[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 153 (Thursday, August 8, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64880-64886]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-17410]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XE166]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Notice of receipt of application; 13 permit renewals, 2 permit 
modifications, and 6 new permits.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received 21 scientific 
research permit application requests relating to Pacific salmon, 
steelhead, green sturgeon, rockfish, and eulachon. The proposed 
research is intended to increase knowledge of species listed under the 
Endangered Species Act (ESA) and to help guide management and 
conservation efforts.

DATES: Comments or requests for a public hearing on the applications 
must be received at the appropriate address or fax number (see 
ADDRESSES) no later than 5 p.m. Pacific standard time on September 9, 
2024.

ADDRESSES: All written comments on the applications should be sent by 
email to [email protected] (please include the permit number in 
the subject line of the email).
    The applications may be viewed online at: https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/preview/preview_open_for_comment.cfm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diana Dishman, Portland, OR (ph.: 503-
736-4466), email: [email protected]). Permit application 
instructions are available from the address above, or online at https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Species Covered in This Notice

    The following listed species are covered in this notice:
    Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): Threatened Puget Sound 
(PS); threatened Snake River (SnkR) fall-run; threatened SnkR spring/
summer-run; endangered Upper Columbia River (UCR) spring-run; 
threatened Upper Willamette River (UWR); threatened Lower Columbia 
River (LCR); endangered Sacramento River (SacR) winter-run; threatened 
California Coastal (CC).
    Steelhead (O. mykiss): Threatened Middle Columbia River (MCR); 
threatened PS; threatened SnkR Basin; threatened UCR; threatened UWR; 
threatened Central California Coast (CCC); threatened California 
Central Valley (CCV); threatened Northern California (NC); threatened 
LCR.
    Chum salmon (O. keta): Threatened Hood Canal summer-run (HCS); 
threatened Columbia River (CR).
    Coho salmon (O. kisutch): threatened Southern Oregon/Northern 
California Coast (SONCC); endangered Central California Coast (CCC); 
threatened LCR.
    Sockeye salmon (O. nerka): Endangered SnkR; Threatened Ozette Lake 
(OL).
    Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus): Threatened southern (S).
    Rockfish: Endangered Puget Sound/Georgia Basin (PS/GB) Boccacio 
(Sebastes paucispinis) Distinct Population Segment (DPS); threatened 
PS/GB Yelloweye (Sebastes ruberrimus) DPS.
    Green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris): Threatened southern 
Distinct Population Segment (SDPS).

Authority

    Scientific research 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 222-226). 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.
    Anyone requesting a hearing on an application listed in this notice 
should set out the specific reasons why a hearing on that application 
would be appropriate (see ADDRESSES). Such hearings are held at the 
discretion of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NMFS.

[[Page 64881]]

Applications Received

Permit 1386-11M

    Under permit 1386-11M, the Washington Department of Ecology (WDOE) 
is seeking to modify a permit that would authorize them to continue 
taking adult and juvenile PS Chinook salmon, PS steelhead, HCS chum 
salmon, OL sockeye salmon, UCR spring-run Chinook salmon, UCR 
steelhead, MCR steelhead, SnkR spring/summer-run Chinook salmon, SnkR 
fall-run Chinook salmon, SnkR steelhead, LCR Chinook salmon, LCR coho 
salmon, LCR steelhead, and CR chum salmon. in order to characterize 
toxic contaminants in resident freshwater fish across Washington.
    The WDOE conducts this research in order to meet Federal and State 
regulatory requirements. This research would benefit listed species by 
identifying toxic contaminants in resident and prey fish and thereby 
inform pollution control actions. The WDOE proposes to capture fish 
using various methods including backpack and boat electrofishing, beach 
seining, block, fyke, and gill netting, and angling. All captured 
salmon and steelhead would either be released immediately or held 
temporarily in an aerated live well to help them recover before 
release. The researchers do not propose to kill any fish but a small 
number may die as an unintended result of research activities.

Permit 1484-8R

    Under permit 1484-8R, the Washington Department of Natural 
Resources (WA DNR), Pacific Cascade Region, is seeking to renew for 5 
years a permit that would authorize them to continue taking juvenile 
MCR steelhead, LCR Chinook salmon, LCR coho salmon, LCR steelhead, and 
CR chum salmon in order to identify fish-bearing streams on WA DNR land 
in Southwest Washington. Most streams are typed as fish or non-fish 
bearing based on the physical characteristics of average width and 
gradient, and connectivity to established fish-bearing waters. This 
activity will occur on WA DNR land in Lewis, Pacific, Grays Harbor, 
Wahkiakum, Clark, Cowlitz, Skamania, and Klickitat counties in the 
state of Washington.
    Juveniles would be collected via backpack electrofishing, and would 
be captured, handled (weighed, measured, and checked for marks or 
tags), and released. The captured fish would be identified and released 
back to the waters from which they came. In some cases, the researchers 
may not actually capture any fish but would merely note their presence, 
however electrofishing where listed species are observed would still be 
reported as take. The researchers are not proposing to kill any of the 
listed fish being taken, but a small number may be killed as an 
inadvertent result of these activities. The information gathered would 
be used to determine salmonid presence and distribution and thereby 
inform land management decisions on WA DNR holdings. This information 
would benefit listed species by helping WDNR identify existing man-made 
fish barriers, and ensuring fish-bearing streams receive adequate 
riparian buffers.

Permit 1523-5R

    Under permit 1523-5R, the National Council for Air and Stream 
Improvements (NCASI) is seeking to renew for 5 years a permit that 
would authorize them to continue taking juvenile and adult UWR Chinook 
salmon in order to study water quality and biological conditions in 
rivers receiving paper and pulp mill discharges from their facilities. 
This work would take place in the upper Willamette and McKenzie Rivers 
in Oregon.
    Adult and juvenile fish would be collected via backpack 
electrofishing or boat electrofishing. Juvenile and adult fish may be 
captured, handled (weighed, measured, and checked for marks or tags), 
and released. In some cases, the researchers may not actually capture 
any fish but would merely note their presence, however electrofishing 
where listed species are observed would still be reported as take. The 
researchers are not proposing to kill any of the listed fish being 
captured, but a small number of fish may be killed as an inadvertent 
result of these activities.
    The goal of the project is to identify changes in physical, 
chemical, and biological conditions in discharge watersheds, including 
biological assessments of periphyton, macroinvertebrate, and resident 
fish communities. Monitoring natural variability as well as changes 
resulting from pulp and paper mill discharges will allow researchers to 
identify where key sources of fish stress from impaired water quality 
are in the context of the larger watershed, and to rank the magnitude 
of those stressors. This study focuses on resident fish rather than 
migratory species such as ESA-listed salmon and steelhead, however, we 
expect that identifying areas with impaired water quality or habitat 
will benefit recovery planning for listed as well.

Permit 15205-5R

    Under permit 15205-5R, Kwi[aacute]ht the (Center for the Historical 
Ecology of the Salish Sea) is seeking to renew for 5 years a permit 
that would authorize them to continue taking juvenile PS Chinook salmon 
in order to understand long term changes in the food web that supports 
Salish Sea Chinook salmon populations. This work would take place on 
Lopez Island, Waldron Island, and Decatur Island in San Juan County, 
Washington.
    Juveniles would be collected via beach seine. Juvenile fish 
identified as hatchery-origin would be captured, and may be handled 
(measured, weighed, and checked for marks or tags) prior to release. 
Captured natural-origin juveniles would be anesthetized, checked for 
marks and tags, lavaged for stomach contents, and tissue sampled prior 
to release. Scales shed during handling would also be retained. The 
researchers are not proposing to kill any of the listed fish being 
captured, but a small number of fish may be killed as an inadvertent 
result of these activities.
    The purpose of this work is to characterize the food web supporting 
rearing juvenile Chinook salmon in the nearshore habitats of the San 
Juan Islands, and is expected to benefit ESA-listed PS Chinook salmon 
by identifying factors that may be limiting the growth and survival of 
outmigrating juveniles. A regime shift in regional weather patterns 
starting in 2014-2015 may have de-synchronized the relationship between 
outmigrating juvenile Chinook salmon and availability of prey, and this 
work aims to evaluate whether naturally-produced Chinook salmon can 
adapt to changes in key prey resources.

Permit 15230-4R

    Under permit 15230-4R, the West Fork Environmental, Inc. is seeking 
to renew for 5 years a permit that would authorize them to continue 
taking juvenile PS Chinook salmon and PS steelhead in order to better 
understand the seasonal use of various reaches of the Tolt River by 
juvenile summer steelhead prior to their outmigration as smolts. These 
activities would take place in King County, Washington.
    Juveniles would be collected via backpack electrofishing and hook 
and line angling. Juvenile Chinook salmon would be captured, handled 
(weighed, measured, checked for marks and tags), and released. Captured 
juvenile steelhead would be anesthetized, tissue sampled and PIT-tagged 
prior to release. A subset of steelhead will also have scale samples 
collected. The researchers are not proposing to kill any of the

[[Page 64882]]

listed fish being captured, but a small number of fish may be killed as 
an inadvertent result of these activities.
    The purpose of this study is to understand the reach-specific 
characteristics of juvenile summer steelhead rearing in the Tolt River 
across seasons, including information about timing of movement, size at 
age, and growth of juvenile steelhead in the upper reach. This work 
will also provide a better understanding of juvenile and adult summer 
steelhead movement across seasons, and the relative contribution of 
hatchery-origin fish to the summer steelhead population. This work is 
expected to benefit ESA-listed PS steelhead by informing managers about 
factors that may be limiting steelhead production within the Tolt River 
basin.

Permit 16298-5R

    Under permit 16298-5R, the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Fisheries 
Department is seeking to renew for 5 years a permit that would 
authorize them to continue taking adult SnkR spring/summer-run Chinook 
salmon and SnkR Basin steelhead in order to measure adult and juvenile 
Chinook salmon abundance and other salmon population viability 
parameters in Bear Valley Creek, Idaho.
    Juveniles would be collected via screw trap, and the majority would 
be captured, handled (weighed, measured, and checked for marks and 
tags), and released. A subsample of captured juveniles would be 
anesthetized, tissue sampled, PIT-tagged, and may also have scale 
samples collected prior to release. Adults would be observed via a 
temporary fish counting station comprising a fish funneling weir, fish 
counting chamber, video surveillance system, and PIT tag antenna. 
Spawning ground surveys and creel surveys would also be conducted to 
enumerate spawning adults. No adult capture, handling, sampling, or 
tagging is proposed, but fish may be unintentionally injured or killed 
if impinged on or entangled in the weir. The researchers are not 
proposing to kill any of the listed fish being captured, but a small 
number of fish may be killed as an inadvertent result of these 
activities.
    The purpose of this work is to continue maintaining a long-term 
dataset for Chinook salmon in Bear Valley Creek that includes 
information on abundance, productivity, spatial structure, run-timing, 
proportion of hatchery-origin contribution to the population, and 
genetic diversity. This work is expected to benefit ESA-listed SnkR 
Chinook salmon and steelhead by assisting fishery resource managers in 
identifying key factors that are preventing recovery in this basin.

Permit 17062-7R

    Under permit 17062-7R, the NMFS Northwest Fisheries Science Center 
(NWFSC) is seeking to renew a permit that would authorize them to 
continue taking juvenile and adult PS Chinook salmon, PS steelhead, PS/
Georgia Basin DPS bocaccio, PS/Georgia Basin DPS yelloweye rockfish, 
HCS chum salmon, and adult Southern DPS eulachon in order to collect 
demographic information and genetic samples from rockfish in Puget 
Sound. This work would take place across the main basins of Puget 
Sound, Hood Canal, and the San Juan Islands and other coastal areas in 
northern Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca in the state of 
Washington.
    Juveniles would be collected via minnow trap, moored mesh bags, 
hand or dip nets, and hook and line angling. Any Chinook salmon, 
steelhead, or chum collected would be handled (weighed, measured, 
checked for marks and tags) and released. Adult eulachon may also be 
unintentionally captured via these methods and would be released. 
Juvenile rockfish would be intentionally lethally sacrificed for 
genetic, tissue, and otolith analysis, and a small number may be from 
ESA-listed bocaccio or yelloweye rockfish DPSs. Adult salmon, 
steelhead, and rockfish would be collected via hook and line angling. 
Adult salmon and steelhead would be released without bringing them on 
board research vessels. Adult rockfish would be handled (weighed, 
measured, checked for marks and tags), tissue sampled, and floy-tagged 
prior to release at depth using a rapid descending device. The 
researchers are proposing to kill a small number of listed juvenile 
rockfish, and a small number of additional juvenile and adult fish may 
be killed as an inadvertent result of these activities.
    The goal of this work is to collect biological, genetic, 
physiological and habitat information to evaluate bocaccio DPS 
structure and investigate how rocky reef, kelp forest, and eelgrass 
habitat characteristics affect the relative quality of these areas as 
nursery habitat for rockfishes in Puget Sound. This work is expected to 
benefit ESA-listed rockfish by providing more information on the 
structure of the endangered bocaccio DPS, and on juvenile rearing 
habitat quality and trophic relationships of rockfish relevant to 
managing yelloweye rockfish and bocaccio for recovery.
    This study falls within the scope of the NWFSC research program 
that we previously analyzed in Biological Opinion WCRO-2023-01601. In 
that opinion, we concluded that the NWFSC research program would not 
jeopardize the continued existence of any ESA-listed species or destroy 
or adversely modify their critical habitats. In reaching our 
conclusion, we also considered activities related to permitting or 
authorizing individual studies under that research program for up to 10 
years. Therefore, neither this study nor subsequently issuing a section 
10(a)(1)(A) permit requires further consultation under the ESA.

Permit 17761-3R

    Under permit 17761-3R, the East Bay Municipal Utility District is 
seeking to renew a permit that would authorize them to take adult and 
juvenile CCV steelhead in order to conduct monitoring and research of 
anadromous and resident fishes in the lower Mokelumne River. This work 
would take place in the San Joaquin Valley, in California.
    Juveniles would be collected via backpack electrofishing, boat 
electrofishing, hook and line angling, beach seine, incline plane trap, 
screw trap, fish ladder, fyke trap, bypass trap, snorkel survey, and 
midwater trawl. All juvenile steelhead captured would be handled 
(weighed, measured, checked for marks and tags), and may be 
anesthetized as needed to collect accurate measurements, prior to 
release. A subsample of captured juveniles would be anesthetized, 
tissue sampled, and may be marked with photonic dye, elastomer tags, 
coded-wire tags, PIT-tags, acoustic tags, or floy tags prior to 
release. A subset of captured juvenile steelhead would also be gastric 
lavaged for stomach contents. A batch of hatchery-reared juvenile 
steelhead may also be implanted with acoustic tags prior to release.
    Adults would be collected via fish weir, boat electrofishing, fish 
ladder, hook and line angling, incline plane trap, screw trap, fyke 
trap, and midwater trawl. Adults would be captured, handled 
(anesthetized, weighed, measured, and checked for marks or tags), and 
released. A subsample of captured adults would be anesthetized, tissue 
sampled and may be marked with photonic dye, elastomer tags, coded-wire 
tags, PIT-tags, acoustic tags, or floy tags prior to release. A subset 
of captured adult steelhead would also be gastric lavaged for stomach 
contents. Spawned adults or post-spawn carcasses would be enumerated 
via spawning surveys. Juvenile and adult fish would also be observed 
during snorkel surveys and video monitoring in the fish ladder. The

[[Page 64883]]

researchers are not proposing to kill any of the listed fish being 
captured, but a small number of fish may be killed as an inadvertent 
result of these activities.
    The goals of this project are to measure the success of the Lower 
Mokelumne River Restoration Program and determine if the modifications 
of the Lower Mokelumne River Project are appropriate for conserving 
fish and wildlife resources in the lower Mokelumne River. This project 
is expected to benefit ESA-listed species by providing scientific data 
to the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA) Comprehensive 
Assessment and Monitoring Program (CAMP) to evaluate the relative 
effectiveness of CVPIA actions in restoring anadromous fish production.

Permit 18852-3R

    Under permit 18852-3R, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) 
Mid-Columbia Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office is seeking to renew 
for 5 years a permit that would authorize them to continue taking 
juvenile and adult UCR spring-run Chinook salmon, UCR steelhead, and 
MCR steelhead in order to define the distribution and status of Pacific 
Lamprey, Bull Trout, and other native fish species. This work would 
take place in the Yakima, Wenatchee, Entiat, Methow, and Okanogan 
watersheds in the state of Washington.
    Juveniles would be collected via backpack electrofishing, hand or 
dip net, fish ladders and weirs, minnow traps, and fyke nets. Most 
juvenile Chinook salmon and steelhead would not be targeted and, if 
captured, would be handled and immediately released. A subsample of 
captured juveniles may be anesthetized to identify species, obtain 
weights and measurements, and scanned for PIT tags before being 
released. Juvenile MCR steelhead trout captured in the Yakima Basin may 
be PIT-tagged and tissue sampled as well. Adults would be collected at 
dams and other structures and in traps, and may be caught by hook and 
line angling. Adult Chinook salmon or steelhead would be captured, 
handled (anesthetized, weighed, measured, and checked for marks or 
tags), and released, and may be anesthetized to identify species, 
obtain weights and measurements, and scanned for PIT tags before being 
allowed to recover and released. Spawned adults or post-spawn carcasses 
would be enumurated via spawning surveys. Juvenile and adult fish would 
also be observed during snorkel surveys. The researchers are not 
proposing to kill any of the listed fish being captured, but a small 
number of fish may be killed as an inadvertent result of these 
activities.
    The purpose of this project is to assess recovery actions including 
capture and transport of Bull Trout to upstream of barriers, assessing 
fish utilization of restored habitat, and assessing Pacific Lamprey 
passage at existing structures and at lamprey-passage-engineered 
structures. This work is expected to benefit ESA-listed fish under the 
jurisdiction of the USFWS, and also provide information on passage 
barriers and habitat use relevant to managing listed Chinook salmon and 
steelhead in the UCR and MCR.

Permit 18921-3R

    Under permit 18921-3R, the Samish Indian Nation is seeking to renew 
a permit that would authorize them to continue taking juvenile PS 
Chinook salmon and PS steelhead, and adult southern DPS eulachon in 
order to monitor the presence of fish species within and around the 
Cypress Island Secret Harbor restoration site. This work would take 
place on Cypress Island in Skagit County, Washington.
    Juvenile PS Chinook salmon and steelhead and adult eulachon would 
be collected via beach seine. Captured fish would be handled (weighed, 
measured, and checked for marks or tags), and released. The researchers 
are not proposing to kill any of the listed fish being captured, but a 
small number of fish may be killed as an inadvertent result of these 
activities.
    The purpose of this work is to assess the effectiveness of the 
Cypress Island Secret Harbor restoration project over 10 years after it 
was completed; particularly forage fish and salmonid habitat use within 
the site. Effective restoration at this site is expected to increase 
the amount of high quality estuarine habitat available to rearing PS 
Chinook salmon and steelhead juveniles, and this monitoring will 
provide managers information about whether the intended benefit has 
been realized.

Permit 19263-3R

    Under permit 19263-3R, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) 
is seeking to renew for 5 years a permit that would authorize them to 
continue taking juvenile SnkR spring/summer-run Chinook salmon, SnkR 
Basin steelhead, and SnkR sockeye salmon in order to determine the 
distribution and abundance of various fish species in the Salmon River 
basin. This work would take place throughout the Salmon River basin in 
Idaho.
    Juveniles would be collected via boat electrofishing. Juveniles of 
all three ESA-listed species may be anesthetized during capture and 
handling, however any SnkR sockeye juveniles will be released without 
tagging. A subsample of captured juvenile Chinook salmon and steelhead 
may be anesthetized, tissue sampled and PIT-tagged prior to release. In 
some cases, the researchers may not actually capture any fish but would 
merely note their presence, however electrofishing where listed species 
are observed would still be reported as take. The researchers are not 
proposing to kill any of the listed fish being captured, but a small 
number of fish may be killed as an inadvertent result of these 
activities.
    The purpose of this project is to address various IDFG priority 
fisheries management and research issues relevant to their mandates, 
and to evaluate completed habitat restoration activities and prioritize 
future restoration actions. Both ESA-listed and resident fish are 
expected to benefit from research that will help inform decisions about 
how and where to protect and improve habitat conditions throughout the 
upper Salmon River basin.

Permit 22944-2R

    Under permit 22944-2R, the NMFS NWFSC is seeking to renew a permit 
that would authorize them to continue taking juvenile UCR spring-run 
Chinook salmon, UCR steelhead, MCR steelhead, SnkR spring/summer-run 
Chinook salmon, SnkR fall-run Chinook salmon, SnkR Basin steelhead, 
SnkR sockeye salmon, LCR Chinook salmon, LCR coho salmon, LCR 
steelhead, CR chum salmon, Upper Willamette River Chinook salmon, and 
Upper Willamette River steelhead in order to document patterns of 
habitat occurrence, diet, and health indicators in juvenile salmon and 
steelhead in the Lower Columbia River. This work would take place in 
nearshore areas of the Lower Columbia River in Washington and Oregon, 
and in the Lower Willamette River in Oregon.
    Juvenile salmon and steelhead would be collected via beach seine. 
Juvenile fish would be captured, handled (weighed, measured, and 
checked for marks and tags), and may be anesthetized to obtain 
measurements prior to release. A subsample of captured Chinook salmon 
juveniles would be anesthetized and further tissue sampled and PIT-
tagged prior to release, and a small number would also be intentionally 
lethally sacrificed to determine their lipid content, conduct otolith 
analysis for health and growth assessment, do stomach content diet 
analyses, and take tissue samples for genetic stock identification. The

[[Page 64884]]

researchers are proposing to kill a small number of listed fish, and a 
small number of fish may also be killed as an inadvertent result of 
these activities.
    The objectives of the study are to better understand how juvenile 
salmonids utilize tidal freshwater habitats in the Columbia, to assess 
the quality of representative habitats in the lower river, to provide 
baseline data to guide habitat restoration and remediation activities, 
and to monitor the success of such activities at selected sites. The 
study is expected to benefit ESA-listed fish species by providing 
relevant information on (a) how habitat degradation may be affecting 
listed stocks that migrate through the Lower Columbia River and (b) 
what steps that can be taken to improve habitat quality.
    This study falls within the scope of the NWFSC research program 
that we previously analyzed in Biological Opinion WCRO-2023-01601. In 
that opinion, we concluded that the NWFSC research program would not 
jeopardize the continued existence of any ESA-listed species or destroy 
or adversely modify their critical habitats. In reaching our 
conclusion, we also considered activities related to permitting or 
authorizing individual studies under that research program for up to 10 
years. Therefore, neither this study nor subsequently issuing a section 
10(a)(1)(A) permit requires further consultation under the ESA.

Permit 23629-2R

    Under permit 23629-2R, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is seeking 
to renew for 5 years a permit that would authorize them to continue 
taking adult UWR Chinook salmon and SONCC coho salmon in order to 
evaluate contaminant exposure, bioaccumulation, and effects in aquatic 
ecosystems and aquatic-dependent wildlife by assessing a wide range of 
contaminants (e.g., mercury, lead, copper, selenium, pesticides, 
organochlorines, PDBEs, and other emerging contaminants) in various 
fish and inland aquatic invertebrate species over a range of habitats 
and locations. This work would take place in the Willamette and Rogue 
River basins in the state of Oregon.
    Juvenile and adult salmon would be collected via backpack 
electrofishing, boat electrofishing, hook and line angling, gill net, 
beach seine, and minnow trap. This contaminant study targets resident 
fish species and does not target ESA-listed salmon and steelhead, 
therefore listed fish would be captured, handled (weighed, measured, 
and checked for marks or tags), and swiftly released. In some cases, 
the researchers may not actually capture any fish but would merely note 
their presence, however electrofishing where listed species are 
observed would still be reported as take. The researchers are not 
proposing to kill any of the listed fish being captured, but a small 
number of fish may be killed as an inadvertent result of these 
activities.
    The purpose of this work is to evaluate contaminant risks in 
aquatic ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest and assess the factors that 
influence contaminant exposure and effects in aquatic wildlife. This 
work is expected to benefit ESA-listed salmon by providing greater 
understanding on where and why contaminant threats exist, what impacts 
they may have on ecological function, and how management efforts can be 
targeted to minimize potential risk and thereby help recovery planning 
for these species.

Permit 23843-2R

    Under permit 23843-2R the Skagit River System Cooperative is 
seeking to renew a permit that would authorize them to take juvenile PS 
Chinook salmon and PS steelhead in order to measure changes in fish 
densities, smolt production, and habitat attributable to restoration 
activities to continue the assessment of restoration efforts within the 
Skagit River and its floodplain. This work will take place in multiple 
locations across the Skagit River Basin in the State of Washington.
    Juveniles PS Chinook salmon and steelhead would be collected via 
weir, backpack electrofishing, boat electrofishing, or beach seining. 
Juvenile fish would be captured, handled (weighed, measured, and 
checked for marks or tags), and released. A subsample of captured 
juveniles would marked with a caudal fin clip or dye prior to release. 
In some cases, the researchers may not actually capture any fish but 
would merely note their presence, however electrofishing where listed 
species are observed would still be reported as take. Spawning adults 
or post-spawn carcasses would be enumurated via spawning surveys. 
Juvenile and adult fish would also be observed during snorkel surveys. 
The researchers are not proposing to kill any of the listed fish being 
captured, but a small number of fish may be killed as an inadvertent 
result of these activities.
    The goals of this project are to conduct traditional restoration 
effectiveness monitoring following restoration projects in the Skagit 
River Basin, and also contribute to development of a fish and habitat 
association model to inform restoration design. This work is expected 
to benefit ESA-listed fish by informing adaptive management of one 
restoration site specifically (Barnaby Slough) to increase the 
likelihood it will provide the expected habitat benefits for PS Chinook 
salmon and steelhead, and more broadly, improved fish and habitat 
association models that incorporate hydrodynamics will inform future 
restoration design.

Permit 26776

    Under permit 26776, Anchor QEA is seeking a new permit that would 
authorize them to take juvenile PS Chinook salmon and PS steelhead in 
order to conduct stream typing and evaluate culverts as potential 
barriers to fish passage in support of Pierce County. This work would 
be conducted in locations across Pierce County, Washington.
    Juvenile PS Chinook salmon and steelhead would be collected via 
hand or dip netting and backpack electrofishing. Captured fish would be 
handled (weighed, measured, and checked for marks or tags) prior to 
release. In some cases, the researchers may not actually capture any 
fish but would merely note their presence, however electrofishing where 
listed species are observed would still be reported as take. The 
researchers will only deploy electrofishing if attempts to visually 
observe and identify fish from the bank and to sample fish by dip nets 
are unsuccessful. The researchers are not proposing to kill any of the 
listed fish being captured, but a small number of fish may be killed as 
an inadvertent result of these activities.
    The purpose of this work is to confirm the upper extent of fish 
presence in potentially fish-bearing streams, and support the 
prioritization of fish passage structures to establish access to 
suitable habitat in the upstream extent of fish-bearing habitat. This 
work is expected to benefit ESA-listed species by informing the 
planning of restoration and enhancement efforts to improve salmonid 
habitat, and salmonid access upstream of anthropogenic barriers in 
Pierce County.

Permit 27091-2M

    Under permit 27091-2M, the Port of Seattle is seeking to modify a 
permit that would authorize them to take additional juvenile PS Chinook 
salmon and PS steelhead in order to assess juvenile salmonid habitat 
use and the presence of key invertebrate prey resources in the Lower 
Duwamish Waterway T-117 restoration site. This work would be conducted 
solely within the Lower Duwamish River in King County, Washington.

[[Page 64885]]

    Juveniles would be collected via fyke net. Juvenile salmon and 
steelhead would be anesthetized, tissue sampled and PIT-tagged prior to 
release. The researchers are not proposing to kill any of the listed 
fish being captured, but a small number of fish may be killed as an 
inadvertent result of these activities.
    The purpose of this project is to characterize salmonid use of the 
restoration site during individual tidal cycles and monitor the 
physical and biological characteristics of the site to measure whether 
the restoration project is meeting its stated objectives. The 
restoration of the T-117 site is expected to benefit PS Chinook salmon 
and steelhead by increasing the area and functional value of riparian, 
estuarine marsh, exposed intertidal substrate, and shallow subtidal 
habitats used by salmonids, and this monitoring work will increase the 
likelihood the restoration will be managed to provide the expected 
habitat benefits.

Permit 27824

    Under permit 27824, the USGS is seeking a new permit that would 
authorize them to take juvenile SacR winter-run Chinook salmon in order 
to conduct egg incubation studies and mark-recapture monitoring 
programs to address juvenile production of winter-run Chinook salmon. 
This work will be conducted in Battle Creek and the Sacramento River 
below Shasta Dam, in the California Central Valley.
    Juveniles would be collected via screw traps, and captured 
juveniles would be anesthetized, tissue sampled and PIT-tagged prior to 
release. Released juveniles may be recaptured using beach seines or 
backpack electrofishing, and handled (weighed, measured, checked for 
marks and tags) prior to release. Fertilized eggs from Livingston Stone 
National Fish Hatchery would be placed in egg boxes and set in 
designated redd locations along the Sacramento River. The egg boxes 
would be enclosed in mesh and visually observed from fertilization 
through emergence, and surviving alevins or fry will be released into 
the Sacramento River. The researchers are not proposing to kill any of 
the listed fish being captured, but a small number of fish may be 
killed as an inadvertent result of these activities.
    The purpose of this project is to estimate tributary-level 
survival, somatic growth, and movement patterns of Chinook salmon, 
focusing on winter-run eggs and juveniles. These studies will help 
characterize influences of environmental conditions on salmon 
productivity, and are expected to benefit SacR winter-run Chinook 
salmon by addressing important data gaps for managers and informing 
habitat restoration efforts.

Permit 28055

    Under permit 28055 the Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District 
(GRCD) is seeking a new permit that would authorize them to take 
juvenile and adult CC Chinook salmon, CCC coho salmon, and CCC 
steelhead in order to document the status and trends of salmonid 
populations in watersheds of the Sonoma Coast. This work will be 
conducted in the Bodega Bay and Russian River basins in coastal 
California.
    Juveniles would be collected via backpack electrofishing, hook and 
line angling, hand or dip net, beach seine, minnow trap, and funnel or 
pipe trap. Juvenile fish would be captured, handled (anesthetized, 
weighed, measured, and checked for marks or tags), and released. A 
subsample of captured juveniles would also be tissue sampled and PIT-
tagged prior to release. Adults are not being targeted during this 
work, but some may be unintentionally collected via funnel or pipe trap 
or encountered during electrofishing. Captured adults would be handled 
(weighed, measured, and checked for marks or tags), and released. 
Spawned adults or post-spawn carcasses would be enumerated via spawning 
surveys, and tissues may be collected from carcasses encountered during 
spawning surveys. Adult and juvenile fish would be observed during 
snorkel surveys. The researchers are not proposing to kill any of the 
listed fish being captured, but a small number of fish may be killed as 
an inadvertent result of these activities.
    The goals of the restoration projects conducted by the GRCD are 
collectively to improve watershed health and resiliency for the benefit 
of salmonids, and these studies are intended to improve understanding 
of restoration needs by addressing information gaps about the current 
status of salmonid species in the targeted watersheds. This work is 
expected to benefit ESA-listed salmon and steelhead by providing 
information on the status and trends of their populations, and their 
contributions to broader ESUs, which can be used to better inform ESA-
listed species management and restoration efforts.

Permit 28158

    Under permit 28158 the Northwest Straits Foundation is seeking a 
new permit that would authorize them to take juvenile PS Chinook salmon 
and PS steelhead and adult southern DPS eulachon in order to evaluate 
the impact of shoreline armoring removal, beach nourishment, vegetation 
enhancement and toxic cleanup restoration efforts on nearshore fish 
habitat use. This work would take place in Bowman Bay, Cornet Bay, and 
Fidalgo Bay in Skagit County and Island County in the state of 
Washington.
    Juvenile salmon and steelhead and adult eulachon would be collected 
via beach seining. Fish would be captured, handled (identified, 
weighed, measured, and checked for marks or tags), and released. The 
researchers are not proposing to kill any of the listed fish being 
captured, but a small number of fish may be killed as an inadvertent 
result of these activities.
    The purpose of the restoration projects managed by the Northwest 
Straits Foundation is to restore and enhance habitat for nearshore 
wildlife, including migrating salmon and their prey species. These 
restoration efforts are expected to benefit rearing PS Chinook and 
steelhead, and this pre- and post-construction monitoring work will 
increase the likelihood the restoration projects will be designed and 
managed to provide the expected habitat benefits.

Permit 28199

    Under permit 28199 the California State Polytechnic University 
Humboldt (Cal Poly Humboldt) is seeking a new permit that would 
authorize them to take adult SONCC coho salmon, NC steelhead, CC 
Chinook salmon, and SDPS green sturgeon in order to assess the 
presence, distribution, migration, habitat preferences, and movement 
patterns of sub-adult and adult green sturgeon. This work would take 
place in Humboldt Bay, Arcata Bay, Mad River Slough and Mad River 
Estuary in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, in California.
    Adults of all fish species would be collected via hook and line 
angling. This study is not targeting salmon or steelhead, so any CCC 
coho salmon, CC Chinook salmon, or NC steelhead captured would be 
immediately released. Captured adult green sturgeon would be handled 
(weighed, measured, and checked for marks or tags), tissue sampled and 
tagged with pop-up satellite archival tags prior to release. Adults 
would also be visually observed through vessel surveys and aerial 
surveys, including the use of cameras attached to aerial drones. The 
researchers are not proposing to kill any of the listed fish being 
captured, and do not anticipate any will be killed as an inadvertent 
result of these activities.
    The purpose of this study is to assess the presence, distribution, 
and migration patterns of sub-adult and

[[Page 64886]]

adult SDPS green sturgeon in Humboldt and Del Norte County, describe 
the habitat preferences, identify potential congregation sites, and 
evaluate individual movement patterns and their correlation with 
environmental variables. This work is expected to benefit ESA-listed 
SDPS green sturgeon by addressing current data gaps about distribution 
and habitat use, providing managers information necessary to evaluate 
how the species may be affected by future actions that would impact 
these bay and estuary habitats.

Permit 28292

    Under permit 28292, the City of Portland is seeking a permit that 
would authorize them to take adult LCR Chinook salmon, LCR coho salmon, 
LCR steelhead, UWR Chinook salmon, and UWR steelhead while conducting a 
study to determine the levels of contamination in resident fish tissue 
and to continue documenting how tissue contamination levels are 
changing over the long term in the Columbia Slough. This work will be 
conducted within the lower Willamette River in Multnomah County, 
Oregon.
    Juveniles and adults may be collected via boat electrofishing, and 
would be captured, handled, and released. ESA-listed fish are not being 
targeted for this study, but some may be unintentionally captured while 
targeting resident fish. In some cases, the researchers may not 
actually capture any fish but would merely note their presence, however 
electrofishing where listed species are observed would still be 
reported as take. The researchers are not proposing to kill any listed 
fish, but a small number of fish may be killed as an inadvertent result 
of these activities.
    The purpose of this work is to assess whether or not upland source 
control actions are reducing toxic loads in fish tissue over time. This 
study is expected to benefit ESA-listed salmon and steelhead by 
providing data that will guide programmatic and risk management 
decisions in contaminated urban waterways and thereby reduce 
contaminant exposure and uptake in resident and migrating fish in the 
lower Willamette River over time.
    This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA. NMFS 
will evaluate the applications, associated documents, and comments 
submitted to determine whether the applications meet 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. NMFS will publish notice of its final action in the Federal 
Register.

     Dated: August 1, 2024.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-17410 Filed 8-7-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P