[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 31 (Friday, February 14, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8571-8572]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-02995]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XA039]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of one Section 10(a)(1)(A) permit to enhance 
the propagation and survival of threatened species.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has issued one direct take 
permit (#14741) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, 
as amended, to the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District 
(District) for the Carmel River Steelhead Rescue and Rearing 
Enhancement Program (Program) for a five year period (with the 
opportunity for a five year renewal). On June 4, 2018, NMFS provided 
notice of our receipt of this permit application and Rescue and Rearing 
Management Plan (RRMP) in the Federal Register. The RRMP specifies 
operational methods for South-Central California Coast (S-CCC) 
steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) rescue, rearing, and translocation 
activities associated with the Sleepy Hollow Steelhead Rearing Facility 
(Facility). The Facility is located on the Carmel River on the Central 
California Coast.

DATES: Permit 14741, issued on September 30, 2019, has an expiration 
date of September 30, 2024, with the opportunity for a five year 
renewal. The issued permits are subject to certain conditions set forth 
therein. Subsequent to issuance, the necessary countersignatures by the 
applicants were received.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the decision documents or any of the 
other associated materials should be directed to NOAA's National Marine 
Fisheries Service, California Coast Office, USGS Pacific Coast & Marine 
Science Center, 2885 Mission Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. The decision 
documents for Permit 14741 are also available online at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/notice-issuance-permit-implementation-carmel-river-steelhead-rescue-and-rearing-enhancement.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin Seghesio at 707-578-8515, 
[email protected] or Mandy Ingham at 831-460-7580, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Species Covered in this Notice

    This notice is relevant to the following listed species: South-
Central California Coast (S-CCC) Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) 
Distinct Population Segment (DPS), which is listed as threatened.

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 parts 222-227). 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; 
and (3) are consistent with the purposes and policy of section 2 of the 
ESA. The authority to take listed species is subject to conditions set 
forth in the permits.

Permit 14741

    The District has been issued a permit under section 10(a)(1)(A) of 
the ESA for a period of five years that allows the take of juvenile and 
adult steelhead from the threatened S-CCC DPS pursuant to the RRMP. The 
RRMP was developed with technical assistance from NMFS. The Program's 
objective is to assist with the restoration, conservation, and 
maintenance of the steelhead population in the Carmel River Watershed 
as mitigation for environmental impacts caused by diversion of surface 
and subsurface streamflow in the lower 38.6 kilometers (24 miles) of 
the mainstem Carmel River. The Program which was initiated in 1997, was 
necessary to ensure compliance with California Environmental Quality 
Act (CEQA) from the environmental impacts of California American Water 
Company's water withdrawals.
    The RRMP will be implemented as an enhancement program, and actions 
taken pursuant to the permit are designed to enhance survival of S-CCC 
steelhead that are subject to annual low-flow river dryback. The RRMP 
incorporates three main components: (1) Rescue and relocation 
activities; (2) captive rearing activities, and (3) subsequent post-
release monitoring. There is no captive spawning of steelhead reared at 
the facility.
    Activities that constitute take of S-CCC steelhead and are 
permitted include rearing, handling and transport, and tagging. The 
RRMP includes measures to minimize the likelihood of genetic or 
ecologic effects to naturally produced S-CCC steelhead resulting from 
operations at the Facility and translocation activities. Post-release 
monitoring activities conducted by the District will collect necessary 
data to document the achievement of performance indicators specified in 
the RRMP. For a more detailed discussion of these activities, please 
see the associated documents at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/notice-issuance-permit-implementation-carmel-river-steelhead-rescue-and-rearing-enhancement.

NEPA Determination

    NOAA's Policy and Procedures for Compliance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Related Authorities (NOAA 
Administrative Order 216-6A and Companion Manual for NAO 216-6A) 
establishes that all NOAA major Federal actions be reviewed with 
respect to environmental consequences on the human environment. NOAA 
Administrative Order 216-6A and Companion Manual for NAO 216-6A were 
used to examine the issuance of Permit 14741 for its potential to 
impact the quality of the human environment. NMFS concluded that the 
issuance of Permit 14741 would not have a significant adverse effect, 
individually or cumulatively, on the human environment and does not 
involve any extraordinary circumstances listed in the Companion Manual 
for NAO 216-6A. Further, it was determined that the Program may 
appropriately be categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare 
either an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement, 
in accordance with the Companion Manual for NAO 216-6A. Specifically, 
this project fits under the categorical exclusion described in the 
Companion Manual for NAO 216-6A, B1, issuance of permits or permit 
modifications under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA for take, import, or 
export of endangered species for scientific purposes or to enhance the 
propagation or survival of the affected species, or in accordance with 
the requirements of an ESA section 4(d) regulation for threatened 
species.

Public Comments

    On June 4, 2018, NMFS provided notice of our receipt of the ESA 
Section 10(a)(1)(A) permit application and RRMP in the Federal Register 
(83 FR 25648), which also initiated a 30-day public comment period. 
NMFS reviewed all comments, conducted extensive literature reviews, 
consulted with fish culturists, and analyzed stocking data to address 
comments.

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NMFS devised a suite of recommendations for the District to consider 
implementing to improve the Program. The Program modifications were 
added as an addendum to the RRMP.

    Dated: February 10, 2020.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-02995 Filed 2-13-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P