[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 125 (Friday, June 28, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31030-31031]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-13762]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[0648-XR001]


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 a draft Environmental Assessment and 
Proposed Evaluation and Pending Determination for public comment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received four plans for

[[Page 31031]]

hatchery operations rearing and releasing Chinook salmon, coho salmon, 
and chum salmon in the Stillaguamish River basin, Washington. The four 
plans are submitted pursuant to the Section 4(d), Limit 6. The plans 
describe programs operated by the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians (STI). 
This document serves to notify the public of the availability and 
opportunity to comment on a draft Environmental Assessment and proposed 
evaluation and pending determination (PEPD) on the proposed Hatchery 
and Genetic Management Plans (HGMPs).

DATES: Comments must be received at the appropriate address (see 
ADDRESSES) no later than 5 p.m. Pacific time on July 29, 2019. Comments 
received after this date may not be considered.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the draft Environmental Assessment or 
PEPD should be addressed to Alan Olson; NMFS, West Coast Region; 510 
Desmond Drive SE, Suite 107; Lacey, WA 98503. 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 Stillaguamish River 
hatchery programs. The documents can be found at 
www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alan Olson, at phone number: (360) 
753-4062, or via email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

ESA-Listed Species Covered in This Notice

 Puget Sound Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): 
threatened, naturally and artificially propagated
 Puget Sound Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss): threatened, 
naturally and artificially propagated

Background

    Section 9 of the ESA and Federal regulations prohibit the 
``taking'' of a species listed as endangered or threatened. The term 
``take'' is defined under the ESA to mean harass, harm, pursue, hunt, 
shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage 
in any such conduct. The ESA prohibits the take of endangered salmonids 
and, pursuant to ESA section 4(d), ESA regulations can be extended to 
prohibit the take of threatened salmonids. However, NMFS may make 
exceptions to the take prohibitions for hatchery programs that are 
approved by NMFS under the limits on the prohibitions outlined in 50 
CFR 223.203(b). STI and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife 
(collectively the co-managers) have submitted HGMPs to NMFS pursuant to 
the ESA 4(d) Rule for salmon and steelhead.
    The hatchery programs are intended to contribute to the survival 
and recovery of Puget Sound Chinook Salmon, provide information on 
exploitation rates, and support returns of coho salmon and chum salmon 
to the Stillaguamish River basin.

Authority

    Under section 4 of the ESA, the Secretary of Commerce is required 
to adopt such regulations as he deems necessary and advisable for the 
conservation of species listed as threatened. The ESA salmon and 
steelhead 4(d) Rule (65 FR 42422, July 10, 2000, as updated in 70 FR 
37160, June 28, 2005) specifies categories of activities that 
contribute to the conservation of listed salmonids and sets out the 
criteria for such activities. Limit 6 of the updated 4(d) Rule (50 CFR 
223.203(b)(6)) further provides that the prohibitions of paragraph (a) 
of the updated 4(d) Rule (50 CFR 223.203(a)) do not apply to activities 
described in a joint management plan provided that it has been approved 
by NMFS to be in accordance with the salmon and steelhead 4(d) Rule (65 
FR 42422, July 10, 2000, as updated in 70 FR 37160, June 28, 2005).

    Dated: June 7, 2019.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-13762 Filed 6-27-19; 8:45 am]
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