[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 157 (Monday, August 17, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41373-41374]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-19719]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XQ96


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION:  Receipt of an application for a scientific research permit; 
request for comments.

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SUMMARY:  Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received an application 
for a scientific research permit from Dr. Jerry J. Smith (14516). This 
document serves to notify the public of the availability of the permit 
application for review and comment.

DATES:  Written comments on the permit application must be received no 
later than 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on September 16, 2009.

ADDRESSES:  The application and related documents are available for 
review by selecting ``Records Open for Public Comment'' from the 
Features box on the Applications and Permits for Protected Species 
(APPS) home page, https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting File 
No. 14516 from the list of available applications.
    These documents are also available upon written request or by 
appointment, for Permit 14516: Protected Resources Division, NMFS, 777 
Sonoma Avenue, Room 315, Santa Rosa, CA 95404 ph: (707) 575-6097, fax: 
(707) 578-3435).
    Written comments on this application should be submitted to the 
address listed above. Comments may also be submitted by facsimile to 
(707) 578-3435, or by email to [email protected]. Please include 
File No. 14516 in the subject line of the email comment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Jeffrey Jahn at phone number (707) 
575-6097, 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 endangered Central California 
Coast (CCC) coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and threatened CCC 
steelhead (O. mykiss).

Application Received

    Dr. Smith requests a 5-year permit (14516) for take of adult and 
juvenile CCC coho salmon and CCC steelhead associated with two projects 
in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties within central California.
    Project 1 is the continuation of a long-term study of juvenile CCC 
coho salmon and CCC steelhead abundance in the Gazos, Waddell and Scott 
creek watersheds. The project will include electrofishing in fall at 
multiple sites in each stream to determine juvenile CCC coho salmon and 
CCC steelhead abundance, conduct an inventory of general habitat 
conditions, and to assess the effects of habitat conditions on salmonid 
distribution and survival. These data will be used to demonstrate year-
class strength, spawning and redd survival conditions, adult migration 
access, broodyear legacy effects (general 3-year coho salmon life 
cycle), and an index of ocean survival. This project will also include 
seasonal sampling of CCC coho salmon and CCC steelhead in Gazos, 
Waddell and Scott creek lagoons by beach seine to provide information 
on relative abundance (using mark and recapture techniques), smolt and 
adult life history information from scales, and growth. Collection of 
scales from a sub-sample of each species and life stage is requested to 
determine age, growth rates, and changes in habitat use over time and 
tissue samples (fin-clips) are requested for CCC coho salmon for 
genetic analyses. In addition, this project will include winter carcass 
surveys for CCC coho salmon in order

[[Page 41374]]

to determine sex ratios, proportion of wild versus hatchery origin, 
gather scales for age determination and life history strategy, and to 
obtain fin clips for genetic analysis. Ultimately, these data are being 
used to guide the placement of hatchery reared CCC coho salmon smolts 
intended to improve weak or lost year classes in these systems. 
Requested unintentional mortality for juveniles and smolts of both 
species is two percent and there is no unintentional mortality 
requested for adults.
    Project 2 involves seasonal sampling of CCC steelhead and CCC coho 
salmon in Pescadero and San Gregorio creek lagoons to determine their 
abundance (using mark and recapture techniques), growth rates, and to 
determine smolt and adult life history information from scales. 
Sampling in late summer and fall will provide information on relative 
abundance and growth rates while sampling in spring will provide 
information on smolt abundance and growth during their rearing phase 
the previous year as well as the spring of their outmigration. Scales 
collected from a sub-sample of smolt and adult steelhead will be used 
to provide an index of where they reared as juveniles and to determine 
age and growth rates. This project also includes creel surveys at 
Pescadero Lagoon in order to collect scales and length measurements of 
adult CCC steelhead captured by fisherman during the catch and release 
fishing season. Data gathered from this project will contribute to the 
overall understanding and importance of lagoon habitats for these 
species. In particular, data gathered from Pescadero Lagoon may provide 
federal and state agencies with important information on the year-to-
year impact of re-occurring fish kills during sand bar breach events on 
the overall production of salmonids in this system. Requested 
unintentional mortality for juveniles and smolts of both species is two 
percent and there is no unintentional mortality requested for adults.

    Dated: August 11, 2009.
Therese Conant,
Acting Division Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-19719 Filed 8-14-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S