Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 129 / Thursday, July 5, 2018 / Notices 31371 

teleconference must register by 5:00 

p.m. Eastern Time, Thursday, August 9, 

2018, to attend. Please submit your full 

name, email address, and phone number 

to Melissa Banner at Melissa.Banner@

nist.gov; her phone number is (301) 

975–8912. Non-U.S. citizens must 

submit additional information; please 

contact Ms. Banner. For participants 

attending in person, please note that 

federal agencies, including NIST, can 

only accept a state-issued driver’s 

license or identification card for access 

to federal facilities if such license or 

identification card is issued by a state 

that is compliant with the REAL ID Act 

of 2005 (Pub. L. 109–13), or by a state 

that has an extension for REAL ID 

compliance. NIST currently accepts 

other forms of federal-issued 

identification in lieu of a state-issued 

driver’s license. For detailed 

information, please contact Ms. Banner 

or visit: http://www.nist.gov/public_

affairs/visitor/. 

Kevin A. Kimball, 

Chief of Staff. 

[FR Doc. 2018–14430 Filed 7–3–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XG301 

Endangered and Threatened Species; 

Take of Anadromous Fish 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Applications for one scientific 

research permit modification and three 

new permits. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

NMFS has received four scientific 

research permit application requests 

relating to Pacific salmon and steelhead. 

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. The 

applications may be viewed online at: 

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

preview_open_for_comment.cfm. 

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 

August 6, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the 

applications should be sent to the 

Protected Resources Division, NMFS, 

1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 1100, 

Portland, OR 97232–1274. Comments 

may also be sent via fax to 503–230– 

5441 or by email to nmfs.nwr.apps@

noaa.gov (include the permit number in 

the subject line of the fax or email). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rob 

Clapp, Portland, OR (ph.: 503–231– 

2314), Fax: 503–230–5441, email: 

Robert.Clapp@noaa.gov). 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). 

Steelhead (O. mykiss): Threatened PS. 

Chum salmon (O. keta): Threatened 

Hood Canal Summer-run (HCS). 

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. 

Applications Received 

Permit 21330–2M 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

(FWS) is seeking to modify a five-year 

research permit that allows them to 

annually take juvenile PS Chinook 

salmon and PS steelhead in Jim Creek 

(South Fork Stillaguamish River 

watershed—Snohomish County, 

Washington). The purpose of the FWS 

study is to document ESA-listed fish 

presence, distribution, and abundance 

in Jim Creek within the boundaries of 

the Naval Radio Station Jim Creek 

facility. The research would benefit the 

listed species by helping refine the 

facility’s Integrated Natural Resources 

Management plan—the information 

would help guide decisions regarding 

habitat restoration and fill data gaps 

regarding the distribution and 

abundance of ESA-listed PS Chinook, 

PS steelhead, and bull trout (Salvelinus 

confluentus). The FWS proposes to 

capture fish using backpack 

electrofishing equipment. The captured 

fish would be removed from the water 

using a dip net, placed in aerated 

buckets, anesthetized with MS–222, 

identified to species, weighed, 

measured, and returned to their capture 

locations when recovered. In recent 

years, the researchers have seen more 

PS steelhead than expected, so they are 

seeking to modify the permit by 

increasing the number of PS steelhead 

they are allowed to take. The 

researchers do not intend to kill any 

listed fish, but some may die as an 

inadvertent result of the research. 

Permit 21870 

The Oregon State University (OSU) is 

seeking a five-year research permit to 

annually take juvenile PS Chinook 

salmon, HCS chum salmon, and PS 

steelhead in the South Fork of the 

Skokomish River (Mason County, 

Washington state). The purpose of the 

OSU study is to research the trophic 

pathways that support salmonids in the 

Skokomish River and to determine how 

invasive plants mediate terrestrial 

subsidies to streams throughout the 

year. The researchers would target PS 

steelhead, PS/Strait of Georgia coho 

salmon (O. kisutch), and sculpin 

species. This research would benefit the 

affected species by filling the knowledge 

gaps that have limited effective 

restoration of local food webs. The OSU 

proposes to use seine nets and minnow 

traps to capture the fish. Captured fish 

would be identified to species and 

temporarily held in aerated buckets. 

Juvenile PS steelhead (and all other 

target species) would be anesthetized 

with MS–222, measured for length, 

tissue sampled (scales and caudal fin 

clip), gastric lavaged, and released. All 

other fish (including PS Chinook and 

HCS chum salmon) would be released 

after all the fish have been identified. 

The researchers do not intend to kill any 

listed fish, but some may die as an 

inadvertent result of the research. 

Permit 22093 

The Snoqualmie Valley Watershed 

Improvement District (SVWID) is 

seeking a five-year research permit to 

annually take juvenile and adult PS 

Chinook salmon and PS steelhead 

throughout the Snoqualmie River 

watershed (Snohomish County, 

Washington state). The purpose of the 


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31372 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 129 / Thursday, July 5, 2018 / Notices 

SVWID study is to assess fish passage 

barriers, habitat conditions, water 

quality, and fish presence/absence. This 

research would benefit the affected 

species by better informing plans to 

improve drainage, minimize flooding, 

and restore salmon habitat. Further, this 

research would benefit listed species by 

providing data about the status of these 

species in agricultural drainage ditches 

and small streams that may not 

otherwise be studied. The SVWID 

proposes to capture fish using seine 

nets, minnow traps, and backpack 

electrofishing equipment. Captured fish 

would be held in aerated buckets, 

identified to species, measured to 

length, and released. The researchers do 

not intend to kill any listed fish, but 

some may die as an inadvertent result 

of the research. 

Permit 22127 

The FWS is seeking a five-year 

research permit to annually take 

juvenile and adult PS Chinook salmon 

and PS steelhead throughout the 

Puyallup River watershed (Pierce and 

King Counties, Washington state). The 

purpose of the FWS study is to research 

ESA-listed bull trout life history 

diversity and gather information about 

their temporal and spatial use of the 

watershed at multiple life stages. Other 

target species include brook trout 

(Salvelinus fontinalis), cutthroat trout 

(O. clarkii), and non-migratory sculpin 

species (Shorthead, Torrent, and Riffle). 

PS Chinook salmon and PS steelhead 

would be incidentally during this study 

because their ranges overlap the target 

species. This research would benefit the 

listed species by providing fine scale 

information about their movement 

timing and upstream residency. Those 

data, in turn, would be used to inform 

management and recovery actions. The 

FWS proposes to capture fish using 

electro-fykes, backpack electrofishing 

equipment, gill nets, hook-and-line, and 

minnow traps. Bull trout would be 

anesthetized, PIT tagged, weighed, 

measured for length, tissue sampled (fin 

rays), and released. Other target species 

would be euthanized for otolith and fin 

ray analysis. All PS steelhead and PS 

Chinook salmon would be captured, 

handled, and immediately released. The 

researchers do not propose to kill any of 

the listed fish, but some may die as an 

unintended result of the activities. 

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: June 28, 2018. 

Angela Somma, 

Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office 

of Protected Resources, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–14341 Filed 7–3–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XG066 

Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to 

Specified Activities; Taking Marine 

Mammals Incidental to Seabird 

Research Activities in Central 

California 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; Issuance of an Incidental 

Harassment Authorization. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

regulations implementing the Marine 

Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as 

amended, notification is hereby given 

that NMFS has issued an incidental 

harassment authorization (IHA) to Point 

Blue Conservation Science (Point Blue) 

to incidentally harass, by Level B 

harassment only, marine mammals 

during seabird research activities in 

central California. 

DATES: This Authorization is effective 

from July 7, 2018 through July 6, 2019. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rob 

Pauline, Office of Protected Resources, 

NMFS, (301) 427–8401. Electronic 

copies of the application and supporting 

documents, as well as a list of the 

references cited in this document, may 

be obtained online at: https://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/ 

marine-mammal-protection/incidentaltake-authorizations-research-and-otheractivities. In case of problems accessing 

these documents, please call the contact 

listed above. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the 

MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) direct 

the Secretary of Commerce (as delegated 

to NMFS) to allow, upon request, the 

incidental, but not intentional, taking of 

small numbers of marine mammals by 

U.S. citizens who engage in a specified 

activity (other than commercial fishing) 

within a specified geographical region if 

certain findings are made and either 

regulations are issued or, if the taking is 

limited to harassment, a notice of a 

proposed authorization is provided to 

the public for review. 

An authorization for incidental 

takings shall be granted if NMFS finds 

that the taking will have a negligible 

impact on the species or stock(s), will 

not have an unmitigable adverse impact 

on the availability of the species or 

stock(s) for subsistence uses (where 

relevant), and if the permissible 

methods of taking and requirements 

pertaining to the mitigation, monitoring 

and reporting of such takings are set 

forth. 

NMFS has defined ‘‘negligible 

impact’’ in 50 CFR 216.103 as an impact 

resulting from the specified activity that 

cannot be reasonably expected to, and is 

not reasonably likely to, adversely affect 

the species or stock through effects on 

annual rates of recruitment or survival. 

The MMPA states that the term ‘‘take’’ 

means to harass, hunt, capture, kill or 

attempt to harass, hunt, capture, or kill 

any marine mammal. 

Except with respect to certain 

activities not pertinent here, the MMPA 

defines ‘‘harassment’’ as any act of 

pursuit, torment, or annoyance which (i) 

has the potential to injure a marine 

mammal or marine mammal stock in the 

wild (Level A harassment); or (ii) has 

the potential to disturb a marine 

mammal or marine mammal stock in the 

wild by causing disruption of behavioral 

patterns, including, but not limited to, 

migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, 

feeding, or sheltering (Level B 

harassment). 

Summary of Request 

On January 4, 2018, NMFS received a 

request from Point Blue for an IHA to 

take marine mammals incidental to 

seabird research monitoring conducted 

at three locations in central California. 

Point Blue’s request is for take of 

California sea lions (Zalophus 

californianus), harbor seals (Phoca 

vitulina), northern elephant seals 

(Mirounga angustirostris), and Steller 

sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) by Level 

B harassment only. Neither Point Blue 

nor NMFS expect serious injury or 

mortality to result from this activity 

and, therefore, an IHA is appropriate. 

NMFS previously issued eight IHAs to 

Point Blue for similar work from 2006 

through 2017 (72 FR 71121; December 

14, 2007, 73 FR 77011; December 18, 

2008, 75 FR 8677; February 19, 2010, 77 

FR 73989; December 7, 2012, 78 FR 

66686; November 6, 2013, 80 FR 80321; 

December 24, 2015, 81 FR 34978; June 


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