[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 241 (Thursday, December 15, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 90783-90784]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30181]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF076


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Notice; availability of evaluation of tribal resource 
management plan and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Confederated Colville Tribes 
have submitted a Tribal Resource Management Plan (Tribal Plan) to NMFS 
pursuant to the limitation on take prohibitions for actions conducted 
under Tribal Plans promulgated under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). 
The Tribal Plan specifies artificial propagation, harvest, and research 
and monitoring activities in the Okanogan River basin and portions of 
the upper Columbia River. This document serves to notify the public of 
the availability for comment of the proposed evaluation of the 
Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) as to whether implementation of the 
Tribal Plan will appreciably reduce the likelihood of survival and 
recovery of ESA-listed Upper Columbia River Spring Chinook salmon and 
steelhead.
    This notice further advises the public of the availability for 
review of a draft Environmental Assessment of the effects of the NMFS 
determination on the subject Tribal Plan.

DATES: Comments must be received at the appropriate address or fax 
number (see ADDRESSES) no later than 5:00 p.m. Pacific time on December 
30, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the proposed evaluation and pending 
determination should be addressed to the NMFS Sustainable Fisheries 
Division, 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Portland, OR 97232. Comments may be 
submitted by email. The mailbox address for providing email comments 
is: [email protected]. Include in the subject line of the email 
comment the following identifier: Comments on Colville Okanogan Tribal 
Plan. The documents are available online at 
www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov. Comments received will also be 
available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal business 
hours by calling (503) 230-5418.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Natasha Meyers-Cherry at (503) 231-
2178 or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

ESA-Listed Species Covered in This Notice

    Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): Endangered (but 
functionally extirpated in the analysis area), naturally produced Upper 
Columbia River spring-run.
    Steelhead (O. mykiss): Threatened, naturally produced and 
artificially propagated Upper Columbia River.

Background

    The Confederated Colville Tribes have submitted to NMFS a Tribal 
Plan for hatchery, fishery harvest, predator control, kelt 
reconditioning, and monitoring and evaluation activities in the 
Okanogan River basin, in the upper Columbia River basin in Washington 
State. The Tribal Plan was submitted February 4, 2014, pursuant to the 
Tribal ESA 4(d) Rule.
    The Tribal Plan describes actions involving fisheries, hatchery, 
predator control, and kelt reconditioning activities (with associated 
monitoring and evaluation) in the Okanogan Basin and Columbia River 
mainstem. The Tribal Plan is intended to contribute to the recovery of 
the steelhead population in the Okanogan Basin, and to responsibly 
enhance fishing opportunity on non-listed Chinook salmon.
    As required by the ESA 4(d) rule for Tribal Plans (65 FR 42481; 
July 10, 2000), the Secretary is seeking public comment on her pending 
determination as to whether the Tribal Plan Chinook salmon would 
appreciably reduce the likelihood of survival and recovery of the Upper 
Columbia River Steelhead Evolutionary Significant Unit.

Authority

    Under section 4 of the ESA, the Secretary is required to adopt such 
regulations as she deems necessary and advisable for the conservation 
of the species listed as threatened.
    The ESA Tribal 4(d) Rule (65 FR 42481; July 10, 2000) states that 
the ESA section 9 take prohibitions will not apply to Tribal Plans that 
will not

[[Page 90784]]

appreciably reduce the likelihood of survival and recovery for the 
listed species.

    Dated: December 12, 2016.
Donna S. Wieting,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-30181 Filed 12-14-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P