[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 186 (Wednesday, September 25, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59005-59007]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-23213]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC883


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Receipt of four permit applications and one permit modification 
request for scientific research and enhancement.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received four scientific 
research and enhancement permit applications and one permit

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modification request relating to anadromous species listed under the 
Endangered Species Act (ESA). The proposed research activities are 
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 
(916) 930-3706 or fax (916) 930-3629.

DATES: Written comments on the permit applications or modification 
request must be received at the appropriate address or fax number (see 
ADDRESSES) no later than 5-p.m. Pacific standard time on October 25, 
2013.underline

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the applications or modification request 
should be submitted to the Protected Resources Division, NMFS, 650 
Capitol Mall, Room 5-100, Sacramento, CA 95814. Comments may also be 
submitted via fax to (916) 930-3629 or by email to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amanda Cranford, Sacramento, CA (ph.: 
916-930-3706, email.: [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Species Covered in This Notice

    This notice is relevant to federally threatened California Central 
Valley steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss), threatened Central Valley 
spring-run Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha), endangered Sacramento River 
winter-run Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha), and the threatened southern 
distinct population segment of North American (SDPS) green sturgeon 
(Acipenser medirostris).

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 permit applications listed in 
this notice should set out the specific reasons why a hearing on the 
application(s) would be appropriate (see ADDRESSES). Such hearings are 
held at the discretion of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, 
NMFS.

Applications Received

Permit 1415

    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services' (USFWS) Red Bluff Fish and 
Wildlife Office is requesting a 5-year scientific research and 
enhancement permit for take of adult and juvenile Sacramento River 
winter-run Chinook salmon, Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon, 
and California Central Valley steelhead; and eggs, larvae, juvenile and 
adult SDPS green sturgeon associated with monitoring and research 
activities conducted at multiple sites within the Sacramento River 
basin, Central Valley, CA. Receipt of permit application 1415 was 
previous noticed in the Federal Register (74 FR 7879) with a 30 day 
comment period from February 20, 2009 to March 23, 2009. No comments 
were received for this application, however due to substantial changes 
to the sampling locations and study descriptions NMFS is publishing the 
revised notice for public comment.
    The overall purpose of the projects is to provide monitoring data 
for various evaluations, including restoration actions, stream flow 
assessments, management actions, and life-history investigations. 
Streams targeted for research and monitoring include Battle Creek, 
Clear Creek, and the mainstem of the upper Sacramento River (i.e., 
upper river and surrounding watersheds). Take resulting from the 
proposed research and monitoring activities will involve observations 
(snorkel surveys, redd counts and escapement/stream surveys) or capture 
(by trawl, seine, fyke-net trap, benthic D-net, substrate samplers, 
hook and line, backpack electrofishing, weir trap, trammel or gill net, 
rotary screw trap, egg mats, or by dip net), handling (fin clipping, 
tissue sampling, coded-wire tag extraction, otolith extraction), 
marking (Bismark Brown Y stain), tagging (acoustic, radio or passive 
integrated transponder [PIT]), and release of fish in association with 
nine separate projects.

Permit 17761

    The East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) is requesting a 5-
year permit to conduct monitoring and research of anadromous and 
resident fishes in the Lower Mokelumne River. Permit 17761 will be a 
renewal of EBMUD's current Section 10(a)(1)(A) permit (1414-M1). The 
goals of the Lower Mokelumne River Fish Monitoring Program include 
measuring the success of the Lower Mokelumne River Restoration Program 
and determining if the modifications of the program are appropriate for 
conserving fish and wildlife resources in the Lower Mokelumne River. 
The Program began in 1998 and will continue indefinitely.
    Adult and juvenile California Central Valley steelhead will be 
captured (using boat and backpack electrofishing, rotary screw traps, 
fyke traps, beach seines and smolt bypass traps), sedated, weighed, 
measured, and checked for marks or tags. A subsample may be marked, 
tagged, and/or sampled for stomach contents. All captured fish will 
then be allowed to recover in well oxygenated water before release back 
into the Mokelumne River.

Permit 18064

    The USFWS' Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office is requesting a 2-
year scientific research and enhancement permit to deploy two upstream 
migrant traps in the Gorrill Dam fish ladders on Butte Creek in Butte 
County, California. Upstream migrant traps will be operated one day 
each week between March 1-June 30 and August 1-November 30 annually. As 
traps are operated, adult fall-run and Central Valley spring-run 
Chinook salmon will be implanted with acoustic transmitters and 
released back to the Gorrill Dam fish ladder. Other fish species will 
be collected on an incidental basis. If California Central Valley 
steelhead are captured, fin clips may be taken to be used in genetic 
studies.
    Trapping data will be archived in a database where they can be 
easily analyzed and retrieved, and data summaries and analyses will be 
presented in an annual report. After data collection, the principal 
investigators will develop a report recommending flows and/or 
restoration actions to reduce mortality of adult spring-run Chinook 
salmon in Butte Creek associated with blockage at the Lahar formation 
downstream of Durham Mutual Dam.
    The proposed monitoring project does not include activities 
designed to intentionally result in the death of listed taxa. Sampling 
will be done one day per week, with the trap installed at 9 a.m. and 
pulled at 4 p.m. The traps will be checked every hour during sampling 
to make sure there are no more than ten fish in the trap at a time. 
USFWS will tag up to five fall-run Chinook salmon and ten Central 
Valley spring-run Chinook salmon per week, so that tagged fish will be 
released throughout the upstream migration period. This will ensure 
that tagged fish encounter

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the Lahar structure at a range of stream flows.

Permit 18181

    The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Region II, 
is requesting a 5-year research and enhancement permit in order to 
determine the number of salmon entering the Colusa Basin Drainage Canal 
(CBDC) and identify points of entry into the CBDC system. In the spring 
of 2013, a large number of adult Chinook salmon were found trapped 
behind a water diversion of the CBDC system in the Sacramento National 
Wildlife Refuge (NWR) near Willows, California. CDFW personnel verified 
that a mix of Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon and Sacramento 
River winter-run Chinook salmon were present. In total, 312 Chinook 
salmon were rescued from the stranding site. Many more were reported 
present in the area, however due to their location in the system and 
accessibility issues, it was not possible to rescue a number of them. 
With extremely low numbers of winter-run Chinook salmon returning to 
the Sacramento River in recent years, entrainment in the canals is 
likely having a substantial negative effect on the recovery.
    A temporary trap will be installed within the CBDC upstream of 
points identified as potential entry points. The trapping site will be 
located approximately 14 miles upstream from the town of Knights 
Landing, California and will consist of a resistance board weir guiding 
fish into a fyke trap. The traps will be sampled continuously; 24 hours 
per day, 7 days per week. Once captured, all fish will be externally 
tagged with a floy tag identifying its capture. When feasible, 
biological data will be collected for all Chinook salmon captured and 
relocated (fork length, sex, physical condition, ad-clip status, and 
tissue samples for genetic analysis). When large numbers of Chinook 
salmon are encountered, biological data will be collected on a 
systematic subsample of fish.
    To answer the question of where adult salmon enter the Colusa Basin 
and, once in, where they wind up in the labyrinth of canals and 
waterways and to gather information on movement timing and cues, CDFW 
propose using state of the art Pop-up Satellite Transmitting Tags 
(PSAT) to record and upload fine scale movements of adult salmon. Up to 
40 adult Chinook salmon will be outfitted with a pop-up satellite tag 
and harness. Up to 40 acoustic tags may also be available for this 
project from other on-going studies. Detailed information will be 
gathered pertaining to trapping conditions; number, size and species of 
fish captured; type of tag and tag number received by individuals; and 
fish transport/release conditions.

Modification Request Received

Permit 14808-M1

    Permit 14808 was issued to CDFW's Region II on September 26, 2012 
for take of adult and juvenile California Central Valley steelhead; 
smolt and juvenile Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon and 
Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon; and juvenile SDPS green 
sturgeon associated with research activities on the Sacramento River, 
in Yolo County, California.
    For the 2012-2013 sampling season, exceptionally high flows, 
coupled with excessive debris in the Sacramento River contributed to 
higher catches than were anticipated under Permit 14808. Given last 
year's high catch numbers combined with preliminary data suggesting 
that Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon escapement estimates 
are higher than previous years, CDFW is requesting to modify Permit 
14808 to accommodate the higher levels of juvenile winter-run Chinook 
salmon emigration expected to occur.
    Sampling will occur through the use of paired 8-foot rotary screw 
traps (RSTs) at one site along the upper Sacramento River. The site, 
river mile (RM) 88.5, located near the town of Knights Landing will be 
sampled beginning in October and continue through June of the following 
year. Traps will be fished continuously and checked once every 24 hours 
unless conditions such as high flows or excessive debris warrants more 
frequent sampling.
    Captured salmonids will be sedated, handled (including 
measurements), allowed to recover in fresh aerated water and released 
back into the Sacramento River downstream of the trapping location. The 
exception will be up to 20 adipose fin-clipped (hatchery) Chinook 
salmon that will be sacrificed per day for coded wire tag extraction 
and analysis. Additionally, a sub-sample of non ESA-listed fall-run 
Chinook salmon will be marked (Bismark Brown Y stain) and released 
upstream of the trapping location for trap efficiency testing. Any 
green sturgeon encountered during sampling will be recorded and 
immediately released downstream of the trapping location.

    Dated: September 19, 2013.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-23213 Filed 9-24-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P