[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 16 (Wednesday, January 25, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3743-3744]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-1564]



[[Page 3743]]

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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA953


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Receipt of two research permit application requests.

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

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received two scientific 
research permit application requests relating to salmonids listed under 
the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The proposed research activities are 
intended to increase knowledge of the species and to help guide 
management and conservation efforts.

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 February 24, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on either application should be submitted 
to the Protected Resources Division, NMFS, 777 Sonoma Avenue, Room 325, 
Santa Rosa, CA 95404. Comments may also be submitted via fax to (707) 
578-3435 or by email to [email protected]. The applications and 
related documents may be viewed online at: https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/preview/preview_open_for_comment.cfm. These documents are also 
available upon written request or by appointment by contacting NMFS by 
phone (707) 575-6097 or fax (707) 578-3435.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Jahn, Santa Rosa, CA (ph.: 
(707) 575-6097, email.: [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Species Covered in This Notice

    This notice is relevant to federally threatened Central California 
Coast (CCC) steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss), threatened Northern 
California (NC) steelhead (O. mykiss), endangered Central California 
Coast coho salmon (O. kisutch), threatened Southern Oregon/Northern 
California Coast coho salmon (O. Kisutch) and threatened California 
Coastal Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha).

Authority

    Scientific research permits are issued in accordance with section 
10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) 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 good faith; (2) if granted and exercised, 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. The authority to take listed species is 
subject to conditions set forth in the permits.
    Anyone requesting a hearing on the applications listed in this 
notice should set out the specific reasons why a hearing on the 
application(s) would be appropriate (see ADDRESSES). Such hearings are 
held at the discretion of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, 
NMFS.

Applications Received

Permit 16491

    Michael Fawcett (Fawcett Biological Consulting) is requesting a 5-
year scientific research and enhancement permit to take juvenile 
Central California Coast (CCC) steelhead, juvenile Northern California 
(NC) steelhead, juvenile CCC coho salmon, and juvenile California 
Coastal (CC) Chinook salmon (ESA-listed salmonids) and adult carcasses 
of CCC steelhead, CCC coho salmon, and CC Chinook salmon associated 
with research activities in Salmon Creek, the lower Russian River, and 
small coastal streams between the Gualala River and Tomales Bay 
watersheds in Marin and Sonoma counties, California. Permit 16491 is a 
renewal with modifications of a previously issued permit (1045 
Modification 1) that expires on February 29, 2012.
    The research activities associated with this permit are an integral 
part of an ongoing effort to monitor and increase the success of 
restoration and enhancement efforts implemented for ESA-listed 
salmonids. In the studies described below, researchers do not expect to 
kill any listed fish but a small number may die as an unintended result 
of the research activities.
    The objectives are to: (1) Monitor the success of CCC coho salmon 
enhancement efforts through annual redd/spawner surveys, (2) survey 
potentially suitable habitat for juvenile CCC coho salmon restoration 
projects, and (3) document CCC and NC steelhead abundance and 
distribution as a component of CCC coho salmon habitat restoration 
projects. In these projects, juvenile ESA-listed salmonids will be 
either observed through snorkel surveys or captured by seine, 
anesthetized, handled (identified, measured, weighed), tissue sampled 
(fin-clips), and released. Adult carcasses of ESA-Listed salmonids will 
be screened with a Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tag wand, 
tissue sampled (fin-clips or scales), and tagged (Floy tag). All data 
and information will be shared with county, state, and federal entities 
for use in conservation and restoration planning efforts related to 
ESA-listed salmonids.
    Study 1 will assess salmonid distribution, abundance, and 
reproductive success at study sites in the Salmon Creek watershed. 
Researchers will survey stream reaches throughout each calendar year, 
and observe the number, species, sex, size, condition, location, and 
behavior of spawning adult ESA-listed salmonids. Redds will be located, 
marked, and mapped. Carcasses of ESA-listed salmonids that are 
encountered during spawner surveys will be identified, measured, 
evaluated for spawning condition, marked with a Floy tag to avoid 
double counting, and returned to the location where they were found. 
Snorkel surveys will be used to document juvenile ESA-listed salmonid 
abundance in the vicinity of newly installed instream habitat 
structures in the Salmon Creek estuary and mainstem. Juveniles will 
also be captured by seine in the estuary, mainstem, and tributaries of 
Salmon Creek to establish reliability of the snorkel surveys. Juvenile 
ESA-listed salmonids will be tissue sampled (fin-clip) for genetic 
analysis by Carlos Garza at the NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science 
Center.
    Study 2 will analyze the genetics, inter-annual variability, and 
relative abundance of juvenile NC and CCC steelhead and CCC coho salmon 
in small coastal streams between the Gualala River and Tomales Bay 
watersheds. This survey will include snorkel surveys and juvenile 
salmonids will be captured by seine annually from August through 
December. Captured fish will be anesthetized and a subset will be 
tissue sampled (fin-clip). All captured fish will be released back into 
the habitat from which they were taken.

Permit 16274

    Mendocino Redwood Company (MRC) is requesting a 5-year scientific 
research permit to take juvenile and spawned adult carcasses of 
Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast (SONCC) coho salmon, CCC coho 
salmon, CC Chinook, NC steelhead, and CCC steelhead associated with 
four research projects in streams within MRC ownership in Mendocino and 
Sonoma

[[Page 3744]]

counties, California. Permit 16274 is a renewal with modifications of a 
previously issued permit (1181 Modification 1) that expired on November 
30, 2011.
    The purpose of the research is to continue an ongoing effort to 
assess adult and juvenile population trends and distribution of ESA-
listed salmonids, and to document salmonid habitat conditions in 
streams within MRC ownership. This information will be used to help 
assess land management practices and will be shared with interested 
state and federal agencies to help assess the current populations of 
ESA-listed salmonids. In the studies described below, researchers do 
not expect to kill any listed fish but a small number may die as an 
unintended result of the research activities.
    In study 1, snorkel surveys and single pass electrofishing will be 
conducted between June and November each year in watersheds in 
Mendocino and Sonoma counties, California, to determine ESA-listed 
salmonid distribution. Captured fish will be anesthetized, identified, 
measured and/or weighed, and released back into the stream from which 
they were taken.
    In Study 2, salmon spawner abundance surveys will be conducted 
annually from November through April in several watersheds in Mendocino 
County. Researchers will document the number, species, location, and 
behavior of spawning adults and redds will be located, flagged, and 
measured. Carcasses of ESA-listed salmonids will be measured, sex 
recorded, marked to avoid double counting, and returned to the location 
where they were found. There will be no take of live adult ESA-listed 
salmonids associated with this study.
    Study 3 is a salmonid smolt outmigration abundance monitoring study 
in the Little North Fork Navarro River and South Fork Albion River in 
Mendocino County. This study will utilize one rotary screw trap and/or 
a weir/pipe trap from February through June in each watershed. Captured 
fish will be anesthetized, measured, and released downstream of the 
trap. Coho salmon and steelhead will be marked using caudal fin-clips 
and released upstream of the trap for a mark-recapture study to 
determine trap efficiency.
    Study 4 is a salmonid monitoring study to determine the utilization 
of pond habitat in a tributary to the Navarro River, the Albion River 
and possibly a pond habitat in Cottaneva Creek, in Mendocino County. 
The study will either use a minnow trap and bait, fyke trap, or weir/
pipe trap to determine if ESA-listed salmonids utilize Ray Gulch as 
overwintering or pre-outmigration refugia. If salmon are found, the 
study will use mark/recapture methods to estimate population numbers.
    This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA. NMFS 
will evaluate the application, associated documents, and comments 
submitted to determine whether the application meets the requirements 
of section 10(a) of the ESA and Federal regulations. The final permit 
decision 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: January 20, 2012.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-1564 Filed 1-24-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P