[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 11, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3289-3290]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-00299]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF110


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Northwest Indian Fisheries 
Commission (NWIFC) has submitted a Tribal Resource Management Plan 
(Tribal Plan) for NMFS to evaluate. It was presented by the Bureau of 
Indian Affairs (BIA) on behalf of the Northwest Indian Tribes. The 
submission fulfills the Tribes' obligations under the protective 
regulations promulgated for Puget Sound (PS) Chinook salmon, Hood Canal 
summer-run (HCS) chum salmon, PS steelhead, and Southern (S) eulachon 
under the Endangered Species

[[Page 3290]]

Act (ESA). The Tribal Plan describes research and assessment activities 
that may affect listed PS Chinook salmon, HCS chum salmon, PS 
steelhead, and S eulachon in Washington State. The proposed research is 
intended to increase knowledge of species listed under the ESA and to 
help guide management and conservation efforts. NMFS has completed a 
proposed evaluation of how well the Tribal Plan fulfills ESA criteria, 
and the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) is making that proposed 
evaluation available for public comment.

DATES: Comments or requests for a public hearing on the applications 
must be received at the appropriate address or fax number (see 
ADDRESSES) no later than 5 p.m. Pacific standard time on February 10, 
2017.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the applications should be sent to the 
Protected Resources Division, NMFS, 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 1100, 
Portland, OR 97232-1274. Comments may also be sent via fax to 503-230-
5441.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mitch Dennis, Lacey, WA (ph.: 360-753-
9580), Fax: 360-753-9517, email: [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Species Covered in This Notice

    The following listed species are covered in this notice:
    Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): Threatened Puget Sound 
(PS).
    Steelhead (O. mykiss): Threatened PS.
    Chum salmon (O. keta): Threatened Hood Canal Summer-run (HCS).
    Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus): Threatened Southern (S).

Authority

    Under section 4 of the ESA, the Secretary is required to adopt such 
regulations as he deems necessary and advisable for the conservation of 
the species listed as threatened. The ESA Tribal 4(d) rule (70 FR 
37160; June 28, 2005) states that the ESA section 9 take prohibitions 
do not apply to Tribal Plans that will not appreciably reduce the 
likelihood of survival and recovery for the listed species.

The Tribal Plan

    The NWIFC--through the BIA and on behalf of the Northwest Indian 
Tribes--has submitted a Tribal Plan for scientific research and 
assessment activities within the range of the PS Chinook salmon, HCS 
chum salmon, PS steelhead, and S eulachon. The Northwest Indian Tribes 
conduct, independently and in cooperation with other agencies, a 
variety of research and assessment projects. These projects provide the 
technical basis for managing fisheries and conserving and restoring 
salmon stocks and their habitat. The need for an improved understanding 
of salmonid survival in the freshwater and early marine life stages 
drives much of the current research. The Tribal Plan includes 
implementation, monitoring, and evaluation procedures designed to 
ensure that the research is consistent with the objectives of the ESA. 
The research activities described in the Tribal Plan would take place 
over a five-year period starting in 2017.
    As 50 CFR 223.209 requires, the Secretary must determine whether 
the Tribal Plan would appreciably reduce the likelihood of survival and 
recovery for PS Chinook salmon, HCS chum salmon, PS steelhead, and S 
eulachon. The Secretary must take comments on how the Tribal Plan 
addresses the criteria in 50 CFR 223.209 in making that determination.

    Dated: January 4, 2017.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-00299 Filed 1-10-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P