[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 123 (Friday, June 26, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 34852]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-17130]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 062298A]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of an application for a scientific research permit 
(1160).

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Washington Department of Fish 
and Wildlife at Vancouver, WA (WDFW) has applied in due form for a 
permit that would authorize takes of an ESA-listed anadromous fish 
species for the purpose of scientific research.

DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this 
application must be received on or before July 27, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for 
review in the following offices, by appointment:
    Protected Resources Division (PRD), F/NWO3, 525 NE Oregon Street, 
Suite 500, Portland, OR 97232-4169 (503-230-5400); and
    Office of Protected Resources, F/PR3, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3226 (301-713-1401).
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing should be 
submitted to the Chief, PRD, in Portland, OR.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Koch, PRD (503-230-5424).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: WDFW requests a permit under the authority 
of section 10 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) 
and the NMFS regulations governing ESA-listed fish and wildlife permits 
(50 CFR parts 217-227).
    WDFW requests a 5-year permit (1160) that would authorize annual 
takes of adult and juvenile, threatened, lower Columbia River steelhead 
(Oncorhynchus mykiss) associated with scientific research designed to 
monitor steelhead genetic and biological parameters in the Wind River 
Basin in WA. The monitoring effort is an integral part of the Wind 
River Watershed Project, a federally funded watershed recovery program 
intended to rebuild depressed populations of Wind River summer 
steelhead. The scientific research is essential to contain risks 
associated with conservation actions proposed in the Wind River and to 
detect both desired and unintended consequences. ESA-listed adult fish 
are proposed to be observed/harassed during redd counts and snorkel 
surveys. ESA-listed adult fish are also proposed to be captured, 
handled (examined, sampled for tissues and/or scales, and/or marked/
tagged), and released. ESA-listed juvenile fish are proposed to be 
observed during snorkel surveys or captured, handled (examined, sampled 
for tissues and/or scales, and/or marked/tagged), and released. ESA-
listed juvenile fish indirect mortalities associated with the 
scientific research activities are also requested.
    To date, protective regulations for threatened lower Columbia River 
steelhead under section 4(d) of the ESA have not been promulgated by 
NMFS. This notice of receipt of an application requesting takes of this 
species is issued as a precaution in the event that NMFS issues 
protective regulations that prohibit takes of lower Columbia River 
steelhead. The initiation of a 30-day public comment period on the 
application, including its proposed takes of lower Columbia River 
steelhead, does not presuppose the contents of the eventual protective 
regulations. Those individuals requesting a hearing on this application 
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 summary are those of the 
applicant and do not necessarily reflect the views of NMFS.

    Dated: June 22, 1998.
Patricia A. Montanio,
Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-17130 Filed 6-25-98; 8:45 am]
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