24466 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 79 / Tuesday, April 24, 2012 / Notices 

Dated: April 19, 2012. 

Emily H. Menashes, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–9816 Filed 4–23–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XB169 

Endangered and Threatened Species; 

Take of Anadromous Fish 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Applications for eight new 

scientific research permits, four research 

permit renewals, and three permit 

modifications. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

NMFS has received 15 scientific 

research permit application requests 

relating to Pacific salmon, the southern 

distinct population segment of pacific 

green sturgeon, and three species of 

rockfish from the Puget Sound/Georgia 

Basin. 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 

May 24, 2012. 

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. 

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); threatened lower Columbia River 

(LCR); endangered upper Columbia 

River (UCR); threatened Snake River 

(SR) spring/sum (spr/sum); threatened 

SR fall; 

Steelhead (O. mykiss): threatened PS; 

threatened LCR; threatened UCR; 

threatened SR; threatened middle 

Columbia River (MCR). 

Chum salmon (O. keta): Threatened 

Hood Canal (HC) summer-run, 

threatened Columbia River (CR). 

Coho salmon (O. kisutch): Threatened 

LCR, threatened Oregon Coast (OC). 

Sockeye salmon (O. nerka): 

Threatened Ozette Lake (OL); 

endangered SR. 

Rockfish: Puget Sound/Georgia Basin 

(PS/GB) bocaccio (Sebastes 

paucispinis); PS/GB canary rockfish 

(Sebastes pinniger), and PS/GB 

yelloweye rockfish (Sebastes 

ruberrimus). 

Pacific green sturgeon (Acipenser 

medirostris): Threatened 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. 

Applications Received 

Permit 1386—6R 

The Washington Department of 

Ecology (WDOE) is seeking to renew for 

five years a research permit that 

currently allows them to take juvenile 

and adult LCR Chinook salmon, PS 

Chinook salmon, SR spring/summer-run 

Chinook salmon, SR fall-run Chinook 

salmon, UCR spring-run Chinook 

salmon, CR chum salmon, HC summerrun chum salmon, LCR coho salmon, OL 

sockeye salmon, LCR steelhead, MCR 

steelhead, PS steelhead, SR steelhead, 

and UCR steelhead. The WDOE 

conducts various research projects to 

characterize toxic contaminants in 

resident freshwater fish across the state 

of Washington. The purpose of the 

research is to investigate the occurrence 

and concentrations of toxic 

contaminants in non-anadromous 

freshwater fish tissue, sediment, and 

water from sites throughout 

Washington. WDOE conducts this 

research in order to meet Federal and 

state regulations. The Federal Clean 

Water Act requires that all waters in the 

state be assessed in this manner. This 

research would benefit listed species by 

identifying toxic contaminants present 

in fish and thereby help inform 

pollution control actions such as 

removing and reducing toxic 

contaminant sources. The WDOE 

proposes to capture fish using backpack 

and boat electrofishing, beach seines, 

block, fyke, and gill nets, and angling. 

All captured salmon and steelhead 

would be either released immediately or 

held temporarily in an aerated live well 

to help them recover before being 

released. The researchers do not 

propose to kill any of the listed fish 

being captured, but a small number may 

die as an unintended result of the 

activities. 

Permit 1465—2R 

The Idaho Department of 

Environmental Quality (IDEQ) is 

seeking to renew their permit to 

annually take juvenile threatened SR 

steelhead, threatened SR fall Chinook 

salmon, threatened SR spr/sum Chinook 

salmon, and endangered SR sockeye 

salmon during the course of two 

research projects designed to ascertain 

the condition of many Idaho streams. 

The purposes of the research are to (a) 

determine whether aquatic life is being 

properly supported in Idaho’s rivers, 

streams, and lakes, and (b) assess the 

overall condition of Idaho’s surface 

waters. The fish would benefit from the 

research because the data it produces 

would be used to inform decisions 

about how and where to protect and 

improve water quality in the state. The 

researchers would use backpack- and 

boat-electrofishing equipment to capture 

the fish. They would then be weighed 

and measured (some may be 

anesthetized to limit stress) and 

released. The IDEQ does not intend to 

kill any of the fish being captured, but 

a small percentage may die as an 

unintended result of the research 

activities. 

Permit 13381—2R 

The Northwest Fisheries Science 

Center (NWFSC) is seeking to renew 

their permit to annually take natural 

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 79 / Tuesday, April 24, 2012 / Notices 24467 

juvenile SR spring/summer Chinook 

salmon and SR steelhead in various 

places in the Salmon River drainage in 

Idaho and at Little Goose and Lower 

Granite Dams on the lower Snake River. 

The purpose of the research is to 

continue monitoring parr-to-smolt 

survival and outmigration behavior in 

SR wild spring/summer Chinook 

salmon populations from Idaho. 

Steelhead juveniles that are 

inadvertently collected would also be 

tagged to help supplement an ongoing 

Idaho Department of Fish and Game 

study. The research will benefit the fish 

by continuing to supply managers with 

the information they need to budget 

water releases at hydropower facilities 

in ways designed to help protect 

migrating juvenile salmonids. The 

information gained would also be used 

to build long-term data sets on parr-tosmolt migration behavior and survival 

rates. This information, coupled with 

water quality, weather, and climate 

data, is intended to provide a 

foundation for understanding these 

populations’ life histories—the 

knowledge of which is critical to 

building effective recovery actions. The 

listed fish would be captured (using 

seines, dip nets, and electrofishing), 

PIT-tagged, and released. A portion of 

these fish would also be recaptured at 

a smolt bypass facility, anesthetized, 

weighed, measured, and released. The 

researchers do not intend to kill any of 

the fish being captured, but a small 

percentage may die as an unintended 

result of the research activities. 

Permit 13382—2R 

The NWFSC is seeking to renew for 

five years a permit that currently allows 

them to annually take juvenile 

threatened SR spr/sum Chinook salmon 

and natural, juvenile threatened SR 

steelhead at various places in the Snake 

River in Idaho and in various streams of 

Southeast Washington and Northeast 

Oregon. The activities under this permit 

have been under way for more than 10 

years—first under Permit 1406 and then 

under the current version of Permit 

13382. Under the permit, the listed fish 

would be variously captured (using 

seines, dip nets, traps, and 

electrofishing), anesthetized, tissue 

sampled, weighed, measured, and 

released. 

The purpose of the research is to 

continue monitoring the effects of 

supplementation among steelhead 

spring/summer Chinook salmon 

populations in Idaho. The research 

would benefit the fish by continuing to 

supply managers with the information 

they need to use hatchery programs to 

conserve listed species. The researchers 

do not intend to kill any of the fish 

being captured, but some may die as an 

unintended result of the process. 

Permit 15205—2M 

The KWIAHT Center for the Historical 

Ecology of the Salish Sea (KWIAHT) is 

seeking to modify a 5-year research 

permit that currently allows them to 

take juvenile PS Chinook salmon at 

sampling sites near Lopez and Waldron 

islands in the San Juan Island 

archipelago in Puget Sound. The 

purpose of this research is to measure 

prey quantity and quality for juvenile 

Chinook and other salmonids when they 

congregate annually in the San Juan 

Islands basin. This research would 

benefit PS Chinook salmon by analyzing 

the importance of terrestrial prey to 

juvenile wild Chinook during their 

neritic life history stage. The KWIAHT 

proposes to use beach seines to capture 

the fish. The fish would be captured, 

anesthetized, measured, fin-clipped, 

sampled for stomach contents, allowed 

to recover, and released. The researchers 

do not propose to kill any of the listed 

salmonids being captured, but a small 

number may die as an unintended result 

of the activities. 

Permit 16142—2M 

The Confederated Tribes of the Warm 

Springs Reservation of Oregon 

(CTWSRO) are seeking to modify their 

5-year permit that currently allows them 

to capture, handle, and release juvenile 

MCR steelhead in the John Day River, 

Oregon. The current purpose of the 

research is to monitor anadromous fish 

response to habitat restoration projects 

throughout the John Day Basin. The 

CTWSRO are seeking to expand upon 

that research by adding juvenile mark/ 

recapture studies and adult spawning 

surveys in various drainages in the John 

Day River Basin for the purpose of 

determining adult return success and 

making juvenile abundance estimates. 

This new project would establish 

baseline estimates at 10 sampling 

locations and then resample those sites 

to evaluate the impact restoration 

projects have on juvenile Chinook and 

steelhead abundance. The research 

would continue to benefit the fish by 

helping managers determine the most 

effective ways to restore habitat. 

Under the expanded research, the 

researchers would set up survey reaches 

at each site and use block nets at the 

upstream and downstream boundaries 

to temporarily curtail fish movement. In 

those reaches, fish would be collected 

using backpack electrofishing 

equipment or seine nets. Once the fish 

are collected, they would be placed in 

an aerated bucket and anesthetized. 

They would then be counted, measured, 

weighed, marked with a caudal fin clip, 

allowed to recover, and released back 

into the sampling reach. A second fish 

sampling event (using the same 

collection methods) would be 

conducted within 24 hours of each 

initial survey. The researchers would 

use these two samples to estimate fish 

abundance and density. The surveys 

would be conducted at the same 

locations on an annual basis in order to 

assess population trends. The 

researchers do not intend to kill any 

listed salmonids, but a small number 

may die as an unintended result of the 

activities. 

Permit 16298—2M 

The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes (SBT) 

are seeking to modify their 5-year 

permit to annually take juvenile and 

adult SR spr/sum Chinook and juvenile 

SR steelhead in Bear Valley Creek, 

Idaho. The purpose of the research is to 

estimate fish abundance, smolt-to-adult 

return rates, and adult productivity in 

Bear Valley Creek with a high degree of 

accuracy. The researchers are seeking to 

continue generating information that 

may be used widely throughout the 

Salmon River subbasin. The work will 

benefit fish by giving managers key 

information about population status in 

the Salmon River subbasin which, in 

turn, will be used to inform recovery 

plans and land- and fish-management 

decisions. The SBT would count and 

monitor adult spr/sum Chinook at a 

video station and they would handle, 

measure, and tissue sample juvenile SR 

spr/sum Chinook and steelhead at a 

screw trap. They would also do some 

harvest monitoring (creel surveys) and 

spawning ground surveys. The 

researchers do not intend to kill any 

listed salmonids, but a small number 

may die as an unintended result of the 

activities. 

Permit 16433 

The Washington Department of Fish 

and Wildlife (WDFW) is seeking a 5- 

year permit to annually take UCR 

steelhead and Chinook and MCR 

steelhead while conducting resident fish 

studies in portions of the mainstem 

Columbia River. They would conduct 

two studies under the permit. The first 

is the Rocky Reach Project Resident Fish 

Study. The intent of this project is to 

provide baseline data about resident fish 

(i.e., their relative abundance and 

species composition) in the area of 

Rocky Reach Dam. The sampling will 

provide baseline data for managers to 

identify potential changes in the local 

fish assemblages over time and it would 

benefit listed fish by helping managers 

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24468 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 79 / Tuesday, April 24, 2012 / Notices 

run recreational fisheries in the least 

harmful manner possible. The second 

project is the Priest Rapids Predator 

Index. Its purpose is to study northern 

pikeminnow populations in the area 

around Priest Rapids Dam and, in many 

cases, remove those predators. The 

research would benefit listed salmonids 

because the pikeminnow is a salmonid 

predator and monitoring and curtailing 

their population is likely to result in 

fewer salmon being eaten in the areas 

where the pikeminnow reside. 

The surveys would be conducted 

using boat electrofishing equipment, 

fyke nets, tangle nets, and pop-nets in 

the littoral zones of the Columbia River 

near Rocky Reach and Priest Rapids 

Dams. Any juvenile listed salmonids 

captured during the research would be 

sampled for biological information and 

released as quickly as possible. If adult 

listed salmonids are seen, the 

electrofishing equipment would be 

turned off and the fish allowed to 

escape. The researchers do not intend to 

kill any listed salmonids, but a small 

number may die as an unintended result 

of the activities. 

Permit 16838 

The WDFW is seeking a 2-year 

research permit to annually take 

juvenile and adult PS Chinook salmon. 

Sampling sites would be located in Lake 

Cushman on the North Fork of the 

Skokomish River. The purpose of the 

study is to quantify the Lake Cushman 

Reservoir fish species composition, 

distribution, growth, condition, 

pathology, toxicology, and life history 

characteristics and determine how fish 

community structure relates to reservoir 

productivity. This research would 

benefit PS Chinook salmon by 

increasing our understanding the Lake 

Cushman fish community and the 

threats it faces before a fish ladder is 

constructed that would allow 

anadromous fish passage to the lake. 

The WDFW proposes to capture fish 

using boat electrofishing and gill nets. 

All Chinook salmon would be held in 

portable net pens or aerated live wells, 

measured, weighed, sampled for scales 

(up to five fish from each size class for 

aging) and pelvic fin clips (<1 mm in 

size), and release. The researchers do 

not propose to kill any of the listed 

salmonids being captured, but a small 

number may die as an unintended result 

of the activities. If any Chinook salmon 

are killed, they would be collected for 

toxicology and pathology analysis. 

Permit 16994 

The Alaska Fisheries Science Center 

(AFSC) is seeking a 3-year research 

permit to annually take juvenile and 

adult PS Chinook salmon, PS steelhead, 

Southern green sturgeon, and PS/GB 

bocaccio. The AFSC researchers may 

also take PS/GB canary rockfish and PS/ 

GB yelloweye rockfish—species for 

which there are currently no ESA take 

prohibitions. The sampling sites would 

primarily be located near Agate Pass 

(adjacent to the Kitsap Peninsula) but 

may occur throughout the Puget Sound. 

The objective of the study is to use a 

series of common egg- and larva garden 

rearing experiments to assess the 

evidence for adaptive genetic variation 

among pacific cod. These experiments 

would be augmented by extensive 

genomic scans to identify the functional 

genes involved in localized adaptation. 

The research would benefit listed 

rockfish by providing genetic 

information to help increase our 

understanding of the species. The AFSC 

proposes to capture adult cod using 

hook and line by jigging gear with 

barbless hooks and knotless landing 

nets in shallow water (< 35m) near 

Agate Pass. Pot trap gear may also be 

employed at the same depths. All 

Chinook salmon, steelhead, and 

sturgeon would be immediately released 

at the capture site. If listed rockfish are 

captured, the researchers would remove 

a small portion of fin tissue for genetics 

studies and return the fish to the water 

via rapid submersion techniques. If an 

individual of these species is captured 

dead or deemed nonviable, it would be 

retained for genetic analyses. The 

researchers do not propose to kill any of 

the listed fish being captured, but a 

small number may die as an unintended 

result of the activities. 

Permit 17043 

The University of Washington (UW) is 

seeking a 2-year research permit to 

annually take juvenile and adult PS 

Chinook salmon, HC summer-run chum 

salmon, and PS steelhead. The UW 

researchers may also take PS/GB canary 

rockfish and PS/GB yelloweye 

rockfish—species for which, there are 

currently no ESA take prohibitions. 

Sampling would take place in Hood 

Canal. The purposes of the study are to: 

(1) Describe the magnitude and 

mechanisms by which hypoxia affects 

upper trophic level organisms in Hood 

Canal and (2) document these key 

processes and track the ecological 

effects of hypoxia with the goal of 

evaluating and improving corrective 

actions. The research would benefit 

rockfish and salmonids by helping 

managers better understand the 

ecological damage caused by hypoxia in 

Hood Canal and thus improving 

mitigation measures. The UW proposes 

to capture fish using a Marinovich midwater trawl. Once the tow is completed, 

the catch would be brought on board a 

research vessel and placed into a 

seawater-filled holding tank. All salmon 

and steelhead deemed viable would be 

immediately released at the capture site. 

Dead or nonviable salmon and steelhead 

would be measured for length and 

weight and sampled for otoliths, 

stomach contents, and tissues. If listed 

rockfish are captured, the researchers 

would remove a small portion of fin 

tissue for genetics studies and return the 

fish to the water via rapid submersion 

techniques. If an individual of these 

species is captured dead or deemed 

nonviable, it would be retained for 

genetic analyses. The researchers do not 

propose to kill any of the listed fish 

being captured, but a small number may 

die as an unintended result of the 

activities. 

Permit 17062 

The NWFSC is seeking a 2-year 

research permit to annually take 

juvenile PS Chinook salmon, PS 

steelhead, and PS/GB bocaccio. The 

researchers may also take PS/GB canary 

rockfish and PS/GB yelloweye 

rockfish—species for which there are 

currently no ESA take prohibitions. 

Sampling would take place in the San 

Juan Islands region just north of Orcas 

Island. The purpose of the study is to 

monitor the movement patterns of 

yelloweye and canary rockfish using 

acoustic telemetry. The research would 

benefit rockfish by increasing our 

understanding of the connectivity (or 

lack thereof) between rockfish 

populations in the Puget Sound and 

populations on the outer coast. The 

NWFSC proposes to capture fish using 

hook and line equipment at depths of 

50–100 meters during slack tides. Fish 

would slowly be reeled to the surface to 

reduce barotrauma. All Chinook salmon 

and steelhead would be immediately 

released at the capture site. Canary and 

yelloweye rockfish would have acoustic 

transmitters surgically placed in their 

peritoneal cavities. All captured ESAlisted rockfish would have a small 

portion of their fin tissue removed for 

genetics studies and be returned to the 

water via rapid submersion techniques. 

If an individual of these species is 

captured dead or deemed nonviable, it 

would be retained for genetic analysis. 

The researchers do not propose to kill 

any of the listed fish being captured, but 

a small number may die as an 

unintended result of the activities. 

Permit 17109 

R2 Resource Consultants (R2RC) are 

seeking a 3-year research permit to 

annually take juvenile PS Chinook 

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 79 / Tuesday, April 24, 2012 / Notices 24469 

salmon and PS steelhead. Sampling 

sites would be located in the Lake 

Washington Ship Canal between the 

Ballard Locks and Shilshole Bay. The 

purpose of the study is to identify the 

spatial and temporal distribution of bull 

trout in the Lake Washington Ship 

Canal and in the nearshore waters of 

Shilshole Bay. The research would 

benefit listed fish by improving 

management decisions regarding 

operations at the Hiram Chittenden 

Locks, as well as by providing valuable 

information on the overall picture of 

bull trout populations and their life 

histories in Puget Sound. The 

researchers propose to use beach seines 

to capture the fish. All Chinook salmon 

and steelhead would be immediately 

released at the capture. The researchers 

do not propose to kill any of the listed 

salmonids being captured, but a small 

number may die as an unintended result 

of the activities. 

Permit 17214 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

(FWS) is seeking a 1-year research 

permit to annually take juvenile PS 

Chinook salmon and PS steelhead. The 

sampling would take place in Dean 

Creek, Washington (a tributary flowing 

into Sequim Bay). The purpose of the 

study is to determine fish species 

presence and distribution in Dean Creek 

and its environs; this information would 

be used to inform the Dungeness 

Wildlife Refuge comprehensive 

conservation plan. The research would 

benefit listed salmonids by identifying 

and prioritizing management activities 

designed to protect fish species in this 

stream. The FWS proposes capturing 

fish by using backpack electrofishing 

equipment. Fish would be collected 

with dip nets, enumerated, allowed to 

recover in aerated water, and released 

back into their capture locations. The 

researchers do not propose to kill any of 

the listed salmonids being captured, but 

a small number may die as an 

unintended result of the activities. 

Permit 17222 

The Confederated Tribes of the Warm 

Springs Reservation of Oregon 

(CTWSRO) are seeking a 5-year permit 

to annually take MCR steelhead during 

the course of research designed to 

determine the feasibility of PIT-tagging 

juvenile summer/fall Chinook (a nonlisted species) in the Deschutes River, 

Oregon. The purpose of the research is 

to generate population metrics such as 

juvenile growth rates, smolt-to-adult 

return ratios, size/condition at 

emigration, etc. This information would 

be used to develop performance 

indicators for monitoring the fishes’ 

status and trends. This research would 

benefit listed species by helping 

managers develop a picture of river 

health and salmonid population trends 

in the Deschutes River. That 

information, in turn, would be used in 

recovery planning efforts and generally 

incorporated into resource management 

decisions that may affect the Deschutes 

River. The researchers intend to use 

seines to capture the fish and all 

captured MCR steelhead will be 

released immediately. The researchers 

do not propose to kill any of the listed 

salmonids being captured, but a small 

number 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: April 19, 2012. 

Angela Somma, 

Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office 

of Protected Resources, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–9866 Filed 4–23–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XB168 

Endangered and Threatened Species; 

Take of Anadromous Fish 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Receipt of two applications for 

scientific research and enhancement 

permits. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

NMFS has received two scientific 

research and enhancement permit 

application requests relating to 

salmonids listed under the Endangered 

Species Act (ESA). The proposed 

research activities are intended to 

increase knowledge of the species and 

to help guide management and 

conservation efforts. The applications 

and related documents may be viewed 

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

preview/ 

preview_open_for_comment.cfm. These 

documents are also available upon 

written request or by appointment by 

contacting NMFS by phone (916) 930– 

3600 or fax (916) 930–3629. 

DATES: Written comments on the permit 

applications must be received at the 

appropriate address or fax number (see 

ADDRESSES) no later than 5 p.m. Pacific 

standard time on May 24, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments on either 

application should be submitted to the 

Protected Resources Division, NMFS, 

650 Capitol Mall, Suite 5–100, 

Sacramento, CA 95814. Comments may 

also be submitted via fax to (916) 930– 

3629 or by email to 

FRNpermitsSAC.SR@noaa.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Amanda Cranford, Sacramento, CA (ph.: 

916–930–3706, email: 

Amanda.Cranford@noaa.gov). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Species Covered in This Notice 

This notice is relevant to federally 

threatened California Central Valley 

steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss), 

threatened Central Valley spring-run 

Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha), 

endangered Sacramento River winterrun Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha), 

and threatened Southern Distinct 

Population Segment of North American 

green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris). 

Authority 

Scientific research permits are issued 

in accordance with section 10(a)(1)(A) 

of the ESA of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531– 

1543) and regulations governing listed 

fish and wildlife permits(50 CFR parts 

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 which 

are the subject of the permits; and (3) 

are consistent with the purposes and 

policies set forth in 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 the 

applications listed in this notice should 

set out the specific reasons why a 

hearing on the application(s) would be 

appropriate (see ADDRESSES). Such 

hearings are held at the discretion of the 

Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, 

NMFS. 

Applications Received 

Permit 14808 

The California Department of Fish 

and Game (CDFG) is requesting a 5-year 

scientific research and enhancement 

permit to take juvenile California 

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