50448 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 157 / Monday, August 15, 2011 / Proposed Rules 

status assessment, and additional 

information concerning these species 

are available on the Southwest Region’s 

Web site: http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/. 

With regard to the salmon and 

steelhead species subject to this notice 

of availability, we evaluated information 

that has become available on the species 

since they were previously reviewed in 

2005 (70 FR 37160) and 2006 (71 FR 

834), respectively. After considering the 

best available information, our 5-year 

reviews recommend that each of these 

species should remain listed as 

determined in 2005 and 2006. Our 

reviews also recommend that the 

southern boundaries of two species 

(California Coastal Chinook salmon and 

Central California Coast coho salmon 

ESUs) should be extended. Finally, our 

reviews also recommend that six 

hatchery stocks should be removed from 

the California Coastal Chinook salmon 

ESU based on information 

demonstrating the hatchery programs 

propagating these stocks have been 

terminated since the last status review. 

In furtherance of these 

recommendations, we have already 

proposed to change the southern 

boundary of Central California Coast 

coho salmon (76 FR 6383). We will 

consider proposing the adjustment of 

the species boundary and hatchery 

status for California Coastal Chinook 

salmon in a separate rulemaking. We 

conclude that these 5-year reviews meet 

the requirements of the ESA. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq. 

Dated: August 8, 2011. 

Therese Conant, 

Deputy Chief, Endangered Species Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, National 

Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–20459 Filed 8–12–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Parts 223 and 224 

RIN 0648–XA535 

Endangered and Threatened Species; 

5-Year Reviews for 17 Evolutionarily 

Significant Units and Distinct 

Population Segments of Pacific 

Salmon and Steelhead 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of availability of 5-year 

reviews. 

SUMMARY: NMFS Northwest Region 

announces the availability of 5-year 

reviews for 11 evolutionarily significant 

units (ESUs) of Pacific salmon 

(Oncorhynchus sp.) and 6 distinct 

population segments (DPSs) of steelhead 

(Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Oregon, 

Washington, and Idaho as required by 

the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 

amended (ESA). The purpose of the 

reviews was to evaluate whether the 

listing classifications of these salmonids 

remains accurate or should be changed. 

After reviewing the best available 

scientific and commercial data, we 

conclude that the 11 ESUs of Pacific 

salmon and 6 DPSs of steelhead in 

Oregon, Washington, and Idaho shall 

remain listed as determined in 2005, 

2006, and 2007. 

ADDRESSES: Additional information 

about the 5-year reviews may be 

obtained by visiting the NMFS 

Northwest Regional Office Web site: 

http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/, or by writing 

to us at: NMFS Northwest Region, 1201 

Lloyd Blvd., Suite 1100, Portland, OR 

97232. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric 

Murray (503) 231–2378. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Under the ESA, a list of endangered 

and threatened wildlife and plant 

species must be maintained. The list is 

published at 50 CFR 17.11 and 50 CFR 

223.102 (for animals) and 17.12 (for 

plants). Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the ESA 

requires that we conduct a review of 

listed species at least once every 5 years. 

On the basis of such reviews under 

section 4(c)(2)(B), we determine 

whether any species should be removed 

from the list (delisted), or reclassified 

from endangered to threatened or from 

threatened to endangered. During 5-year 

reviews, we consider the best scientific 

and commercial data available, 

including new information that has 

become available since the last listing 

determination or most recent status 

review of a species. 

On March 18, 2010, the NMFS 

Northwest and Southwest Regional 

Offices announced initiation of 5-year 

reviews of Pacific salmon ESUs and 

steelhead DPSs (75 FR 13082). Both 

ESUs and DPSs are treated as ‘species’ 

under the ESA, and we use the term 

‘species’ to refer to both in the 

remainder of this notice. At the time of 

our announcement, we requested 

information on species viability, 

protective efforts, and threats to the 

species from the public, concerned 

governmental agencies, Tribes, the 

scientific community, environmental 

entities, and other interested parties. 

This notice addresses the following 

salmon species: (1) Upper Columbia 

River spring-run Chinook salmon; (2) 

Snake River spring/summer-run 

Chinook salmon; (3) Puget Sound 

Chinook salmon; (4) Lower Columbia 

River Chinook salmon; (5) Upper 

Willamette Chinook salmon; (6) Snake 

River fall-run Chinook salmon; (7) Hood 

Canal summer-run chum salmon; (8) 

Columbia River chum salmon; (9) Lower 

Columbia River coho salmon; (10) Snake 

River sockeye salmon; and (11) Ozette 

Lake sockeye salmon. We did not 

complete a 5-year review for the Oregon 

Coast coho salmon because, as part of a 

legal settlement, we previously agreed 

to conduct a new review of the status of 

this species. On June 20, 2011, we 

issued a final rule re-promulgating the 

threatened listing for Oregon Coast coho 

salmon (76 FR 35755). 

This notice also addresses the 

following steelhead species: (1) Upper 

Columbia River steelhead DPS; (2) 

Middle Columbia River steelhead DPS; 

(3) Snake River Basin steelhead DPS; (4) 

Lower Columbia River steelhead DPS; 

(5) Upper Willamette steelhead DPS; 

and (6) Puget Sound steelhead DPS. 

Information about these species can be 

found at our Northwest Regional Web 

site: http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/. 

We used a two-step process to 

complete the reviews of the listed 

salmonid species in Oregon, 

Washington, and Idaho. First, we asked 

scientists from our Northwest Fisheries 

Science Center to collect and analyze 

new information about species viability. 

To evaluate viability, our scientists 

apply the Viable Salmonid Population 

(VSP) concept. The VSP concept relies 

on evaluating four criteria—abundance, 

productivity, spatial structure, and 

diversity—to assess species viability. 

They also considered new genetic and 

biogeographic information regarding 

species’ boundaries. At the end of this 

process, the science team prepared a 

report detailing the results of their 

analyses. This report is available at our 

regional Web site. 

Salmon management biologists from 

our Northwest Regional Office 

completed the second step in the review 

process. These biologists, organized into 

geographically-based teams, reviewed 

new information related to the five ESA 

section 4(a)(1) factors, which we 

consider when determining if a species 

should be listed as threatened or 

endangered or be de-listed. These are: 

(1) The present or threatened 

destruction, modification, or 

curtailment of the species’ habitat or 

range; (2) overutilization for 


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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 157 / Monday, August 15, 2011 / Proposed Rules 50449 

commercial, recreational, scientific, or 

educational purposes; (3) disease or 

predation; (4) inadequacy of existing 

regulatory mechanisms; or (5) other 

natural or man-made factors affecting 

the species’ continued existence. The 

biologists also evaluated new 

information on hatchery programs to 

inform an updated assessment of which 

hatchery programs should be included 

as part of the listed species. They 

applied our Policy Addressing the Role 

of Artificially Propagated Pacific 

Salmon and Steelhead in Listing 

Determinations under the ESA (70 FR 

37204) to complete this evaluation. The 

5-year review reports, the science team 

report, and additional information are 

available on our Web site: http://nwr.

noaa.gov. 

Findings 

After considering the best available 

information, we conclude that all 11 

Pacific salmon species and 6 steelhead 

species in Oregon, Washington, and 

Idaho shall remain listed as currently 

classified. 

We also conclude that, based on the 

best information available, no 

adjustments to species boundaries are 

necessary. We did conclude that the 

species membership of several hatchery 

programs will need to be revised, and 

we also identified several errors in our 

current species descriptions in the list 

of threatened and endangered species 

found at 50 CFR 17.11, 223.102, and 

224.102. We will adjust the hatchery 

memberships and correct any listing 

inaccuracies through a subsequent 

rulemaking. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq. 

Dated: August 8, 2011. 

Therese Conant, 

Deputy Chief, Endangered Species Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, National 

Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–20453 Filed 8–12–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 660 

RIN 0648–BB13 

Fisheries off West Coast States; 

Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery 

Management Plan; Trawl 

Rationalization Program; Program 

Improvement and Enhancement; 

Amendment 21–1 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Availability of an amendment to 

a fishery management plan; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the 

Pacific Fishery Management Council 

(Council) has submitted Amendment 

21–1 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish 

Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for 

review by the Secretary of Commerce 

(Secretary). Amendment 21–1 would 

further revise the FMP to support the 

trawl rationalization program, a catch 

share program, implemented in January 

2011 through Amendments 20 and 21. 

Amendment 21–1 would modify the 

FMP to clarify that Amendment 21 

supersedes the limited entry/open 

access allocations for groundfish species 

allocated through Amendment 21. 

Amendment 21–1 would also revise the 

formula in the FMP to allocate Pacific 

halibut bycatch to the limited entry 

trawl fishery. 

DATES: Comments on Amendment 21–1 

must be received no later than 5 p.m., 

local time on October 14, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, 

identified by RIN 0648–BB13 by any 

one of the following methods: 

Electronic Submissions: Submit all 

electronic public comments via the 

Federal eRulemaking Portal http:// 

www.regulations.gov. 

Fax: 206–526–6736, Attn: Jamie Goen. 

Mail: Barry Thom, Acting 

Administrator, Northwest Region, 

NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., 

Seattle, WA 98115–0070, Attn: Jamie 

Goen. 

Instructions: All comments received 

are a part of the public record and will 

generally be posted to http:// 

www.regulations.gov without change. 

All Personal Identifying Information (for 

example, name, address, etc.) 

voluntarily submitted by the commenter 

may be publicly accessible. Do not 

submit Confidential Business 

Information or otherwise sensitive or 

protected information. 

NMFS will accept anonymous 

comments (enter N/A in the required 

fields if you wish to remain 

anonymous). Attachments to electronic 

comments will be accepted in Microsoft 

Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe 

PDF file formats only. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jamie Goen, phone: 206–526–4656, fax: 

206–526–6736, and e-mail 

jamie.goen@noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access 

Background information and 

documents are available at the Pacific 

Fishery Management Council’s Web site 

at http://www.pcouncil.org/. 

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act 

(Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires that 

each regional fishery management 

council submit any FMP or plan 

amendment it prepares to NMFS for 

review and approval, disapproval, or 

partial approval. The Magnuson-Stevens 

Act also requires that NMFS, upon 

receiving an FMP or amendment, 

immediately publish a notice that the 

FMP or amendment is available for 

public review and comment. NMFS will 

consider public comments received 

during the comment period described 

above in determining whether to 

approve Amendment 21–1 to the FMP. 

Amendment 21–1 would further 

revise the FMP to support the trawl 

rationalization program, a catch share 

program, implemented in January 2011 

through Amendments 20 and 21. 

Amendment 21–1 would modify the 

FMP to: (1) Clarify that Amendment 21 

supersedes the limited entry/open 

access allocations for groundfish species 

allocated through Amendment 21; and 

(2) revise the formula in the FMP to 

calculate the Pacific halibut bycatch 

mortality limit for the limited entry 

trawl fishery. 

Amendment 21 to the FMP 

established allocations to the limited 

entry trawl fishery participants. As part 

of Amendment 21, allocations were 

established between the trawl and nontrawl sectors for certain groundfish 

species in preparation for the trawl 

rationalization program (called 

Amendment 21 species). In a letter to 

the Council dated August 9, 2010, 

NMFS disapproved part of Amendment 

21 because the FMP language available 

to the public and to the Council during 

its decision making did not clearly state 

that Amendment 21 allocations 

supersede the previous limited entry/ 

open access allocations for Amendment 


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