[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 157 (Tuesday, August 16, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50317-50319]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-17580]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XC269]


Endangered Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Notice of receipt; one application for a scientific enhancement 
permit.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS received an application from 
California Department of Fish and Wildlife in Santa Rosa, California 
for an U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) section 10(a)(1)(A) scientific 
enhancement permit (permit 26568). The purpose of this permit is to 
enhance the survival of the endangered Central California Coast (CCC) 
Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU) of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus 
kisutch), threatened Northern California (NC) Distinct Population 
Segment (DPS) of steelhead (O. mykiss), and threatened CCC DPS of 
steelhead (O. mykiss) in coastal streams of Mendocino, Sonoma, and 
Marin counties through rescue and relocation of these species from 
drying streams. The public is hereby notified that the application for 
Permit 26568 is available for review and comment before NMFS either 
approves or disapproves the application.

DATES: Written comments on the permit application must be received at 
the appropriate email address (see ADDRESSES) on or before September 
15, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the permit application should be 
submitted to Erin Seghesio via email at [email protected] with 
``permit 26568'' referenced in the subject line. The permit application 
is available for review online at the Authorizations and Permits for 
Protected Species website: https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/preview/preview_open_for_comment.cfm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin Seghesio (phone: 707-578-8515 or 
email: [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Species Covered in This Notice

    Central California Coast (CCC) Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU) 
of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), threatened Northern California 
(NC) Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of

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steelhead (O. mykiss), and threatened CCC DPS of steelhead (O.mykiss).

Authority

    Scientific research and 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 222-
227). NMFS issues permits based on findings that such permits (1) are 
applied for in good faith, (2) would not operate to the disadvantage of 
the listed species which are the subject of the permits, and (3) are 
consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the 
ESA. The authority to take listed species is subject to conditions set 
forth in the permits.
    This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA. NMFS 
will evaluate the application, associated documents, and any comment 
submitted to determine whether the application meets the requirements 
of section 10(a) of the ESA and Federal regulations. The final permit 
decisions will not be made until after the end of the 30-day comment 
period and consideration of any comment submitted therein. NMFS will 
publish notice of its final action in the Federal Register.
    Those individuals requesting a hearing on the application listed in 
this notice should provide the specific reasons why a hearing on the 
application would be appropriate (see ADDRESSES). Such a hearing is 
held at the discretion of the Assistant Administrator for NOAA 
Fisheries.

Permit 26568

    California Department of Fish and Wildlife in Santa Rosa, 
California applied for a section 10(a)(1)(A) scientific enhancement 
permit (permit 26568). This application involves enhancing the survival 
of endangered CCC coho salmon ESU, threatened NC steelhead DPS, and CCC 
steelhead DPS in Mendocino, Sonoma and Marin coastal streams through 
rescue and relocation of these species from drying streams. This 
application also includes research and monitoring elements. To assess 
the efficacy of these rescue activities, a subset of the juvenile 
salmonids may receive a Passive Integrated Transponder tag (PIT-tag) 
prior to release. The tagged fish will be tracked by fixed antennas 
positioned in multiple regional watersheds which will provide 
information on their movements and survival in the freshwater 
environment. Otoliths and tissue samples will be collected 
opportunistically from spawned adult carcasses encountered to learn 
about the individual's life history. Tissue samples (fin clips and 
scales) will be collected from carcasses and a subset of live fish for 
genetic information (fin clips) and age-structure and growth patterns 
(scales). Activities associated with rescue and relocation could occur 
anywhere within the Mendocino, Sonoma and Marin coastal watersheds 
within CCC coho salmon's ESU boundaries. This includes streams from 
Punta Gorda, CA through, Redwood Creek (Marin County, CA). A summary of 
these components is provided as follows.

Rescue-Relocation and Research-Monitoring

    This component involves rescuing and relocating coho salmon and 
steelhead from stream sections experiencing dewatering during the dry 
season or prolonged periods of below average rainfall. Specific staff 
listed on the application from both California Department of Fish and 
Wildlife and co-investigators will follow a predetermined communication 
and documentation protocol outlined in the application and permit while 
implementing these relocation efforts. Standard scientific methods and 
equipment (e.g., backpack-electrofishing, nets, seines, portable air 
pumps, transport containers, water chillers, etc.) will be used during 
the capture and relocation of coho salmon and steelhead. Captured coho 
salmon and steelhead will be transported for release into habitats 
within the same watershed (when possible) that are likely to maintain 
adequate water and habitat quality through the remainder of the dry 
season. Because these are endangered and threatened populations with 
low abundance, relocating coho salmon and steelhead from sections of 
stream where they will likely perish is expected to benefit the 
survival of these individual fish and enhance the population. The 
proposed tagging and tissue collection are intended to provide 
information on the survival and early life history of rescued fish, 
contributions of rescued fish to subsequent adult returns, and 
information on the genetic diversity within basins, particularly where 
natural origin fish are present.
    Field activities for the various proposed enhancement components 
can occur year-round starting in September 2022 through December 31, 
2032. The annual sum of take requested across the various components of 
this effort is as follows: (1) non-lethal capture and release of up to 
20,000 juvenile natural origin coho salmon, 9,000 hatchery origin 
juvenile coho salmon, 6,000 natural origin juvenile NC steelhead and 
10,000 natural origin juvenile CCC steelhead, while electrofishing, 
seining, or dip-netting, (2) non-lethal capture and release of up to 
1500 juvenile natural origin coho salmon for the purpose of applying 
Passive Integrated Transponder-tags (PIT-tags) and collecting tissue 
samples, (3) non-lethal capture and release of up to 200 adult natural 
origin coho salmon, 200 adult hatchery origin coho salmon, 300 adult 
natural origin NC steelhead, and 300 CCC steelhead by beach seine, (4) 
tissue collection from up to 1000 adult natural origin coho salmon, 
1000 hatchery origin coho salmon, 500 adult natural origin NC 
steelhead, and 500 adult natural origin CCC steelhead carcasses. The 
potential annual unintentional lethal coho salmon and steelhead take 
expected to result from the proposed enhancement activities is up to 
2,000 juvenile natural origin coho salmon, 900 juvenile hatchery origin 
coho salmon, 600 juvenile natural origin NC steelhead, 1000 juvenile 
natural origin CCC steelhead, 20 adult natural origin coho salmon, 20 
adult hatchery origin coho salmon, 30 adult natural origin NC 
steelhead, and 30 adult natural origin CCC steelhead. These estimates 
assume up to 10 percent indirect mortality rate. For research and 
monitoring, indirect mortality rates for capture and handling are 
generally less than or equal to 2 percent. However, in many cases fish 
targeted for rescue and relocation are located in isolated habitats and 
declining habitats with stressful environmental conditions, and 
therefore it is reasonable to assume a higher potential indirect 
mortality rate from capture and handling. Absent these rescue efforts, 
salmonids left in these declining environmental conditions are expected 
to die.
    This proposed scientific enhancement effort is expected to enhance 
survival and support coho salmon and steelhead recovery within the CCC 
coho salmon ESU, NC steelhead DPS, and CCC steelhead DPS and is 
consistent with recommendations and objectives outlined in NMFS' 
Central California Coast ESU Coho Salmon Recovery Plan and Coastal 
Multispecies Recovery Plan. See the Permit 26568 application for 
greater details on the various components of this scientific 
enhancement effort including the specific scientific methods proposed 
and take allotments requested for each.


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    Dated: August 11, 2022.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-17580 Filed 8-15-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P