[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 246 (Tuesday, December 22, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 83519-83520]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-28229]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XA718]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Notice; availability of a proposed evaluation and pending 
determination and permit application for public comment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a proposed evaluation and pending 
determination (PEPD) is available for public comment on a hatchery and 
genetic management plan (HGMP) for Skykomish River steelhead submitted 
under limit 6 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) 4(d) Rule. NMFS is 
also making an ESA section 10(a)(1)(A) permit application available for 
public comment. The permit application is for a trap and haul operation 
at Sunset Falls, also on the Skykomish River in Washington State.

DATES: Comments must be received at the appropriate address (see 
ADDRESSES)

[[Page 83520]]

no later than 5 p.m. Pacific time on January 21, 2021. Comments 
received after this date may not be considered.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the PEPD and/or permit application 
should be addressed to Emi Melton; NMFS, West Coast Regional Office; 
1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 1100, Portland, OR 97232. 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 Skykomish River 
PEPD and/or permit application.
    The documents are available on the internet at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/skykomish-summer-steelhead-hatchery-program-and-sunset-falls-trap-and-haul-program.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emi Melton at (503) 736-4739 or by 
email at [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

    The Tulalip Tribes and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife 
(collectively the co-managers) have submitted an HGMP to NMFS pursuant 
to limit 6 of the ESA 4(d) Rule for a summer steelhead hatchery program 
in the Skykomish River basin. The hatchery program is intended to 
contribute to fulfilling Federal tribal trust responsibilities and 
treaty rights guaranteed through treaties and affirmed in U.S. v. 
Washington (1974). It is also designed to contribute to the survival 
and recovery of Puget Sound steelhead and produce summer steelhead for 
sustainable fisheries.
    Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has also submitted an 
ESA section 10(a)(1)(A) permit application for a trap and haul program 
in the Skykomish River basin. The trap and haul program traps various 
species of salmon, steelhead, and trout, and hauls them above Sunset 
Falls to provide better habitat for these species.

Authority

    16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 742a et seq.; Sec.  222.303 also 
issued under 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.

    Dated: December 17, 2020.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-28229 Filed 12-21-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P