[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 5 (Tuesday, January 8, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1200-1201]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-00137]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC424


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Notice of receipt of a scientific purposes and Enhancement of 
survival permit application and Hatchery and Genetic Management Plan 
(HGMP); notice of availability of draft environmental assessment (EA).

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received an application 
for a permit for scientific purposes and to enhance the propagation and 
survival of a listed species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, 
as amended (ESA), from the California Department of Fish and Game 
(CDFG) and PacifiCorp for a 10 year period. As part of this permit 
application, the CDFG has submitted a

[[Page 1201]]

draft HGMP. The HGMP specifies methods for the operation of the Iron 
Gate hatchery coho salmon program, located along the Klamath River, 
within the State of California. This document serves to notify the 
public of the availability of the permit application and HGMP for 
public review and comment prior to a decision by NMFS whether to issue 
the permit.
    This notice also announces the availability for public review and 
comment of a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) regarding issuance of 
the permit, which involves take of coho salmon listed as threatened 
under the ESA.

DATES: Written comments on the permit application, draft HGMP, and 
draft EA must be received at the appropriate address or fax number (see 
ADDRESSES) no later than 5 p.m. Pacific standard time on February 7, 
2013.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the application, draft HGMP or draft EA 
should be submitted to Jim Simondet, Klamath Branch Supervisor, NMFS 
Northern California Office, 1655 Heindon Rd, Arcata, California 95521. 
Comments may also be submitted via fax (707) 825-4840, or you may 
transmit your comment as an attachment to the following email address: 
[email protected].
    Copies of the draft EA and HGMP are available for public review 
during regular business hours from 9:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the NMFS 
Arcata office, 1655 Heindon Road, Arcata, CA 95521, (707) 825-5171. The 
permit application may be viewed online at: https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/preview/preview_open_for_comment.cfm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Simondet, Klamath Branch 
Supervisor, NMFS, telephone (707) 825-5171, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Section 9 of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1538) and Federal regulations 
prohibit the take of fish or wildlife species listed as endangered or 
threatened. The term ``take'' is defined under the ESA to mean to 
harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or 
collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct (16 U.S.C. 
1532(19)). NMFS may issue permits to take listed species for scientific 
purposes or to enhance the propagation or survival of the affected 
species under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1539(a)(1)(A)). 
NMFS regulations governing such permits are found at 50 CFR 222.308.
    The CDFG and PacifiCorp have applied for a permit under section 
10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA for a period of 10 years that would allow CDFG 
to take adult and juvenile coho salmon in the threatened Southern 
Oregon/Northern California Coast Evolutionarily Significant Unit 
pursuant to a HGMP, which was developed with technical assistance from 
NMFS. The HGMP will be implemented as part of the existing coho salmon 
artificial propagation program at Iron Gate Hatchery. Actions taken 
pursuant to the permit are designed to enhance the survival of coho 
salmon residing in the Upper Klamath River below Iron Gate Dam.
    The HGMP incorporates two main components: Artificial propagation 
and monitoring and evaluation (M&E). Artificial propagation activities 
that could lead to the take of listed coho salmon include: Adult 
broodstock collection, spawning, rearing, handling, evaluation, tagging 
and release of progeny. The HGMP includes measures to increase the 
fertilization of eggs and survival rate for each life stage and to 
minimize the likelihood of genetic or ecological effects to listed 
natural fish resulting from the hatchery operations and propagation of 
hatchery fish.
    Monitoring and evaluation will occur by conducting coho spawning 
ground and carcass surveys in the mainstem Klamath River and 
tributaries that comprise habitat for the Upper Klamath River coho 
salmon population unit. These data will be used to estimate adult 
natural and hatchery escapement levels and spawn timing to each stream 
for the Upper Klamath population unit as a whole. M&E activities will 
also collect necessary data to document achievement of performance 
indicators specified in the HGMP. For a more detailed discussion of the 
project please see the permit application package.

National Environmental Policy Act Compliance

    Proposed permit issuance triggers the need for compliance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NMFS has prepared a draft EA 
which evaluates the impacts of the proposed issuance of the permit and 
implementation of the HGMP, as well as the No Action Alternative in 
which the permit would not be issued and the HGMP may not be fully 
implemented.

Public Comments Solicited

    NMFS invites the public to comment on the permit application, draft 
HGMP, and draft EA during a 30 day public comment period beginning on 
the date of this notice. All comments and materials received, including 
names and addresses, will become part of the administrative record and 
may be released to the public. This notice is provided pursuant to 
section 10(c) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1529(c)) and regulations for 
implementing NEPA (40 CFR 1506.6). We provide this notice in order to 
allow the public, agencies, or other organizations to review and 
comment on these documents.

Next Steps

    NMFS will evaluate the application, associated documents, and 
comments submitted to determine whether the application meets the 
requirements of section 10(a)(1)(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 and after NMFS has fully considered all relevant 
comments received during the comment period. NMFS will publish notice 
of its final action in the Federal Register.

Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-00137 Filed 1-7-13; 8:45 am]
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