[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 143 (Thursday, July 27, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34931-34932]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-15803]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF498


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We, NMFS, announce receipt of a permit application (20571) to 
enhance the propagation and survival of species listed under the 
Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, as amended, from the United 
States Fish and Wildlife Service (Service). Under permit application 
20571, the Service is requesting to continue, for the next five years, 
hatchery and monitoring activities associated with the San Joaquin 
River Restoration Program (SJRRP) and the SJRRP's Salmon Conservation 
and Research Program. These activities of the SJRRP were previously 
permitted under permits 14868 and 17781. Under permit application 20571 
the Service proposes to collect Central Valley spring-run Chinook 
salmon from Butte Creek to use as broodstock, which was not authorized 
by the previous permits. As part of this permit application, the 
Service has submitted an HGMP as an attachment to the application. This 
notice advises the public that the permit application and associated 
HGMP are available for review and comment, prior to a determination by 
NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) on the issuance of the 
permit. The permit application, and attached HGMP, may be viewed online 
at: https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/preview/preview_open_for_comment.cfm.

DATES: Comments or requests for a public hearing on the application 
must be received at the appropriate address or fax number (see 
ADDRESSES) no later than 5 p.m. Pacific standard time on August 28, 
2017.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the application should be submitted to 
the California Central Valley Office, NMFS, 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 5-
100, Sacramento, CA 95814. Comments may also be submitted via fax to 
916-930-3629, or by email to [email protected] (include the permit 
number in the subject line of the fax or email).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff Abrams, Sacramento, CA (ph.: 916-
930-3614; Fax: 916-930-3629; email: [email protected]). Permit 
application instructions are available from the address above, or 
online at https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Species Covered in This Notice

    The following listed species are covered in this notice:
    Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): Threatened Central 
Valley (CV) spring-run.
    Steelhead (O. mykiss): Threatened California Central Valley (CCV).

Authority

    Enhancement permits are issued in accordance with section 
10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and regulations 
governing listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR part 222). 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 that are the subject of the permit; 
(3) are consistent with the purposes and policies of section 2 of the 
ESA; (4) whether the permit would further a bona fide and necessary or 
desirable scientific purpose or enhance the propagation or survival of 
the endangered species, taking into account the benefits anticipated to 
be derived on behalf of the endangered species; and additional issuance 
criteria [as listed at 50 CFR 222.308(c)(5)-(12)]. The authority to 
take listed species is subject to conditions set forth in the permit.
    Anyone requesting a hearing on an application listed in this notice 
should set out the specific reasons why a hearing on that application 
would be appropriate (see ADDRESSES). Such hearings are held at the 
discretion of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NMFS.

[[Page 34932]]

Permit Application Received

Permit 20571

    The Service has applied for an enhancement permit under section 
10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA for a period of five years that would allow take 
of multiple life stages of CV spring-run Chinook salmon and CCV 
steelhead. Hatchery activities included in the permit application would 
result in take of CV spring-run Chinook salmon only. Hatchery 
activities would be permitted pursuant to the draft final HGMP, which 
is attached to the permit application. Monitoring and in-river research 
activities, also included in the application, could result in take of 
both CV spring-run Chinook salmon and CCV steelhead.
    The activities would occur under the auspices of the SJRRP and are 
related to the reintroduction of salmonids to the San Joaquin River 
(SJR). This Service has previously conducted reintroduction activities 
under 10(a)(1)(A) permits 14868 and 17781. Permit 14868, issued October 
11, 2012, authorized collection of broodstock from Feather River 
Hatchery (FRFH) for the Interim Salmon Conservation and Research 
Facility (Interim Facility) and Salmon Conservation and Research 
Facility (SCARF), which is currently under construction. Permit 17781, 
issued March 21, 2014, authorized collections from FRFH for direct 
translocation to the SJR, the release of broodstock offspring and 
ancillary broodstock to the SJR, trap and haul of returning adults, and 
population monitoring activities. The Service is proposing to continue 
with previously authorized work in addition to some new activities to 
further reintroduction efforts.
    Under the application for Permit 20571, proposed take activities 
for CV spring-Run Chinook salmon include: (1) Broodstock collection, 
(2) broodstock rearing and spawning, (3) broodstock offspring (hatchery 
origin) and ancillary broodstock releases, (4) release of translocated 
hatchery origin juveniles, and (5) trap and haul of juveniles and 
returning adults. Activities also include restoration area monitoring 
and in-river research, which could involve take of both CV spring-run 
Chinook salmon and CCV steelhead.
    Broodstock collections, as with all hatchery activities, would 
occur pursuant to the attached HGMP, and include potential collections 
from Butte Creek (juvenile life stage), FRFH (juvenile and/or egg life 
stage), or/and the SJR (adult, juvenile, and/or egg life stage). The 
purpose of collecting individuals from Butte Creek is to help to create 
an SJRRP broodstock, and self-sustaining population, that is a robust 
representation of the genetic and phenotypic diversity of the species. 
As described in the HGMP, collection would be in accordance with the 
SJRRP genetic management goal to promote and protect genetic diversity 
within the reestablishing population while safeguarding against 
negative genetic effects to out-of-basin source and non-target 
populations. Details for collection by source and life stage, including 
quarantine and pathology testing protocols, are included in the permit 
application. Hatchery-produced fish and ancillary broodstock may be 
released at various life stages based on production targets, hatchery 
capacity, river conditions, and program needs. Population monitoring 
and evaluation may include adult monitoring by video, acoustic 
tracking, visual surveys, and redd and spawning surveys; juvenile 
monitoring may consist of various outmigrant traps, and fry emergence 
monitoring. For a more detailed discussion of the monitoring 
activities, please see the permit application package.

Public Comments Solicited

    NMFS invites the public to comment on the permit application and 
associated HGMP during a 30 day public comment period beginning on the 
date of this notice. This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) 
of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1529(c)). All comments and materials received, 
including names and addresses, will become part of the administrative 
record and may be released to the public. 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 applications, associated documents, and 
comments submitted to determine whether the applications meet 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 public comment period and after NMFS has fully considered all 
relevant comments received. NMFS will publish notice of its final 
action in the Federal Register.

    Dated: July 24, 2017.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-15803 Filed 7-26-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P