[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 78 (Thursday, April 23, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20169-20171]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-10868]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 041798A]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of applications for scientific research permits (1147, 
1149) and a request for modification 2 to permit 1011; issuance of 
scientific research permits (1065, 1114, 1115, 1116)

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Columbia River Inter-Tribal 
Fish Commission at Portland, OR (CRITFC) has applied in due form for 
permits (1147, 1149) and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife at 
La Grande, OR (ODFW) has applied in due form for a modification to a 
permit (1101) that would authorize takes of anadromous fish species 
listed under the Endangered Species Act for the purpose of scientific 
research/enhancement.
    Notice is also given that NMFS has issued scientific research 
permits that authorize takes of ESA-listed species for the purpose of 
scientific research and/or enhancement, subject to certain conditions 
set forth therein, to: Humboldt Fish Action Council (HFAC) (1065); 
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife at Olympia, WA (WDFW) 
(1114); Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County (PUDCC) (1115); 
and Public Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County (PUDDC) (1116).

DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on any of the 
applications must be received on or before May 26, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for 
review in the following offices, by appointment:
    For permits 1101, 1114, 1115, 1116, 1147, and 1149: Protected 
Resources Division (PRD), F/NWO3, 525 NE Oregon Street, Suite 500, 
Portland, OR 97232-4169 (503-230-5400).
    For permit 1065: Administrator, Southwest Region, NMFS, NOAA, 777 
Sonoma Avenue Room 325, Santa Rosa, CA 95405 (707-575-6050).
    All documents may also be reviewed by appointment in the Office of 
Protected Resources, F/PR3, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910-3226 (301-713-1401).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For permits 1101, 1147, and 1149: 
Robert Koch, Portland, OR (503-230-5424).

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    For permits 1114, 1115, and 1116: Tom Lichatowich, Portland, OR 
(503-230-5438).
    For permit 1065: Thomas Hablett, Santa Rosa, CA (707-575-6066).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority

    Permits are requested 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).
    Those individuals requesting a hearing on these requests for 
permits 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.
    Issuance of these permits, modifications, and amendments, as 
required by the ESA, was based on a finding that such permits, 
modifications, and amendments: (1) Were applied for in good faith; (2) 
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. These permits, 
modifications, and amendments were also issued in accordance with and 
are subject to parts 217-222 of Title 50 CFR, the NMFS regulations 
governing listed species permits.

Species Covered in this Notice

    Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
    Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)
    Steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Applications Received

    CRITFC (1147) requests a 5-year permit that would authorize an 
annual direct take of adult and juvenile, threatened, naturally 
produced and artificially propagated, Snake River spring/summer chinook 
salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) associated with a supplementation 
program at Johnson Creek of the South Fork Salmon River in ID. The 
objectives of CRITFC's program are to: (1) supply broodstock for 
supplementation, (2) restore and maintain natural spawning, (3) 
increase nutrient enrichment into Johnson Creek, and (4) reestablish 
sport and tribal fisheries for chinook salmon. CRITFC proposes to 
capture ESA-listed adult salmon, tag and/or mark them, inoculate them 
for diseases, retain a percentage for hatchery broodstock, and release 
the rest above the weir to spawn naturally. Progeny of the broodstock 
would be reared at McCall Fish Hatchery, tagged with coded-wires and 
passive integrated transponders, and released when ready to outmigrate 
to the ocean. An annual incidental take of ESA-listed species 
associated with juvenile fish releases is also requested.
    CRITFC (1149) also requests a 3-year permit that would authorize an 
annual direct take of adult and juvenile, threatened, naturally 
produced and artificially propagated, Snake River spring/summer chinook 
salmon associated with a supplementation program at the Lostine River 
in OR. The supplementation program would be a component of a 
coordinated enhancement effort already begun by ODFW under the 
authority of permit 1011 (see below). The objectives of CRITFC's 
supplementation program are to: (1) Collect broodstock for production 
for acclimated releases back into the Lostine River; (2) provide 
monitoring and evaluation of returning adults from captive brood, 
conventional, and natural production; and (3) provide acclimation 
release facilities for captive brood smolts produced under the 
authority of permit 1011. CRITFC proposes to capture fish at the 
Lostine River weir, tag and/or mark them, innoculate them for diseases, 
retain a percentage for hatchery broodstock, and release the remaining 
fish above the weir to spawn naturally. Progeny of the broodstock would 
be reared at Lookingglass Hatchery, tagged with coded wires and passive 
integrated transponders, and released when ready to outmigrate to the 
ocean. An annual incidental take of ESA-listed species associated with 
juvenile fish releases is requested.
    Permit 1011 authorizes ODFW annual direct takes of adult and 
juvenile, threatened, naturally produced and artificially propagated, 
Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon associated with a captive 
broodstock program for Catherine Creek, upper Grande Ronde River, and 
Lostine River populations. Modification 1 to permit 1011, issued on 
June 20, 1997, authorized ODFW to collect naturally-produced returning 
adults from the three watersheds in 1997 only to begin a 
supplementation program. For modification 2 to permit 1011, ODFW 
requests to collect returning adults from Catherine Creek and the upper 
Grande Ronde River to continue the supplementation program. CRITFC will 
be primarily responsible for operating adult trapping and smolt 
acclimation facilities at the Lostine River as proposed in their 
application for a permit (1149, see above). The ESA-listed adult salmon 
not retained for broodstock, including all adult salmon from captive 
brood production, will be tagged and/or marked, sampled for tissues and 
scales, and released above the weirs to spawn naturally. 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 persistence of the 
populations because of the survival advantage provided by the hatchery. 
Releases of juvenile fish from the supplementation program are 
requested. An annual incidental take of ESA-listed species associated 
with juvenile fish releases is requested. Modification 2 is requested 
to be valid for the duration of the permit which expires on December 
31, 2000.

Permits Issued

    Notice was published on January 15, 1998 (63 FR 2364) that an 
application had been filed by WDFW for a scientific research permit. 
Permit 1114 was issued to WDFW on April 9, 1998. The permit authorizes 
takes of juvenile, endangered, naturally produced and artificially 
propagated, upper Columbia River steelhead associated with a smolt 
monitoring program at Rock Island Dam on the Columbia River. The 
purpose of the program is to collect information on juvenile fish 
migration timing, survival, travel timing, and general fish health. The 
data will be used to make in-season adjustments to water releases from 
upstream reservoirs that optimize downstream migration conditions. 
Permit 1114 expires on December 31, 2002.
    Notice was published on January 15, 1998 (63 FR 2364) that an 
application had been filed by PUDCC for a scientific research permit. 
Permit 1115 was issued on April 10, 1998 and authorizes the takes of 
juvenile, endangered, naturally produced and artificially propagated, 
upper Columbia River steelhead associated with research. The purpose of 
the research is to: (1) Evaluate the juvenile fish bypass system 
installed at Rocky Reach Dam, and (2) monitor juvenile fish gas bubble 
trauma at Rocky Reach and Rock Island Dams on the Columbia River. 
Permit 1115 expires on December 31, 2002.
    Notice was published on January 15, 1998 (63 FR 2364) that an 
application had been filed by PUDDC for a scientific research permit. 
Permit 1116 was issued

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to PUDDC on April 10, 1998 and authorizes takes of juvenile, 
endangered, naturally produced and artificially propagated, upper 
Columbia River steelhead associated with two research studies. Study 1 
is designed to determine the survival and migration differences of 
juvenile fish as they pass downstream through Lake Pateros and Wells 
Dam. The information will be used to determine the appropriateness of 
utilizing selected surrogate stocks in future survival studies in the 
mid-Columbia River. Study 2 is designed to understand the status of 
juvenile salmonid migration at Wells Dam. ESA-listed juvenile fish will 
be lethally taken by fyke nets. Permit 1116 expires on December 31, 
2002.
    Notice was published on December 17, 1997 (62 FR 66053) that an 
application had been filed by HFAC for a scientific research permit. 
Permit 1065 was issued to HFAC on April 15, 1998. Permit 1065 
authorizes takes of adult and juvenile, threatened, southern Oregon/
northern California coast coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in 
California, associated with fish population studies in the Freshwater 
Creek drainage within the evolutionarily significant unit. The studies 
consist of coho salmon abundance and spawner surveys for which ESA-
listed fish are proposed to be taken. ESA-listed fish will be captured, 
handled, and released. ESA-listed salmon indirect mortalities 
associated with the research are also authorized. Permit 1065 expires 
on June 30, 2003.

    Dated: April 20, 1998.
Patricia A. Montanio,
Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-10868 Filed 4-22-98; 8:45 am]
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