[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 220 (Wednesday, November 14, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67796-67797]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-27663]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC343


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Issuance of a scientific research permit, and notice of 
availability for final environmental assessment and finding of no 
significant impact.

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SUMMARY: This notice is hereby given that NMFS has issued Permit 14868 
to Mr. Robert Clark, Assistant Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service (FWS), in accordance with the Endangered Species Act 
of 1973, as amended (ESA). In addition, the Final Environmental 
Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact associated with this 
permit are available to the public.

ADDRESSES: The approved application for the permit is available on the 
Applications and Permits for Protected

[[Page 67797]]

Species (APPS), https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov Web site by searching the 
permit number within the Search Database page. The application, issued 
permit, Final Environmental Assessment, Finding of No Significant 
Impact and supporting documents are also available by appointment, or 
upon the following:
     Mail: Submit written requests to Elif Fehm-Sullivan, 
Fisheries Biologist, Protected Resources Division, Southwest Region, 
National Marine Fisheries Service, 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 5-100, 
Sacramento, CA 95814.
     Fax: (916) 930-3629.
     Email: [email protected].
    You may access a copy of Final EA by one of the following:
     Visit the NMFS Reintroduction Web site at http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/sjrrestorationprogram/salmonreintroduction.htm.
     Call (916) 930-3723 and request to have a CD or hard copy 
mailed to you.
     Obtain a CD or hard copy by visiting the NMFS Central 
Valley office at 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 5-100, Sacramento, CA 95814.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elif Fehm-Sullivan, National Marine 
Fisheries Service, 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 5-100, Sacramento, CA 95814 
(916-930-3723).

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 ESA listed species from the Central 
Valley spring-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) (spring-run 
Chinook) evolutionarily significant unit (ESU).

Permit 14868

    NMFS formally initiated a public review period for review of the 
permit application through publication of a Notice of Receipt (NOR) of 
the Permit application in the Federal Register on February 4, 2011, 
outlining the research and enhancement activities proposed by FWS and 
take of ESA-listed spring-run Chinook proposed under Permit 14868 (76 
FR 64005). The notice of receipt included a 30-day public comment 
period for this permit application, which closed on March 7, 2011. In 
addition, NMFS held public workshops for the section 10(a)(1)(A) permit 
application in Chico, California on February 3, 2011; in Fresno, 
California on February 7, 2011; and in Los Banos, California on 
February 8, 2011. A combined total of 113 public comments were 
submitted to NMFS by various entities on the permit application and 
each of these comments were considered when drafting the Environmental 
Assessment (EA).
    NMFS formally initiated a public review period for the EA of the 
permit application through publication of a Notice of Availability 
(NOA) of the Permit application EA in the Federal Register on April 19, 
2012, outlining the research and enhancement activities NMFS was 
proposing to allow under Permit 14868 (76 FR 23463). The notice of 
availability included a 30-day public comment period for this permit 
application EA, which closed on May 21, 2012. A combined total of 51 
public comments were submitted to NMFS by various entities on the 
permit application EA and these comments with responses are 
incorporated in the Final EA.
    Permit 14868 authorizes FWS, under the auspices of the San Joaquin 
River Restoration Project (SJRRP), to collect, transport, rear, and tag 
560 Feather River Fish Hatchery (FRFH) Central Valley spring-run 
Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) eggs or juveniles during the 
first three years of the permit annually--and 2,760 eggs or juveniles 
in the fourth and fifth years, and establish broodstock in the Interim 
and Salmon Conservation and Research Facility (SCARF) facilities. In 
addition, the permit authorizes a low level of intentional mortality of 
60 FRFH surplus juvenile spring-run Chinook salmon annually for 
pathogen analysis prior to transport to ensure that pathogens will not 
be transferred to either the Interim Facility or the SCARF.

    Dated: November 8, 2012.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-27663 Filed 11-13-12; 8:45 am]
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