[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 110 (Thursday, June 7, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33717-33718]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-13854]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC054


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Application for new scientific research permit.

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

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

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 July 9, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on this 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].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Jahn, Santa Rosa, CA (ph.: 
707-575-6097, email: [email protected]). Permit application 
instructions are available from the address above, or online at 
apps.nmfs.noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Species Covered in This Notice

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

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 application listed in this 
notice should set out the specific reasons why a hearing on the 
application would be appropriate (see ADDRESSES). Such hearings are 
held at the discretion of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, 
NMFS.

Application Received

Permit 14513

    Dr. Stephanie Carlson, University of California at Berkeley, is 
requesting a 5-year permit to take adult, smolt and juvenile CC Chinook 
salmon, CCC coho salmon, SONCC coho salmon, NC steelhead, and CCC 
steelhead (ESA-listed salmonids) associated with four research projects 
in three watersheds in California. In the four 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. However, a 
low number of moribund CCC steelhead may be collected for analysis as 
part of Project 3, in Pescadero Lagoon. A notice of receipt for 
application 14513 was published in the Federal Register on December 8, 
2010 (75 FR 76400). No comments were received for this application, 
however due to substantial changes to the sampling locations and the 
amount taken NMFS decided to publish the revised notice for public 
comment.
    Project 1 is a study on the summer ecology of juvenile salmonids in 
streams of the Lagunitas Creek (Marin County), Pescadero Creek (San 
Mateo County), and the South Fork Eel River (Mendocino County) 
watersheds. The study will examine the variation in growth and survival 
of juvenile CCC coho salmon, SONCC coho salmon, CCC steelhead and NC 
steelhead rearing in streams that experience elevated water 
temperatures and low stream flow volumes in summer. Annually, Dr. 
Carlson proposes to capture (backpack electrofisher, seine, dip-net), 
handle (identify, measure and weigh), mark (fin-clip, passive 
integrated transponder (PIT) tag or elastomer tag), sample (gastric 
lavage, scale collection), and release juvenile fish. A small number of 
adults may be captured (backpack electrofisher, seine), handled 
(identify, measure, weigh), and released. Supplemental surveys will be 
accomplished by snorkeling. Movements of PIT-tagged fish will be 
monitored throughout the summer using hand held and stationary PIT-tag 
readers. In September and October, the study areas will be re-sampled 
using the same methods as described above. Fish will be scanned for 
PIT-tags and those recaptured will be re-weighed and measured to 
determine growth rates. Throughout winter, fish will be monitored for 
their movements using hand held and stationary PIT-tag readers. Data 
gathered from this study will provide information on fish growth and 
survival rates and how these relate to abiotic and biotic variables 
within the watersheds.
    Project 2 is a biotelemetry study of smolt migrations in the 
Lagunitas Creek and Pescadero Creek watersheds. In the Lagunitas Creek 
watershed, CCC coho salmon and CCC steelhead smolts will be captured in 
down migrant traps operated by permitted researchers (the National Park 
Service and the Marin Municipal Water District). In the Pescadero Creek 
Watershed, Dr. Carlson proposes to utilize CCC steelhead smolts 
captured (trap) by other researchers (permits pending); however if 
trapping is not conducted by others, Dr. Carlson will utilize CCC 
steelhead smolts captured (seine) associated with Study

[[Page 33718]]

3. In both study areas, Dr. Carlson proposes to anesthetize a subset of 
captured fish and implant acoustic tags in order to determine salmonid 
residence time and movements throughout the two estuary environments. 
Captured fish will be measured, tissue sampled (fin-clip), and scale 
sampled. Strategically placed acoustic receivers will track the 
movements of the tagged salmonids in each system. Data collected from 
tagged fish in these systems will be used to determine differences in 
survival between permanently-open versus seasonally-closed estuaries 
and the significance of estuary rearing on the timing of ocean entry.
    Project 3 is a study on the ecology of juvenile salmonids in 
Tomales Bay, Pescadero Lagoon, and the Eel River estuary and their 
overall dependence on estuarine resources based on an analysis of diet 
and fish growth. In the three estuaries, Dr. Carlson proposes to 
capture (hook-and-line, seine, fyke net, dip net), handle (identify, 
measure, weigh), sample (fin-clip, scale collection, gastric lavage), 
and release ESA-listed salmonid juveniles and smolts. In Pescadero 
Lagoon, a subset of CCC steelhead smolts will be implanted with PIT 
tags. A small number of adults will be captured, handled (identified, 
measured), sampled (scale collection) and released. The data gathered 
from this project, in addition to Project 2, will provide information 
on the ecology of juvenile salmonids in estuarine environments, their 
feeding habits, and how they differ between systems with permanently-
open (Tomales Bay, Eel River estuary) versus seasonally-closed 
(Pescadero Creek lagoon) estuaries/lagoons.
    Project 4 examines smolt production in the Lagunitas Creek, 
Pescadero Creek, and Eel River watersheds by analyzing collected 
scales, otoliths, fins, and/or other tissues to determine where smolts 
that survived to breed as adults reared as juveniles. The samples will 
be obtained from ESA-listed salmonid carcasses encountered during 
annual spawner surveys. The results of this project could provide 
important information on the habitat attributes associated with high 
productivity areas and could help identify areas of poor productivity 
that might be candidate sites for habitat restoration.
    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: June 4, 2012.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-13854 Filed 6-6-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P