[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 24 (Friday, February 4, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6400-6401]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-2533]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA189


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Notice of receipt of application for a new scientific research 
and enhancement permit, notice of public meetings, and request for 
comment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received an application 
for a scientific research and enhancement permit (permit 14868) 
relating to salmon listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The 
application includes a Hatchery and Genetic Management Plan (HGMP) that 
provides detailed information regarding the proposed enhancement 
activities. This document serves to notify the public of the 
availability of the permit application and HGMP for review and comment. 
The applications and related documents may be viewed online at: http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/sjrrestorationprogram/salmonreintroduction.htm. These 
documents are also available upon written request or by appointment by 
contacting NMFS by phone (916) 930-3600, fax (916) 930-3629.

[[Page 6401]]


DATES: Written comments on the permit applications must be received at 
the appropriate address or fax number (see ADDRESSES) no later than 5 
p.m. Pacific standard time on March 7, 2011.
    NMFS will conduct three public scoping meetings in order to provide 
information and solicit comments for the preparation of the permit. The 
meetings will be held on: February 3, 2011, at the Chico Masonic Family 
Center, 1110 West East Avenue Chico, CA 95926 from 5 p.m.-7 p.m., 
Pacific Time; February 7, 2011, at the Fresno Metropolitan Flood 
Control District Board Room, 5469 E. Olive Ave., Fresno, CA 93727 from 
5 p.m.-7 p.m., Pacific Time; and February 8, 2011, at 830 6th Street, 
Los Banos, CA 93635-4214 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on these applications should be submitted 
to the Protected Resources Division, NMFS, 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 5-
100, Sacramento, CA 9581. Comments may also be submitted via fax to 
(916) 930-6329 or by e-mail to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elif Fehm-Sullivan, Sacramento, CA 
(ph: 916-930-3723, e-mail: [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Species Covered in This Notice

    This notice is relevant to federally threatened Central Valley 
spring-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha).

Authority

    Scientific research and enhancement 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). 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.

Application Received

    On September 30, 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) 
submitted an application and supporting documents to NMFS for a section 
10(a)(1)(A) permit (permit 14868). USFWS is requesting a 7-year permit 
to collect Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon, for the purposes 
of reintroduction into the San Joaquin River. Multiple life stages 
would be collected, including eggs, fry, smolts, and adults using 
various collection methods (backpack electrofisher, red pumping, 
seining, dip-net) which would then be transported to a hatchery for 
artificial propagation; and/or they or their progeny will be released 
into the San Joaquin River and monitored for survival. The overall 
objective is to collect and reintroduce multiple life stages of spring-
run Chinook salmon to develop a naturally-reproducing, self-sustaining 
population of spring-run Chinook salmon in the San Joaquin River. The 
target for the experimental population for spring-run Chinook salmon is 
a minimum annual return of 500 adults by 2019.
    The intent is to capture varied and desired genetic and phenotypic 
characteristics of the fish, and therefore increase the likelihood that 
the reintroduction of spring-run Chinook salmon to the San Joaquin 
River would be successful.
    The USFWS has proposed measures to minimize adverse impact to the 
population viability of the Evolutionary Significant Unit and/or the 
populations within each potential source stream. Finally, the 
reintroduction and management activities in the restored San Joaquin 
River must not adversely affect the experimental population and their 
progeny within the mainstem San Joaquin River.
    Collections would occur at all life stages of development: Eggs, 
fry, smolts, and adults in order to reduce the effect to the existing 
population and to increase the chances of survival. The propagation and 
development of the fish at the hatchery involves genetic determination 
and tracking for both phenotypic and genotypic expressions, and would 
help ensure survival and re-establishment of a naturally producing, 
self-sustaining population of spring-run Chinook salmon in the San 
Joaquin River. The annual level of take will be proposed based on 
current population status as evaluated against population viability 
criteria (Lindley et al. 2007).
    The project has the following five objectives: (1) To implement the 
stipulation of settlement, Natural Resource Defense Council, et al. v. 
Rodgers, et al., (2) to collect natural and hatchery-origin spring-run 
Chinook salmon juvenile and adults for reintroduction efforts in the 
San Joaquin River, (3) to collect natural and hatchery-origin spring-
run Chinook salmon eggs and juveniles for the purpose of developing a 
seed stock for a conservation hatchery program, (4) to increase 
productivity, intra-population diversity and promote local adaptation, 
and (5) use spring-run Chinook salmon demographic, biological, and 
genetic data collected throughout the reintroduction process to develop 
an adaptive management-based management plan for the species to promote 
recovery of the Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon evolutionarily 
significant unit.
    This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA. NMFS 
will evaluate the application, associated documents, and comments 
submitted thereon to determine whether the application meets the 
requirements of section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA. If it is determined 
that the requirements are met, a permit will be issued to USFWS for the 
purpose of collecting ESA-listed spring-run Chinook salmon and carrying 
out the research and enhancement program. NMFS will publish a notice of 
its final action in the Federal Register.

    Dated: January 31, 2011.
Therese Conant,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-2533 Filed 2-3-11; 8:45 am]
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