[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 220 (Wednesday, November 14, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67794-67796]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-27696]



[[Page 67794]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC341


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Applications for six new scientific research permits, one 
permit modification, and one permit renewal.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received eight scientific 
research permit application requests relating to Pacific salmon, the 
southern distinct population segment of eulachon, and Puget Sound/
Georgia Basin rockfish. The proposed research is intended to increase 
knowledge of species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and 
to help guide management and conservation efforts. The applications may 
be viewed online at: https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/preview/preview_open_for_comment.cfm.

DATES: Comments or requests for a public hearing on the applications 
must be received at the appropriate address or fax number (see 
ADDRESSES) no later than 5 p.m. Pacific standard time on December 14, 
2012.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the applications should be sent to the 
Protected Resources Division, NMFS, 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 1100, 
Portland, OR 97232-1274. Comments may also be sent via fax to 503-230-
5441 or by email to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rob Clapp, Portland, OR (ph.: 503-231-
2314), Fax: 503-230-5441, 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

    The following listed species are covered in this notice:
    Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): Threatened Puget Sound 
(PS); threatened upper Willamette River (UWR); threatened lower 
Columbia River (LCR); endangered upper Columbia River (UCR); threatened 
Snake River (SR) spring/sum (spr/sum); threatened SR fall.
    Steelhead (O. mykiss): Threatened PS; threatened UWR, threatened 
LCR; threatened UCR; threatened SR; threatened middle Columbia River 
(MCR).
    Chum salmon (O. keta): Threatened Hood Canal (HC) summer-run, 
threatened Columbia River (CR).
    Sockeye salmon (O. nerka): Threatened Ozette Lake (OL); endangered 
SR.
    Coho salmon (O. kisutch): Threatened LCR.
    Rockfish: Puget Sound/Georgia Basin (PS/GB) bocaccio (Sebastes 
paucispinis); PS/GB canary rockfish (Sebastes pinniger), and PS/GB 
yelloweye rockfish (Sebastes ruberrimus).
    Eulachon: The southern Distinct Populations Segment (DPS) of 
pacific eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus).

Authority

    Scientific research permits are issued in accordance with section 
10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 et. seq) and regulations 
governing listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR 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 that are the subject of the permit; 
and (3) are consistent with the purposes and policy of 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 an application listed in this notice 
should set out the specific reasons why a hearing on that application 
would be appropriate (see ADDRESSES). Such hearings are held at the 
discretion of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NMFS.

Applications Received

Permit 10020-2R

    The City of Bellingham (COB) is seeking to renew for five years a 
research permit that currently allows them to take juvenile PS Chinook 
salmon and PS steelhead. The sampling would take place in Cemetery 
Creek, a tributary of Whatcom Creek in Bellingham, WA. The purpose of 
the study is to assess the effectiveness of habitat restoration 
measures implemented as part of the Whatcom Creek Long-term Restoration 
Plan by documenting fish population trends. This research would benefit 
the affected species by informing future restoration designs as well as 
providing data to support future enhancement projects. The COB proposes 
to capture fish using a smolt trap placed in Cemetery Creek. Fish would 
be identified by species and measured, have a tissue sample taken (to 
determine their origin), and be released. The researchers do not 
propose to kill any of the listed salmonids being captured, but a small 
number may die as an unintended result of the activities.

Permit 16303

    The University of Washington (UW) is seeking a five-year research 
permit to annually take juvenile and adult PS Chinook salmon, HCS chum 
salmon, PS steelhead, and PS/GB bocaccio. The UW research may also 
cause them to take the following species for which there are currently 
no ESA take prohibitions: Southern DPS of Pacific eulachon, PS/GB 
canary rockfish, and PS/GB yelloweye rockfish. Sampling would take 
place throughout Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The 
purpose of the study is to determine the timing and magnitude of size-
selective mortality and other factors that affect growth and survival 
during the early marine growth period for salmon. This research would 
benefit the affected species by shedding light on the relationship 
between salmonid marine mortality, body size, and abundance and thus 
aid management and guide recovery efforts for various salmonid 
populations. The UW proposes capturing fish by mid-water trawl, beach 
seine, and purse seine. The mid-water trawling would be conducted by 
Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (CDFO) research vessels 
using a mid-water rope trawl during daylight at various depths and 
velocities. The mid-water trawl surveys would be coordinated with 
surveys in Canadian waters. The beach seining and purse seining are 
designed generate data on critical life stages for different stocks and 
species of salmon, relate stage-specific size and growth to smolt-adult 
returns ratios, and increase our understanding of the underlying 
mechanisms that affect growth at these life stages. During the mid-
water trawls, the fish would be identified by species, weighed, 
measured for length, and checked for coded wire tags (CWTs). Viable 
adult salmon and rockfish would be released. Any juvenile salmon that 
suffer lethal injuries would be further sampled for CWTs, scales, fins, 
stomach contents, and otoliths. During the beach and purse seining, the 
fish would be anesthetized, identified by species, checked for CWTs, 
sampled for stomach contents and scale and fin tissues, and released. 
All juvenile CWT fish would be intentionally sacrificed to determine 
their origins. The researchers do not propose to kill any other 
captured fish, but a small number may die as an unintended result of 
the activities.

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Permit 16784

    Environ International Corporation (Environ) is requesting a one-
year scientific research permit to take juvenile SR fall Chinook 
salmon, SR spr/sum Chinook salmon, UCR Chinook salmon, UWR Chinook 
salmon, LCR Chinook salmon, CR chum salmon, LCR coho, SR sockeye 
salmon, SR steelhead, UCR steelhead, MCR steelhead, LCR steelhead, and 
UWR steelhead. The objective of the research is to study the degree to 
which juvenile salmonids may be getting stranded by ship wakes along 
the lower Columbia River between river mile 21 and 102. The researchers 
would investigate the potential for stranding at approximately 24 
``high risk'' sites. The researchers would also evaluate whether the 
strategic placement of dredged material could reduce the risk of 
stranding. The research would benefit the listed species by helping 
river managers determine the likelihood of juvenile stranding along the 
lower river and investigate potential means for reducing it. Environ 
would use beach seines to capture, handle, and release juvenile fish. 
Environ may also collect stranded fish and return them to the river. 
Environ does not intend to kill any of the fish being captured but a 
small number may die as an unintended result of the activities.

Permit 16984

    ICF International (ICF) is seeking a five-year research permit to 
annually take juvenile PS Chinook salmon and PS steelhead. Sampling 
would take place in the Snohomish River estuary. The purpose of the 
study is to count listed fish during their peak outmigrations and 
thereby determine how well habitat has been restored by the Smith 
Island dike breaching. This research would benefit the affected species 
by helping guide future estuarine habitat restoration and enhancement 
projects. The ICF would use hand-held beach seines and dip nets to 
capture the fish. They would be identified by species, measured, and 
released. The researchers do not propose to kill any of the listed 
salmonids being captured, but a small number may die as an unintended 
result of the activities.

Permit 17062--2M

    The Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) is seeking to modify 
a research permit that currently allows them to annually take adult and 
juvenile PS Chinook salmon, PS steelhead, and PS/GB bocaccio. The 
researchers may also take PS/GB canary rockfish and PS/GB yelloweye 
rockfish--species for which there are currently no ESA take 
prohibitions. Sampling would take place near the northern islands in 
the San Juan Island archipelago. The purpose of the study is to 
determine how much genetic variation exists between coastal and Puget 
Sound populations of canary and yelloweye rockfish. The research would 
benefit rockfish by increasing our understanding of the connectivity 
(or lack thereof) between rockfish populations in the Puget Sound and 
populations on the outer coast. The NWFSC proposes to capture fish 
using hook and line equipment at depths of 50-100 meters during slack 
tides. Fish would slowly be reeled to the surface to reduce barotrauma. 
All Chinook salmon and steelhead would be immediately released at the 
capture site. All captured ESA-listed rockfish would have a small 
portion of their fin tissue removed for genetics studies and be 
returned to the water via rapid submersion techniques. If an individual 
of these species is captured dead or deemed nonviable, it would be 
retained for genetic analysis. The researchers do not propose to kill 
any of the listed fish being captured, but a small number may die as an 
unintended result of the activities.

Permit 17258

    The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) is 
seeking a five-year research permit to annually take juvenile PS 
Chinook salmon, HCS chum salmon, PS steelhead, and OL sockeye salmon. 
Sampling would take place in some of the streams in Clallam, Jefferson 
and Grays Harbor counties of western Washington. The purpose of the 
research is to determine the presence of any fish species in streams 
located on lands managed by WDNR. This research would benefit the 
affected species by determining which streams with road-related passage 
barriers contain listed fish and thus allow DNR to focus its resources 
on road improvements that would best help those species. The WDNR would 
use backpack electrofishing equipment to conduct the surveys. The 
shocked fish would be netted, identified by species, and released. In 
most cases, the stream survey would terminate with the location of one 
fish. The researchers do not propose to kill any of the listed 
salmonids being captured, but a small number may die as an unintended 
result of the activities.

Permit 17422

    Mary Harenda Environmental Consulting (MHEC) is seeking a five-year 
research permit to annually take juvenile PS Chinook salmon and 
juvenile and adult PS steelhead. Sampling would take place in the 
Snohomish River basin. The purpose of the study is to determine fish 
presence and relative abundance at the Snohomish Basin Mitigation Bank 
(SBMB) during spring (high flow) and summer (low flow). This research 
would benefit the affected species by generating information to help 
guide future salmonid habitat restoration efforts at the SBMB. The MHEC 
proposes to use beach seines, dip nets, and purse seines to capture the 
fish. The fish would be identified by species, measured, and released. 
The researchers do not propose to kill any of the listed salmonids 
being captured, but a small number may die as an unintended result of 
the activities.

Permit 17451

    Hart Crowser, Inc. (HCI) is seeking a five-year research permit to 
annually take juvenile and adult PS Chinook salmon and PS steelhead. 
Sampling would take place in the South Fork Sauk River watershed 
upstream of the confluence with Elliot Creek. The purpose of the study 
is to monitor and analyze river, stream, and lake conditions during and 
after the Federal cleanup of the Monte Cristo Mining Area (mined from 
1889 to 1907) for the Washington State Department of Ecology to 
determine future remedial actions. This research would benefit the 
affected species by documenting aquatic conditions and thereby guiding 
future actions to improve salmonid habitat. The HCI would use backpack 
electrofishing equipment, beach seines, hook and line, minnow traps, 
and gill nets to capture the fish. The fish would be identified by 
species, measured, and released. The researchers do not propose to kill 
any of the listed salmonids being captured, but a small number may die 
as an unintended result of the activities.
    This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA. NMFS 
will evaluate the applications, associated documents, and comments 
submitted to determine whether the applications meet the requirements 
of section 10(a) of the ESA and Federal regulations. The final permit 
decisions 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: November 8, 2012.

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Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-27696 Filed 11-13-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P