[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 192 (Tuesday, October 4, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61344-61345]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-25558]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA742


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Issuance of two scientific research permits.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has issued Permit 15824 to 
Santa Cruz County Environmental Health Services and Permit 16318 to 
Hagar Environmental Science.

ADDRESSES: The approved application for each permit is available on the 
Applications and Permits for Protected Species (APPS), https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov Web site by searching the permit number within the 
Search Database page. The applications, issued permits and supporting 
documents are also available upon written request or by appointment: 
Protected Resources Division, NMFS, 777 Sonoma Avenue, Room 325, Santa 
Rosa, CA 95404 (ph: (707) 575-6097, fax: (707) 578-3435).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Jahn at 707-575-6097, or e-
mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority

    The 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 (50 CFR parts 222-226) 
governing listed fish and wildlife permits.

Species Covered in This Notice

    This notice is relevant to federally endangered Central California 
Coast coho salmon (Oncorhyncus kisutch), threatened Central California 
Coast steelhead (O. mykiss), and threatened South-Central California 
Coast steelhead (O. mykiss).

Permits Issued

Permit 15824

    A notice of the receipt of an application for a scientific research 
permit (15824) was published in the Federal Register on June 1, 2011 
(76 FR 31590). Permit 15824 was issued to the County of Santa Cruz, 
Environmental Health Services on August 30, 2011.
    Permit 15824 authorizes snorkel surveys, capture by backpack 
electrofishing and seining, handling (measuring), scale sampling, 
marking (fin-clipping), and release of juvenile Central California 
Coast (CCC) coho salmon, Central California Coast (CCC) steelhead, and 
South-California Coast (S-CCC) steelhead, henceforth referred to as 
ESA-listed salmonids. Permit 15824 authorizes unintentional lethal take 
of: Juvenile ESA-listed salmonids not to exceed one percent of the 
total number of fish captured. Permit 15824 does not authorize any non-
lethal or lethal take of adult ESA-listed salmonids.
    Permit 15824 is for research to be conducted in the San Lorenzo 
River, Aptos Creek, Soquel Creek, and Corralitos Creek in Santa Cruz 
County, California. The main purpose of the project is to track habitat 
conditions and site densities of juvenile salmonids in these 
watersheds. Permit 15824 expires on December 31, 2016.

Permit 16318

    A notice of the receipt of an application for a scientific research 
permit renewal (16318) was published in the Federal Register on June 1, 
2011 (76 FR 31590). Permit 16318 was issued to Hagar Environmental 
Science (HES) on August 30, 2011.
    Permit 16318 authorizes HES to take juvenile ESA-listed salmonids 
associated with three research projects consisting of lagoon surveys 
and stream surveys in Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo 
counties in central California. The data from lagoon and stream surveys 
will be used to track salmonid spawning and rearing conditions in 
lagoons and streams, prioritize restoration and conservation efforts, 
and inform land and water use decisions.
    Under Permit 16318, authorized research methods include snorkel 
surveys, electrofishing, scale sampling,

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passive integrated transponder (PIT) tagging, anesthetizing, and 
handling of fish. Permit 16318 does not authorize any intentional 
lethal take of ESA-listed salmonids. Permit 16318 authorizes 
unintentional lethal take of juvenile ESA-listed salmonids associated 
with research activities not to exceed one percent of the annual total 
expected take for each species associated with electrofishing and not 
to exceed two percent of the annual total expected take associated with 
beach seining and marking/tagging procedures. Permit 16318 expires on 
December 31, 2016.

    Dated: September 29, 2011.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-25558 Filed 10-3-11; 8:45 am]
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