[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 239 (Tuesday, December 13, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77490-77491]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-31956]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA860


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Receipt of application for scientific research permit 16608 and 
request for comment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received an application 
for scientific research from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) in 
Sacramento, CA. This document serves to notify the public of the 
availability of the permit application for review and comment before a 
final approval or disapproval is made by NMFS.

DATES: Written comments on the permit application must be received at 
the appropriate address or fax number (see ADDRESSES) no later than 5 
p.m. Pacific Standard Time on January 12, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the modification request should be sent 
to the appropriate office as indicated below. Comments may also be sent 
via fax to the number indicated for the request. Comments will not be 
accepted if submitted via email or the Internet. The applications and 
related documents

[[Page 77491]]

are available for review, by appointment, for permit 16608: Protected 
Resources Division, NMFS, 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 5-100, Sacramento, CA 
95814 (Ph: (916) 930-3600, Fax: (916) 930-3629). Documents may also be 
reviewed by appointment in the Office of Protected Resources, F/PR3, 
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3226 (301) 713-
1401.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shirley Witalis at phone number: (916) 
930-3606, or email: [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 the federally-listed threatened 
California Central Valley (CCV) steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) 
distinct population segment.

New Application Received

    The USBR, in affiliation with the San Joaquin River Restoration 
Program (SJRRP), requests a 3-year permit to conduct the SJRRP 
Steelhead Monitoring Plan (SMP) in the San Joaquin River upstream of 
the Merced River confluence, in the Central Valley, California.
    The SJRRP intends to research the presence or absence of CCV 
steelhead within the SJRRP restoration area, defined as the mainstem 
San Joaquin River from Friant Dam to the confluence of the Merced 
River. The SMP focuses monitoring efforts on the CCV steelhead adult 
migration from mid-December through mid-March when the SJRRP Interim 
Flows Project is implemented to maintain sufficient river conditions 
for fish in the SJRRP restoration area.
    The SMP includes several sampling methodologies in response to 
monitoring challenges in the restoration area. Trammel nets will be 
deployed to drift during short durations in high velocity water in 
areas where adult steelhead are most likely to be present. Raft mounted 
electrofishers will be used to navigate through shallow water (e.g., 
backwater sloughs, around in-river structures, under bypasses) 
locations where other sampling methodologies are ineffective. Fyke nets 
with wing walls and fish traps will be deployed for effective sampling 
during pulse flows, flood releases, and high riverine turbidity. 
Monitoring staff will employ best management practices and follow NMFS 
electrofishing guidelines to minimize sampling effects on fish.
    All captured steelhead will be recorded, measured, identified as to 
gender, sampled for scales and tissues, and checked for injuries and 
the presence of tags. Additionally, fish will be Floy-tagged with a 
unique identification number to document any recaptures that may occur 
in the study area. Sampled fish will then be transported by tank truck 
equipped with oxygen diffusers, and acclimated to river temperature 
prior to release into suitable habitat downstream of the mouth of the 
Merced River.
    The SMP will monitor continuously from December 1 through March 31 
throughout the study period. USBR requests authorization for an 
estimated annual non-lethal take of 6 steelhead by fyke net, 10 
steelhead by electrofisher, and 2 steelhead by trammel net. No indirect 
mortality is anticipated during fish capture, sampling and release 
activities carried out for the study.

    Dated: December 7, 2011.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-31956 Filed 12-12-11; 8:45 am]
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