Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 106 /Wednesday, June 3, 1998 / Notices 30199

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 052698D]

Endangered Species; Permits

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Receipt of application for a

scientific research permit (1155);

Issuance of scientific research permits

(1092, 1124, 1127, 1132, 1134) and

modifications to scientific research

permits (822, 895, 946).

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the

following actions regarding permits for

takes of endangered and threatened

species for the purposes of scientific

research and/or enhancement: NMFS

has received a permit application from

Dr. Tim King, Supervisory Fishery

Biologist of Leetown Science Center,

USGS (LSC-USGS) (1155); NMFS has

issued permits subject to certain

conditions set forth therein, to: Sierra

Pacific Industries (SPI) (1092), Idaho

Department of Fish and Game at Boise,

ID (IDFG) (1124), Shoshone-Bannock

Tribes at Fort Hall, ID (SBT) (1127), Mr.

S. Gordon Rogers, of Satilla

Management Associates, Inc. (SMA)

(1132), and the Columbia River InterTribal Fish Commission at Portland, OR

(CRITFC) (1134); and NMFS has issued

permit modifications to: Fish Passage

Center at Portland, OR (FPC) (822), U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers at Walla

Walla, WA (Corps) (895), and the Fish

Ecology Division of the Northwest

Fisheries Science Center, NMFS at

Seattle, WA (NWFSC) (946).

DATES: Written comments or requests for

a public hearing on any of the

applications must be received on or

before July 6, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The applications and

related documents are available for

review in the following offices, by

appointment:

For permit 822, 895, 946, 1124, 1127,

and 1134: Protected Resources Division

(PRD), F/NWO3, 525 NE Oregon Street,

Suite 500, Portland, OR 97232–4169

(503–230–5400).

For permit 1092: Protected Species

Division, NMFS, 777 Sonoma Avenue,

Room 325, Santa Rosa, CA 95404–6528

(707–575–6066).

For permit 1132: Director, Southeast

Region, NMFS, NOAA, 9721 Executive

Center Drive, St. Petersburg, FL 33702–

2432 (813–893–3141).

For permit 1155: Director, Northeast

Region, NMFS, NOAA, One Blackburn

Drive, Glouster, MA, 01930–2298 (978–

281–9250).

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

permit 822, 895, 946, 1124, and 1127:

Robert Koch, Portland, OR (503–230–

5424).

For permit 1092: Thomas Hablett,

Protected Resources Division, (707–

575–6066).

For permits 1132 and 1155: Terri

Jordan, Endangered Species Division,

Office of Protected Resources, (301–

713–1401).

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 below application

summaries are those of the applicant

and do not necessarily reflect the views

of NMFS.

Issuance of these permits and

modifications 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

The following species are covered in

this notice: Chinook salmon

(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), Coho

salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch),

Shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser

brevirostrum), Sockeye salmon

(Oncorhynchus nerka) and Steelhead

trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

New Application Received

LSC-USGS (1155) requests a 5 year

permit to possess 90 samples of

shortnose sturgeon DNA obtained from

Dr. Isaac Wirgin (Permit #1107) for

analysis of microsatellite DNA variation

collected from three geographic

populations of the species.

Microsatellite analysis will be

performed by polymerase chain reaction

(PCR). The genetic analysis will help

determine the presence of a reproducing

shortnose sturgeon population in the

Chesapeake Bay. The genetic analysis is

part of a larger project (Permit #1051)

being undertaken by the US Fish and

Wildlife Service, National Marine

Fisheries Service, Maryland Department

of Natural Resources, US Army Corps of

Engineers, US Geological Survey and

State University of New York entitled

‘‘Determination of whether a resident

shortnose sturgeon population exists in

Chesapeake Bay and assessment of

sturgeon use of proposed dredged

material placement sites’’. Knowledge of

this population and its relationship to

other geographic populations will aid in

development of conservation plans.

Permits and Modifications Issued

Notice was published on March 6,

1998 (63 FR 11221), that an application

had been filed by FPC for modification

5 to scientific research permit 822.

Modification 5 to permit 822 was issued

to FPC on May 26, 1998. Permit 822

authorizes FPC annual takes of juvenile,

endangered, Snake River sockeye

salmon; juvenile, threatened, naturally

produced and artificially propagated,

Snake River spring/summer chinook

salmon; and juvenile, threatened, Snake

River fall chinook salmon associated

with the Smolt Monitoring Program

(SMP). The objective of the SMP is to

generate information on the migrational

characteristics of various salmon and

steelhead stocks in the Columbia River

Basin and to provide advice on the

implementation of flow and spill

measures to improve fish passage

conditions in the Snake and Columbia

Rivers. For modification 5, FPC is

authorized annual takes of juvenile,

endangered, naturally produced and

artificially propagated, upper Columbia

River (UCR) steelhead associated with

the SMP. Modification 5 is valid for the

duration of the permit. Permit 822

expires on December 31, 1998.

Notice was published on February 24,

1998 (63 FR 9204), that an application

had been filed by the Corps for

modification 4 to enhancement permit

895. Modification 4 to permit 895 was

issued to the Corps on May 26, 1998.

Permit 895 authorizes the Corps annual
30200 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 106 /Wednesday, June 3, 1998 / Notices

takes of juvenile, endangered, Snake

River sockeye salmon and juvenile,

threatened, Snake River spring/summer

and fall chinook salmon associated with

the transport of fish around mainstem

dams and downstream reservoirs on the

Snake and Columbia Rivers. The

purpose of the fish transportation

program is to increase anadromous fish

survival over the alternative of in-river

passage, given current in-river migratory

conditions. Permit 895 also authorizes

the Corps annual incidental takes of

ESA-listed adult fish associated with the

operation of the juvenile fish

transportation facilities. For

modification 4, the Corps is authorized

an annual direct take of juvenile,

endangered, naturally produced and

artificially propagated UCR steelhead

associated with the juvenile fish

transportation program. Also for

modification 4, the Corps is authorized

an annual incidental take of adult,

endangered, UCR steelhead associated

with fallbacks through hydropower dam

juvenile bypass systems. Indirect and

incidental mortalities of ESA-listed

steelhead are authorized. Permit 895 is

also extended through December 31,

1999. Modification 4 is valid for the

duration of the permit.

Notice was published on March 24,

1998 (63 FR 14069), that an application

had been filed by NWFSC for

modification 4 to scientific research

permit 946. Modification 4 to permit

946 was issued to NWFSC on May 19,

1998. Permit 946 authorizes NWFSC

annual takes of juvenile, endangered,

Snake River sockeye salmon; adult and

juvenile, threatened, naturally produced

and artificially propagated, Snake River

spring/summer chinook salmon; and

juvenile, threatened, Snake River fall

chinook salmon associated with two

scientific research studies. The studies

are designed to assess the migration

timing and relative survival of chinook

salmon smolts transported by barge to

below Bonneville Dam on the Columbia

River with the survival to adulthood of

smolts migrating volitionally inriver to

Bonneville Dam and to the mouth of the

Columbia River. For modification 4,

NWFSC is authorized an increase in the

takes of ESA-listed juvenile fish

associated with the studies. Also for

modification 4, NWFSC is authorized an

annual take of juvenile, endangered,

naturally produced and artificially

propagated, UCR steelhead associated

with one of the studies. Modification 4

is valid for the duration of the permit.

Permit 946 expires on December 31,

1999.

Notice was published on January 13,

1998 (63 FR 2364), that an application

had been filed by SPI for a scientific

research permit. Permit 1092 was issued

to SPI on May 26, 1998. Permit 1092

authorizes takes of juvenile, threatened,

southern Oregon/northern California

coastal coho salmon associated with fish

population and habitat studies within

the California portion of the

evolutionarily significant unit. ESAlisted fish will be captured, handled,

and released. Indirect mortalities

associated with the research are also

authorized. Permit 1092 expires on June

30, 2003.

Notice was published on February 19,

1998 (63 FR 8435), that an application

had been filed by IDFG for a scientific

research permit. Permit 1124 was issued

to IDFG on May 19, 1998. Permit 1124

authorizes IDFG annual takes of adult

and juvenile, endangered, Snake River

sockeye salmon; adult and juvenile,

threatened, naturally produced and

artificially propagated, Snake River

spring/summer chinook salmon; and

juvenile, threatened, Snake River fall

chinook salmon associated with seven

research tasks: (1) General fish

population inventory; (2) Spring/

summer chinook salmon natural

production monitoring and evaluation;

(3) Spring/summer chinook salmon

supplementation research; (4) Redfish

Lake, Pettit Lake, Alturas Lake kokanee/

sockeye research; (5) Salmon and

steelhead fish health monitoring; (6)

Steelhead natural production

monitoring and evaluation; and (7)

Steelhead supplementation research.

Permit 1124 expires on December 31,

2002.

Notice was published on February 19,

1998 (63 FR 8435), that an application

had been filed by SBT for a scientific

research permit. Permit 1127 was issued

to SBT on May 19, 1998. Permit 1127

authorizes SBT annual takes of adult

and juvenile, threatened, naturally

produced and artificially propagated,

Snake River spring/summer chinook

salmon associated with scientific

research conducted throughout the

Salmon River Basin in the state of ID.

SBT will conduct six research tasks: (1)

Snorkel surveys; (2) spawning ground

surveys; (3) juvenile chinook salmon

outmigrant monitoring in the East Fork

and the West Fork Yankee Fork using a

rotary screw trap and passive integrated

transponder tags; (4) juvenile fish

migration timing and movement at the

Yankee Fork using fyke nets; (5)

juvenile chinook salmon and steelhead

abundance and condition factor

estimates at the Yankee Fork using

seines and electrofishing; and (6)

juvenile chinook salmon parr

monitoring. Permit 1127 expires on

December 31, 2002.

Notice was published on Febrary 25,

1998 (63 FR 9505), that an application

had been filed by SMA, for a scientific

research permit. Permit 1132 was issued

to SMA on May 27, 1998. Permit 1132

authorizes the take of a maximum of 40

shortnose sturgeon from the Ogeechee

(10) and Altamaha (30) rivers in Georgia

to collect tissue samples of shortnose

sturgeon in these rivers for genetic

analysis in conjunction with previously

permitted researchers. The sturgeon will

be examined, measured, photographed,

and tagged with conventional and PIT

tags. Tissue samples will be taken from

the right pectoral spine. The sturgeon

will be released immediately following

the above procedure. Permit 1132

expires on May 31, 2000.

Notice was published on March 2,

1998 (63 FR 10198), that an application

had been filed by CRITFC for a scientific

research permit. Permit 1134 was issued

to CRITFC on May 27, 1998. Permit

1134 authorizes CRITFC annual takes of

juvenile, endangered, Snake River

sockeye salmon; adult and juvenile,

threatened, naturally produced and

artificially propagated, Snake River

spring/summer chinook salmon; adult

and juvenile, threatened, Snake River

fall chinook salmon; and adult and

juvenile, endangered, naturally

produced and artificially propagated,

UCR steelhead associated with scientific

research in the Columbia and Snake

River Basins in the Pacific Northwest.

CRITFC will conduct eight research

tasks: (1) Juvenile chinook salmon,

steelhead, and coho salmon surveys; (2)

juvenile anadromous salmonid

outmigration studies; (3) chinook

salmon and steelhead escapement

surveys; (4) scale sampling at

Bonneville Dam; (5) cryopreservation of

chinook salmon and steelhead gametes;

(6) gas bubble trauma sampling; (7)

subyearling fall chinook salmon

research; and (8) westslope cutthroat

trout genetic inventory. Permit 1134

expires on December 31, 2002.

Dated: May 29, 1998.

Patricia A. Montanio,

Deputy Director, Office of Protected

Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98–14738 Filed 6–2–98; 8:45 am]

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