications 
for scientific research from the Fishery Foundation of California (FFC) 
in Elk Grove, CA (13675), and from the California Department of Water 
Resources (CDWR) in Sacramento, CA (14240). These permits would affect 
the federally endangered Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon and 
the threatened Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon Evolutionarily 
Significant Units (ESUs), the federally threatened Central Valley 
steelhead Distinct Population Segment (DPS), and the federally 
threatened southern DPS of North American green sturgeon (North 
American green sturgeon). 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 July 6, 2009.

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 13675 and 14240: 
Protected Resources Division, NMFS, 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 8-300, 
Sacramento, CA 95814 (ph: 916-930-3600, fax: 916-930-3629).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Shirley Witalis at phone number 916-
930-3606, 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-listed endangered Sacramento 
River winter-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) ESU, 
threatened Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) 
ESU, threatened Central Valley steelhead (O. mykiss) DPS, threatened 
Central California Coast steelhead (O. mykiss), and North American 
green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris).

Applications Received

    FFC requests a 5-year permit (13791) for take of juvenile 
Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon, Central Valley spring-run 
Chinook salmon, Central Valley steelhead, and juvenile North American 
green sturgeon associated with conducting surveys measuring fish 
response to initial and successional habitat conditions at a restored 
conservation bank site on the Sacramento River in the Central Valley, 
California. FFC requests authorization for estimated annual non-lethal 
take of 60 natural and 60 listed hatchery juvenile Sacramento River 
winter-run Chinook salmon, 575 natural and 550 listed hatchery juvenile 
Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon, 60 natural and 58 listed 
hatchery juvenile Central Valley steelhead, and 2 natural juvenile DPS 
green sturgeon for five consecutive years resulting from capture (by 
trap/fyke net and beach seine), handling, species identification, 
enumerating, measuring, weighing, and releasing of fish.
    CDWR requests a five-year permit (14092) for take of threatened 
Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon, threatened Central Valley 
steelhead, and threatened North American green sturgeon in the lower 
Feather River, associated with monitoring and research activities 
conducted in the Feather River basin, Central Valley, California. CDWR 
requests authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal take of 250 
natural and 250 listed hatchery spring-run Chinook salmon adults, and 
1,250 natural and 1,250 listed hatchery spring-run Chinook salmon 
juveniles, and an estimated annual non-intentional lethal take of 11 
natural and 11 listed hatchery spring-run adults, and 25 natural and 50 
listed hatchery spring-run Chinook salmon juveniles; an estimated 
annual non-lethal take of 510 natural and 760 listed hatchery steelhead 
adults and 750 natural and 1,250 listed hatchery steelhead juveniles, 
and an estimated annual non-intentional lethal take of 10 natural and 
25 listed hatchery steelhead adults, and 25 natural and 50 listed 
hatchery steelhead juveniles; and an estimated annual non-lethal take 
of 60 natural green sturgeon adults and 35 natural green sturgeon 
juveniles, and an estimated annual non-intentional lethal take of 2 
natural green sturgeon adults and 1 natural green sturgeon juvenile for

[[Page 26652]]

five consecutive years resulting from the capture (by boat 
electrofisher, angling, trot line, gill/trammel net, beach seine), 
handling, anesthetizing, enumerating, measuring, tagging (pittag, radio 
tag, acoustic telemetry tag, Hallprint floy- tag), tissue (scale, 
otolith) sampling and analysis, releasing, and non-intentional 
mortality of fish, in association with the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission (FERC) Project No. 2100 Settlement Agreement for the re-
licensing of the Oroville- Thermalito Complex Project:
    Project 1 researches wild steelhead site-fidelity and growth 
through mark-recapture methods. Research activities associated with 
Project 1 include the capture of juvenile steelhead by boat 
electrofishing or seine block nets, tagging adult steelhead with radio 
and acoustic telemetry tags for tracking, recapture of tagged steelhead 
to calculate individual growth rates and to estimate population 
survival rates, taking length-weight measurements for calculating 
condition, and collecting scales and otoliths from adult steelhead to 
provide life history information on the Feather River population.
    Project 2 researches characteristics of spring-run Chinook salmon 
holding pools and spawning habitats, spring-run migration timing, and 
spring-run salmon holding survival to spawning. Research activities 
associated with Project 2 include the capture of spring-run by angling, 
the tagging of spring-run with radio, acoustic tags and Hallprint tags, 
and the tracking of spring-run to understand movement and holding 
patterns of spring-run migration within the Feather River.
    Project 3 researches impacts to green sturgeon in the lower Feather 
River from operational effects of Oroville Dam on river flow, 
temperature and green sturgeon habitat. Research activities associated 
with Project 3 include the capture of green sturgeon by fyke trap, 
gill/trammel net, trot line, and boat electrofisher; acoustic-tagging 
and tracking of green sturgeon to evaluate migration patterns, 
residence times, migration barriers; and identifying potential spawning 
grounds for green surgeon egg and larval surveys.

    Dated: May 29, 2009.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-12946 Filed 6-2-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S