[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 181 (Monday, September 21, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48058-48059]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-22652]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XR67


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 permit renewals and 
one permit modification.

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

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received three 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. The applications may be viewed online at: https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/preview/preview_open_for_comment.cfm.

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 October 21, 
2009.

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 areavailable from the address above, or online 
at apps.nmfs.noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Species Covered in This Notice

    The following listed species are covered in this notice:

[[Page 48059]]

    Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): threatened lower 
Columbia River (LCR), threatened upper Willamette River (UWR), 
endangered upper Columbia River (UCR), threatened Snake River (SR) 
spring/summer (spr/sum), threatened SR fall.
    Chum salmon (O. keta): threatened Columbia River (CR).
    Steelhead (O. mykiss): threatened LCR, threatened UWR, threatened 
middle Columbia River (MCR), threatened SR, threatened UCR.
    Coho salmon (O. kisutch): threatened LCR, threatened Oregon Coast 
(OC).
    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 parts 222-226). NMFS 
issues permits based on findings that such permits: (1) are applied for 
in goodfaith; (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 1523-2R

    The National Council of Air and Stream Improvements (NCASI) is 
seeking to renew its permit to annually take listed salmon while 
conducting research in the McKenzie and Willametterivers in Oregon. The 
NCASI is requesting another 5-year permit to take juvenile UWR Chinook 
salmon while studying water quality and biological conditions in rivers 
receiving paper- and pulpmill discharges. The research will provide 
information on existing conditions in the watersheds and on changes in 
those conditions over time, and ultimately on the aquatic 
communities'responses to environmental stressors. The information will 
be used in a larger effort to monitor watershed health, water quality, 
and salmon recovery in the Upper Willamette watershed. The NCASI 
proposes to capture (using boat electrofishers), handle, and release 
listed salmon. The NCASI does not intend to capture adult fish but some 
may be in the areas being fished and will be avoided as much as 
possible. While most of the fish would not be harmed, some juveniles 
may unintentionally be killed during the course of the research.

Permit 1525-3R

    The Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) is seeking to renew 
its permit to annually take listed salmonids in the Lower Willamette 
River, Oregon, and in the Columbia River from its mouth up to 
Bonneville Dam. The NWFSC is requesting another 5-year permit to take 
juvenile SR spring/summer Chinook salmon, SR fall Chinook salmon, SR 
steelhead, UCR Chinook salmon, UCR steelhead, MCR steelhead, LCR 
Chinook salmon, LCR steelhead, UWRChinook salmon, UWR steelhead, and CR 
chum salmon. The purposes of the study are to (1) determine contaminant 
concentrations in fish, (2) understand contaminant bioaccumulation 
injuvenile salmon and determine site-specific factors leading to any 
contamination, (3) analyze the fish for the presence of physiological 
biomarkers, and (4) determine if the fish exhibit any indicators of 
exposure to environmental estrogens. The NWFSC would collect samples 
with seines or high-speed rope trawls and is asking for authorization 
to handle juvenile fish and tointentionally kill some of them for 
pathogen assays, biochemical composition, histopathological attributes, 
and stomach content analyses.

Permit 1318-7M

    Permit 1318 currently authorizes the Oregon Department of Fish and 
Wildlife (ODFW) to take juvenile UCR Chinook salmon, UCR steelhead, SR 
steelhead, SR fall-run Chinook salmon,SR spring/summer-run Chinook 
salmon, SR sockeye salmon, MCR steelhead, UWR Chinook salmon, UWR 
steelhead, LCR Chinook salmon, LCR coho salmon, LCR steelhead, CR chum 
salmon, and OC coho salmon in streams in the Willamette and Columbia 
basins, and on the Oregon coast. The ODFW is seeking to modify the 
permit by adding an eighth project. The application contains the 
following projects: (1) warm water fish management surveys; 
(2)investigations of natural production of spring Chinook salmon in the 
Mohawk basin; (3) genetic characterization of rainbow trout in the 
upper Willamette subbasin; (4) fish abundance,population status, 
genetics and disease surveys in the upper Willamette subbasin; (5) 
native trout surveys for abundance, size composition, and migration 
patterns in the mainstem McKenzieRiver; (6) resident redband population 
estimates in the Deschutes River; (7) resident redband population 
estimates in the Crooked River; and (8) fish population sampling in the 
NorthWillamette Watershed District. The research would benefit the fish 
by providing information on population structure, abundance, genetics, 
disease occurrence, and species interactions. Thatinformation would be 
used to direct management actions to benefit listed species. Juvenile 
salmonids would be collected (using boat electrofishing). Some fish 
would be anesthetized,sampled for length and weight, allowed to recover 
from the anesthesia, and released. Most salmonids would only be shocked 
and allowed to swim away, or be netted and releasedimmediately. The 
ODFW 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 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: September 15, 2009.
Therese Conant,
Acting Division Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-22652 Filed 9-18-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S