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[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 73 (Wednesday, April 16, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18587-18588]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-9822]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 040997C]

Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of applications for modification 6 to research/
enhancement permit 848 (P507D) and modification 1 to research/
enhancement permit 1011 (P211J).

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Washington Department of Fish 
and Wildlife in Olympia, WA (WDFW) and the Oregon Department of Fish 
and Wildlife in La Grande, OR (ODFW) have applied in due form for 
modifications to permits authorizing takes of threatened species for 
research/enhancement purposes.

DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on either of 
these modification applications must be received on or before May 16, 
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: WDFW and ODFW request modifications to 
permits 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).
    Permit 848 (P507D) authorizes WDFW takes of adult and juvenile, 
threatened, Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus 
tshawytscha) associated with a supplementation hatchery program and 
scientific research/monitoring. For modification 6 to permit 848, WDFW 
requests takes of juvenile, threatened, Snake River fall chinook salmon 
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) associated with scientific research designed 
to answer questions on fall chinook salmon production in the lower 
Tucannon River. ESA-listed fish are proposed to be captured, handled, 
and released; captured, marked with fin clips or tagged with passive 
integrated transponders, transported, and released; or captured and 
sacrificed for genetic analysis or pathologic studies. An indirect 
mortality of ESA-listed juvenile salmon associated with the research is 
requested. Also for modification 6, WDFW requests to return adult, ESA-
listed, Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon carcasses from the 
supplementation program back to the Tucannon River for nutrient 
enrichment. Modification 6 is requested for the duration of the permit. 
Permit 848 expires on March 31, 1998.
    Permit 1011 (P211J) authorizes ODFW takes of juvenile, threatened, 
Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) 
associated with a captive broodstock program for Catherine Creek, upper 
Grande Ronde River, and Lostine River populations. For modification 1 
to permit 1011, ODFW requests to collect a percentage of the returning 
adult, ESA-listed, naturally-produced fish from these watersheds in 
1997 to begin a supplementation program. ODFW anticipates sufficient 
adult returns to these watersheds in 1997 to allow the collection of 
ESA-listed adults for hatchery broodstock. ODFW proposes to transport 
the collected adults to Lookingglass Hatchery where they will be 
spawned, the resulting eggs incubated, and the juveniles reared. ODFW 
believes that the collection of ESA-listed adults for hatchery 
supplementation will increase the probability of the persistence of the 
populations because of the survival advantage provided by the hatchery. 
Releases of fish from the supplementation program is not requested at 
this time. ODFW will request a modification to permit 1011 for 
authorization to release fish prior to any fish releases. The future 
request for a modification to the permit will include a detailed plan 
on proposed fish releases and a plan for the disposition of any excess 
hatchery fish. The collection of ESA-listed adults for broodstock is 
proposed for 1997 only. The incubation of eggs and the rearing of ESA-
listed juveniles is requested for the duration of the permit. Permit 
1011 expires on December 31, 2000.
    Those individuals requesting a hearing on either of these permit 
modification requests 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

[[Page 18588]]

Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA. All statements and opinions 
contained in the above application summaries are those of the 
applicants and do not necessarily reflect the views of NMFS.

    Dated: April 10, 1997.

Robert C. Ziobro,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc 97-9822 Filed 4-15-97; 8:45am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
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