[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 26, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 76001]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-30836]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC400


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Receipt of an application for a 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 program is 
intended to increase knowledge of the species and to help guide 
management and conservation efforts. 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.

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 23, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Written comments 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]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Species Covered in This Notice

    This notice is relevant to federally threatened Central California 
Coast steelhead (Oncorhynchus 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 16417

    The Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) is requesting a 5-
year scientific research permit to take juvenile Central California 
Coast (CCC) steelhead associated with a research project in Coyote 
Creek, Steven's Creek, and the Guadalupe River in Santa Clara County, 
California. This permit is a renewal of Permit 1121 previously issued 
to SCVWD. In the study 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.
    This project is part of an ongoing effort to monitor status and 
trends of CCC steelhead in Santa Clara County and determine 
relationships between CCC steelhead population abundance and SCVWD 
water operations and activities. This data will aid future research, 
restoration, and conservation efforts for ESA-listed steelhead. The 
objective is to continue out-migrant trapping on a daily basis from 
March 1 through June 15, annually. In this project, adult, juvenile, 
and smolt CCC steelhead will be captured (by fyke net), handled 
(identified, measured, weighed), marked (caudal fin-clips), sampled 
(fin-clips, scales), and released. A subset of fin-clipped steelhead 
smolts will be released upstream of the trap for a mark-recapture study 
to determine trap efficiency. All data and information will be shared 
with county, state, and federal entities for use in conservation and 
restoration planning efforts related to CCC steelhead.
    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 actions in the Federal 
Register.

    Dated: December 17, 2012.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-30836 Filed 12-21-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P