Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 158 / Tuesday, August 18, 2009 / Notices 41677 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XQ97 

Endangered and Threatened Species; 

Take of Anadromous Fish 

AGENCY: NOAA’s National Marine 

Fisheries Service (NMFS), National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA), U. S. 

Department of Commerce. 

ACTION: Issuance of an enhancement 

permit. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

NMFS has issued Permit 14159 to 

NMFS Protected Resource Division 

(PRD) in Long Beach, CA. 

ADDRESSES: The permit application, the 

permit, and related documents are 

available for review, by appointment, at 

the foregoing address at: Protected 

Resources Division, NMFS, 501 W. 

Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, 

CA 90802 (ph: 562–980–4026, fax: 562– 

980–4027, e-mail at: 

Matthew.McGoogan@noaa.gov).. The 

permit application is also available for 

review online at the Authorizations and 

Permits for Protected Species website at 

https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matt 

McGoogan at 562–980–4026, or e-mail: 

Matthew.McGoogan@noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Authority 

The issuance of permits, as required 

by the Endangered Species Act of 1973 

(16 U.S.C. 1531–1543) (ESA), is based 

on a finding that such permits/ 

modifications: (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. Authority to take listed species is 

subject to conditions set forth in the 

permits. Permits and modifications are 

issued in accordance with and are 

subject to the ESA and NMFS 

regulations (50 CFR parts 222–226) 

governing listed fish and wildlife 

permits. 

Species Covered in This Notice 

This notice is relevant to federally 

endangered Southern California Distinct 

Population Segment of steelhead 

(Oncorhynchus mykiss). 

Permits Issued 

A notice of the receipt of an 

application for Permit 14159 was 

published in the Federal Register on 

March 26, 2009 (74 FR 13192). Permit 

14159 was issued to NMFS PRD on June 

11, 2009. Permit 14159 authorizes 

NMFS PRD to conduct and oversee 

steelhead rescue activities for the 

endangered steelhead in coastal streams 

from the Santa Maria River south to the 

Mexican border. The purpose of this 

permit is for the enhancement of 

survival of endangered steelhead. 

Criteria are defined in the permit 

application to provide an objective 

biological basis for determining whether 

a steelhead rescue is reasonable and 

necessary to enhance the population. 

These criteria include instream 

characteristics and conditions within 

the affected area, the cause for any 

observed or projected streamflow 

decreases or dewatering, the availability 

of suitable instream areas to safely 

harbor the rescued steelhead (i.e., 

relocation areas), and the abundance of 

steelhead within the affected area. The 

permit will be applicable only in the 

following situations: when a rapid 

response is crucial to steelhead survival, 

and when mortality of steelhead, if not 

rescued and relocated, is reasonably 

certain; and, when take authorization 

has not been granted, or is not expected, 

under Section 7 or Section 10 of the 

ESA. The permit application further 

defines criteria to increase the 

likelihood that the permit will not be 

misused. 

NMFS’ specific responsibilities under 

the rescue and relocation activities 

involves: (1) serving as the permit 

holder, principal investigator, and the 

primary contact, (2) designating and 

collaborating with the California 

Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) as 

a co-investigator, (3) determining the 

need for a steelhead rescue and 

relocation, and (4) providing written 

authorization for undertaking steelhead 

rescue and relocation. NMFS will retain 

discretion as principal investigator 

under the permit for determining, either 

individually or in collaboration with 

CDFG, whether a steelhead rescue and 

relocation are warranted using the 

established rescue criteria. 

With regard to authorizing steelhead 

rescue and relocation, the permit grants 

NMFS the authority to legally allow its 

own qualified biologists or those of the 

CDFG to conduct and oversee 

operations to capture and relocate 

steelhead when an imminent threat to 

the survival of individuals exists and 

when the rescue criteria are met. Once 

the determination has been made that a 

steelhead rescue is needed, NMFS will 

coordinate the rescue and relocation 

operation with its own biologists and 

(or) those of the CDFG. NMFS and 

CDFG biologists listed on the permit 

may enlist help of other qualified 

individuals to participate in steelhead 

rescue operations. However, at least one 

NMFS or CDFG biologist listed on the 

permit must be present at all times 

during rescue operations (i.e., persons 

not listed on the permit cannot conduct 

fish rescue activities without a 

permitted NMFS or CDFG 

representative present). 

Permit 14159 authorizes NMFS PRD 

an annual non-lethal take of up to 2000 

juvenile steelhead and 100 adult 

steelhead. The permit also authorizes an 

annual collection and possession of up 

to 100 steelhead tissue samples as well 

as permission to recover up to 20 

carcasses per year (if found). All 

samples and carcasses will be sent to 

NMFS science center for genetic 

research and possessing. No intentional 

lethal take has been authorized for this 

permit. The authorized unintentional 

lethal take (mortalities) that may occur 

during rescue activities is up to100 

juvenile steelhead per year. Permit 

14159 expires on December 31, 2019. 

Dated: August 12, 2009. 

Therese Conant, 

Acting Division Chief, Endangered Species 

Division Chief, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–19772 Filed 8–17–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

International Trade Administration 

Energy Efficiency Trade Mission to 

India (November 16–20, 2009) 

AGENCY: Department of Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice. 

Mission Description 

Ro Khanna, Deputy Assistant 

Secretary for Domestic Operations, U.S. 

and Foreign Commercial Service, will 

lead an Energy Efficiency Trade Mission 

to India, November 16–20, 2009. 

Organized by the United States 

Department of Commerce, International 

Trade Administration, U.S. and Foreign 

Commercial Service (CS), in partnership 

with the U.S. Department of Energy 

(DOE) and U.S. Agency for International 

Development (USAID), the mission will 

introduce U.S. manufacturers of energy 

efficient products and technologies to 

opportunities in the Indian market. 

Delegation members will participate in 

a major DOE and USAID event called 

‘‘U.S.-India Energy Efficiency 

Technology Cooperation Conference’’ in 

New Delhi. The mission will include 

appointments, briefings and site visits 

in New Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai, 


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