[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 47 (Tuesday, March 11, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11158-11159]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-5978]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 030597A]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of applications for two scientific research permits 
(P45X, P45Y) and modification 2 to scientific research permit 956 
(P45S).

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Columbia River Research 
Laboratory of the U.S. Geological Service in Cook, WA (USGS), formerly 
the National Biological Service, has applied in due form for two 
permits and a modification to a permit authorizing takes of endangered 
and threatened species for scientific research purposes.

DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on any of 
these applications must be received on or before April 10, 1997.

ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for 
review in the following offices, by appointment:
    Office of Protected Resources, F/PR3, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3226 (301-713-1401); and
    Environmental and Technical Services Division, 525 NE Oregon 
Street, Suite 500, Portland, OR 97232-4169 (503-230-5400).
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing should be 
submitted to the Chief, Environmental and Technical Services Division, 
Portland.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: USGS requests two permits and a modification 
to a permit under the authority of section 10 of the Endangered Species 
Act of 1973 (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) and the NMFS regulations 
governing ESA-listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR parts 217-227).
    USGS (P45X) requests a five-year permit for annual takes of adult 
and juvenile, threatened, Snake River fall chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus 
tshawytscha) and adult and juvenile, threatened, Snake River spring/
summer chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) associated with a 
study designed to determine the post-release attributes and survival of 
hatchery and natural fall chinook salmon in the Snake River. The study 
consists of eight assessment tasks for which ESA-listed fish are 
proposed to be taken: 1) Life cycle, 2) redd counts, 3) food and 
growth, 4) habitat use, 5) predation, 6) temperature response, 7) 
migratory behavior, and 8) race and residualism. ESA-listed fish will 
be observed; captured, handled, and released; captured, anesthetized, 
tagged with passive integrated transponders or radio transmitters, 
allowed to recover from the anesthetic, and released; or taken 
lethally. Indirect mortalities associated with the research activities 
are also requested.
    USGS (P45Y) requests a three-year permit for an annual take of 
juvenile, threatened, artificially-propagated, Snake River spring/
summer chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) associated with a 
study designed to determine the vertical and horizontal distribution of 
juvenile salmonids exposed to high levels of total dissolved gas during 
their seaward migration in the Snake and Columbia Rivers. The vertical 
and horizontal distribution of juvenile salmonids exposed to high 
levels of total dissolved gas must be further defined to assess the 
risk of mortality from gas bubble disease. ESA-listed fish will be 
acquired from the Smolt Monitoring Program under the authority of 
permit 822 at Lower Monumental, Ice Harbor, or McNary Dams; transported 
as necessary to Ice Harbor Dam; anesthetized; surgically implanted with 
radio transmitters; allowed to recover from the anesthetic and the 
surgical procedure; released at Ice Harbor Dam; and tracked 
electronically between Ice Harbor and McNary Dams. Indirect mortalities 
of ESA-listed fish associated with the research activities are also 
requested.
    USGS (P45S) requests modification 2 to scientific research permit 
956 for authorization to take juvenile, threatened, Snake River fall 
chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) associated with annual 
research activities. Permit 956 currently authorizes USGS an annual 
take of juvenile, threatened, naturally-produced and artificially-
propagated, Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus 
tshawytscha) associated with a study designed to obtain data on the 
distribution, abundance, movement, and habitat preferences of the

[[Page 11159]]

anadromous fish that migrate through Lower Granite Reservoir; to 
evaluate the operation of a surface bypass collector in the forebay of 
Lower Granite Dam; and to verify species of hydroacoustic surveys. 
Juvenile, ESA-listed fall chinook salmon are proposed to be acquired 
from the Smolt Monitoring Program under the authority of permit 822, 
collected by purse seine, or collected from the juvenile bypass 
facility at Lower Granite Dam; transported as necessary to Lower 
Granite Dam; anesthetized; surgically implanted with radio 
transmitters; allowed to recover from the anesthetic and the surgical 
procedure; released at Lower Granite Dam; and tracked electronically. 
Indirect mortalities of ESA-listed fish associated with the research 
activities are also requested. Modification 2 would be valid for the 
duration of the permit. Permit 956 expires on September 30, 1999.
    Those individuals requesting a hearing on either of the two 
requests for a permit or the permit modification request should set out 
the specific reasons why a hearing would be appropriate (see 
ADDRESSES). The holding of such a hearing is at the discretion of the 
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA. All statements and 
opinions contained in the above application summaries are those of the 
applicant and do not necessarily reflect the views of NMFS.

    Dated: March 5, 1997.
Robert C. Ziobro,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-5978 Filed 3-10-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F