[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 165 (Monday, August 26, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44601-44602]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-18264]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[0648-XR034]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Notice; Determination on a Tribal Resource Management Plan.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has made a determination on 
the Nez Perce Tribe's Tribal Resource Management Plan (TRMP), pursuant 
to the protective regulations promulgated for Pacific salmon and 
steelhead under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The TRMP specifies 
the implementation of fisheries targeting steelhead in the Snake River 
Basin.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charlene Hurst, at phone number: (503) 
230-5409, or via email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Species Covered in This Notice

    Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): threatened, naturally 
produced and artificially propagated Snake River Spring/Summer and 
Snake River Fall.
    Steelhead (O. mykiss): threatened, naturally produced and 
artificially propagated Snake River Basin.
    Sockeye salmon (O. nerka): endangered, naturally produced and 
artificially propagated Snake River.

Background

    The Nez Perce Tribe TRMP describes fisheries targeting adult 
steelhead within the Snake River Basin. This plan

[[Page 44602]]

was submitted to NMFS in November of 2018 under the ESA Tribal 4(d) 
Rule, and describes timing, location, harvest impact limits, and gear. 
A variety of monitoring and evaluation is included in the TRMP. As 
required, NMFS took public comments on its recommended determination 
for how the plan addresses the criteria in Sec.  223.203(b)(4) prior to 
making its final determination.

Discussion of the Biological Analysis Underlying the Determination

    The TRMP defines maximum impact rates for natural-origin steelhead 
specific to each major population group within the Snake River 
Steelhead Distinct Population Segment. These maximum impact rates are 
part of a basin-wide framework with which all fishery managers have 
agreed to coordinate so that impacts do not exceed these maximums. 
Furthermore, if abundances fall below a major population group-specific 
Critical Abundance Threshold, management actions (e.g., time-area 
closures) will be taken to reduce impacts.
    NMFS has analyzed the effects of the TRMP on ESA-listed salmon and 
steelhead species and has concluded that the TRMP would not appreciable 
reduce the likelihood of survival and recovery of ESA-listed species, 
while providing for the proposed tribal treaty harvest opportunities. 
Our determination depends upon implementation of all of the monitoring, 
evaluation, reporting tasks or assignments, and enforcement activities 
included in the TRMP. Reporting and inclusion of new information 
derived from research, monitoring, and evaluation activities described 
in the plan provide assurance that performance standards will be 
achieved in future seasons.

Summary of Comments Received in the Response to the Proposed Evaluation 
and Pending Determination

    NMFS published notice of its Proposed Evaluation and Pending 
Determination (PEPD) on the plan for public review and comment on May 
7, 2019 (84 FR 19904), as required by the Tribal 4(d) Rule. The PEPD 
was available for public review and comment for 30 days. No comments 
were received.


    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 1543; subpart B, Sec. Sec.  223.201-
202 also issued under 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 5503(d) for 
Sec.  223.206(d)(9).

    Dated: August 20, 2019.
Cathryn E. Tortorici,
Chief, Endangered Species Act Interagency Cooperation Division, Office 
of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-18264 Filed 8-23-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P