[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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