[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 246 (Friday, December 23, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 78944]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-28021]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admiistration

[RTID 0648-XC622]


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 Proposed Evaluation and Pending 
Determination and a draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment; 
request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe, 
the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, 
and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife have jointly 
provided a resource management plan (RMP) to NMFS pursuant to the 
limitation on take prohibitions for actions conducted for salmon and 
steelhead promulgated under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The 
Skagit River Steelhead Fishery RMP proposes to manage the harvest of 
natural-origin Skagit River steelhead as an independent steelhead 
management unit within the ESA-listed Puget Sound steelhead distinct 
population segment (DPS), for harvest purposes. The RMP proposes to 
implement these fisheries pursuant to U.S. v. Washington.

DATES: Comments must be received at the appropriate address (see 
ADDRESSES) no later than 5 p.m. Pacific time on January 23, 2023. 
Comments received after this date may not be accepted.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by email. The mailbox address for 
providing email comments is: [email protected]. In the 
subject line of the email, include the following identifier: ``Comments 
on Skagit River Steelhead Fishery RMP.'' The documents available for 
public review and comment can be found at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/skagit-river-steelhead-fishery-joint-resource-management-plan.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Dixon at 360-522-3673, or via 
email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

ESA-Listed Species Covered in This Notice

    Puget Sound Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss): threatened, naturally 
produced.

Background

    The Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe, the Swinomish Indian Tribal 
Community, the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, and the Washington Department 
of Fish and Wildlife have jointly submitted a Skagit River steelhead 
fishery RMP to NMFS pursuant to the limitation on take prohibitions for 
actions conducted under Limit 6 of the 4(d) Rule for salmon and 
steelhead promulgated under the ESA (73 FR 55451, September 25, 2008). 
The RMP was submitted in December of 2021. The RMP provides the 
management framework for the harvest of Skagit River natural-origin 
steelhead in the Skagit River terminal area. NMFS has prepared a 
Proposed Evaluation and Pending Determination (PEPD) as to whether the 
RMP meets the criteria under Limit 6 of the 4(d) Rule, and as to 
whether implementation of the RMP will appreciably reduce the 
likelihood of survival and recovery of ESA-listed Puget Sound 
steelhead, and a supplemental Environmental Assessment (EA) on the NMFS 
determination. By this notice, NMFS is inviting interested persons to 
comment on either or both documents.
    As required by the ESA 4(d) Rule (65 FR 42422, July 10, 2000, as 
updated in 70 FR 37160, June 28, 2005), the Secretary is seeking public 
comment on this PEPD as to whether the RMP meets the criteria under 
Limit 6 of the 4(d) Rule and as to whether implementation of the RMP 
will appreciably reduce the likelihood of survival and recovery of ESA-
listed Puget Sound steelhead. Prior to making a final determination, 
NMFS will take comments on its pending determination (50 CFR 
223.204(b)(3)).
    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 742a et seq.

Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-28021 Filed 12-22-22; 8:45 am]
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