20952 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 76 / Wednesday, April 19, 2000 / Notices

for a 5-year ESA section 10(a)(1)(B)

permit (1233) for incidental takes of

ESA-listed adult and juvenile salmonids

associated with recreational fisheries

during 2000 through 2004 on non-listed

species in the Snake River and its

tributaries in the State of Idaho.

Conservation Plan

The Conservation Plan prepared by

IDFG describes measures designed to

monitor, minimize, and mitigate the

incidental takes of ESA-listed

anadromous salmonids associated with

some or all of the following fisheries

which are expected to occur during

2000 through 2004:

Resident Fish Species Sport Fishing -

General Fishing Regulations

The general statewide stream season

in Idaho runs from Saturday of the

Memorial Day weekend through

November 30. Exceptions to the general

stream season include certain river

sections that are open year-round and

rivers or stream sections that are closed

to all fishing for all or part of the general

stream season. Most lakes, ponds and

reservoirs are open to fishing the entire

year, with exceptions to protect

particular resources.

Anadromous Salmon Sport Fishing -

Anadromous Salmon Fishing

Regulations

Fisheries for spring/summer chinook

salmon, when returns allow, typically

occur from mid-May up to August 4.

Closing salmon fishing on or before

August 4 is designed to protect listed

fall chinook. Chinook fisheries are based

on quotas of non-listed components and

take limits of ESA-listed components of

the run. Chinook fisheries may be

closed on short notice when in-season

monitoring indicates that criteria are

met.

Spring and Fall Steelhead Sport Fishing

- Steelhead Fishing Regulations

The steelhead harvest season lasts

from September 1 through April 30,

except steelhead may not be harvested

until October 15 on the Clearwater River

and the mainstem Salmon River fishery

closes on March 31. The Little Salmon

River is the only Salmon River tributary

open to harvest of steelhead. Only nonlisted, hatchery-produced steelhead that

have been marked by a clipped adipose

fin may legally be harvested by anglers.

Incidental mortalities of ESA-listed

fish associated with the IDFG

recreational fishery programs are

requested at levels specified in the

Permit application. IDFG is proposing to

limit state recreational fisheries such

that the incidental impacts on ESAlisted salmonids will be minimized.

Three alternatives for the IDFG fisheries

were provided in the Plan, including:

(1) the no action alternative; (2) the

proposed conservation plan alternative

(based on continuing fisheries at levels

similar to those permitted since 1995);

and (3) historic fishing levels.

Environmental Assessment/Finding of

No Significant Impact

The EA package includes a draft EA

and a draft Finding of No Significant

Impact (FONSI) which concludes that

issuing the incidental take permit is not

a major Federal action significantly

affecting the quality of the human

environment, within the meaning of

section 102(2)(C) of the National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of

1969, as amended. Three Federal action

alternatives have been analyzed in the

EA, including: (1) the no action

alternative; (2) issue a permit without

conditions; and (3) issue a permit with

conditions.

This notice is provided pursuant to

section 10(c) of the ESA and the NEPA

regulations (40 CFR 1506.6). NMFS will

evaluate the application, associated

documents, and comments submitted

thereon to determine whether the

application meets the requirements of

the NEPA regulations and section 10(a)

of the ESA. If it is determined that the

requirements are met, a permit will be

issued for incidental takes of ESA-listed

anadromous salmonids under the

jurisdiction of NMFS. The final NEPA

and permit determinations will not be

completed until after the end of the 30-

day comment period and will fully

consider all public comments received

during the comment period. NMFS will

publish a record of its final action in the

Federal Register.

Dated: April 13, 2000.

Craig Johnson,

Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division,

Office of Protected Resources, National

Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 00–9841 Filed 4–18–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 041000C]

Availability of a Draft Environmental

Assessment/Finding of No Significant

Impact and Receipt of an Application

for an Incidental Take Permit (1248)

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration,

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

SUMMARY: NMFS has received an

application for an incidental take permit

(Permit) from the Washington

Department of Fish and Wildlife

(WDFW) according to the Endangered

Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA).

As required by the ESA, WDFW has also

prepared a conservation plan (Plan)

designed to minimize and mitigate any

such take of endangered or threatened

species. The Permit application is for

the incidental take of ESA-listed adult

and juvenile salmonids associated with

otherwise lawful recreational fisheries

on non-listed species in the upper

Columbia River and its tributaries in the

state of Washington. The duration of the

proposed Permit and Plan is five years.

The Permit application includes the

proposed Plan submitted by WDFW.

NMFS also announces the availability of

a draft Environmental Assessment (EA)

for the Permit application. NMFS is

furnishing this notice in order to allow

other agencies and the public an

opportunity to review and comment on

these documents. All comments

received will become part of the public

record and will be available for review

pursuant to the ESA.

DATES: Written comments from

interested parties on the Permit

application, Plan, and draft EA must be

received at the appropriate address or

fax number (see ADDRESSES) no later

than 5:00 pm Pacific daylight time on

May 19, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the

application, Plan, or draft EA should be

sent to Lance Kruzic, Sustainable

Fisheries Division, F/NWR3, 525 NE

Oregon Street, Suite 510, Portland, OR

97232–2737. Comments may also be

sent via fax to 503–872–2737.

Comments will not be accepted if

submitted via e-mail or the internet.

Requests for copies of the Permit

application, Plan, and draft EA should

be directed to the Sustainable Fisheries

Division, F/NWO3, 525 NE Oregon

Street, Suite 510, Portland, OR 97232–

2737. Comments received will also be

available for public inspection, by

appointment, during normal business

hours by calling 503–230–5407.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Lance Kruzic, Portland, OR (ph: 503–

231–2178, fax: 503–872–2737, e-mail:

Lance.Kruzic@noaa.gov).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 9

of the ESA and Federal regulations

prohibit the ‘‘taking’’ of a species listed

as endangered or threatened. The term

‘‘take’’ is defined under the ESA to

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 76 / Wednesday, April 19, 2000 / Notices 20953

mean harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot,

wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or

to attempt to engage in any such

conduct. NMFS may issue permits,

under limited circumstances, to take

listed species incidental to, and not the

purpose of, otherwise lawful activities.

NMFS regulations governing permits for

threatened and endangered species are

promulgated at 50 CFR 222.307.

Species Covered in This Notice

The following species, evolutionarily

significant units (ESU’s), and runs are

included in the Plan and Permit

application:

Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus

tshawytscha): endangered naturally

produced and artificially propagated

upper Columbia River (UCR) spring.

Steelhead (O. mykiss): endangered

naturally produced and artificially

propagated UCR.

Background

On March 13, 2000, WDFW submitted

an application to NMFS for an ESA

section 10(a)(1)(B) permit for an

incidental take of ESA-listed

anadromous fish species associated with

seven recreational fishery programs to

be conducted above Priest Rapids Dam

on the Columbia River and its

tributaries from 2000 to 2004. Currently,

this includes endangered spring

chinook salmon and steelhead in the

UCR Evolutionarily Significant Units

(ESUs). The proposed fisheries solely

target resident trout, smallmouth bass,

walleye, sturgeon, whitefish, and nonlisted chinook salmon. The proposed

implementation of these fisheries will

allow fishing for recreational purposes

and will provide economic opportunity

for local communities through the sale

of licences, equipment, and the conduct

of other financial transactions related to

the recreational fisheries.

Conservation Plan

The Conservation Plan prepared by

WDFW describes measures designed to

monitor, minimize, and mitigate the

incidental takes of ESA-listed

anadromous salmonids associated with

some or all of the following fisheries

that are expected to occur during 2000

through 2004:

Rainbow, Cutthroat, and Brook Trout

Sport Fishery

This fishery is scheduled to occur

June 1 through September 30 in the

mainstem Methow River, and two of its

tributaries, the Chewuch and Twisp

rivers. However, due to stream runoff,

angling typically occurs after the first

part of July. The regulations for this

fishery are catch and release of trout

only using unscented, artificial flies and

lures with single, barbless hooks. Bait is

prohibited.

Summer/Fall Chinook Salmon Sport

Fishery

Summer/fall chinook salmon in the

UCR region are not listed under the

ESA. Angling for summer/fall chinook

salmon above Priest Rapids Dam is

allowed from September 16 to December

31. However, most of the angling only

occurs until the middle of October.

Leavenworth Hatchery Spring Chinook

Salmon Sport Fishery

Spring chinook salmon returning to

Leavenworth Hatchery are not

indigenous to the ESU and were not

included as part of the ESU. Inseason

run abundance of hatchery and wild

spring chinook salmon returning to the

UCR determines if and when the harvest

of hatchery chinook salmon will be

allowed. This fishery typically occurs in

May and June. Angling is allowed only

from the mouth of Icicle Creek upstream

to 400 feet below the Leavenworth

Hatchery adult collection facility.

Smallmouth Bass Sport Fisheries

This fishery is open year round under

permanent state regulations in the

mainstem Columbia River and

Okanogan River below Malott Bridge.

However, most angling occurs after

spring runoff (July through September)

when streamflows and warmer water

permit successful angling. Anglers

typically use buoyant plugs and soft

bodied jigs.

Walleye Sport Fisheries

The walleye fishery is open year

round under permanent state

regulations in the mainstem Columbia

River, with most angling occurring

between January and April, when the

fish aggregate prior to spawning. Most of

the fishing occurs below the tailraces of

the mainstem Columbia River dams.

Fishing tackle typically includes soft

body grubs, buoyant plugs, and spinner

baits.

Sturgeon Sport Fishery

A year round, catch and release only,

sturgeon fishery occurs under

permanent state regulations in the

mainstem Columbia River. Limited

angling occurs in the mainstem river

above Priest Rapids Dam using very

large hooks (>4/0) with bait. Fishing

occurs primarily in the deep water

areas.

Whitefish Sport Fishery

This fishery is proposed to occur from

December 1 through March 3 of each

year. Use of bait is allowed if hooks are

size #14 (3/16 hook gap size) or smaller.

Fishing is limited to the following

specific locations: Chewuch River from

the mouth to the Pasayten Wilderness

boundary, Methow River from the

mouth to the falls above Brush Creek,

Similkameen River from the mouth to

the Canadian border, Entiat River from

the mouth to Entiat Falls, and the

Wenatchee River from the mouth to

Highway 2 bridge at Leavenworth.

Other Gamefish and Non-gamefish

Sport Fisheries

In addition to the fish species listed

above, over 20 other species may be

incidentally taken by anglers while

fishing in the specific areas above.

Incidental mortalities of ESA-listed

fish associated with the WDFW

recreational fishery programs are

requested at levels specified in the

Permit application. WDFW is proposing

to limit state recreational fisheries such

that the incidental impacts on ESAlisted salmonids will be minimized.

Two alternatives for the WDFW

fisheries were provided in the Plan,

including: (1) the no action alternative;

(2) and the proposed conservation plan

alternative (based on implementation of

the fisheries with a comprehensive

monitoring program).

Environmental Assessment/Finding of

No Significant Impact

The EA package includes a draft EA

and a draft Finding of No Significant

Impact (FONSI) which concludes that

issuing the incidental take permit is not

a major Federal action significantly

affecting the quality of the human

environment, within the meaning of

section 102(2)(C) of the National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of

1969, as amended. Three Federal action

alternatives have been analyzed in the

EA, including: (1) the no action

alternative; (2) issue a permit without

conditions; and (3) issue a permit with

conditions.

This notice is provided pursuant to

section 10(c) of the ESA and the NEPA

regulations (40 CFR 1506.6). NMFS will

evaluate the application, associated

documents, and comments submitted

thereon to determine whether the

application meets the requirements of

the NEPA regulations and section 10(a)

of the ESA. If it is determined that the

requirements are met, a permit will be

issued for incidental takes of ESA-listed

anadromous salmonids under the

jurisdiction of NMFS. The final NEPA

and permit determinations will not be

completed until after the end of the 30-

day comment period and will fully

consider all public comments received

20954 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 76 / Wednesday, April 19, 2000 / Notices

during the comment period. NMFS will

publish a record of its final action in the

Federal Register.

Dated: April 13, 2000.

Craig Johnson,

Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division,

Office of Protected Resources, National

Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 00–9843 Filed 4–18–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 041400B]

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management

Council; Public Meetings

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery

Management Council will convene

public meetings of the Standing and

Special Red Drum Scientific and

Statistical Committee (SSC) and the Red

Drum Advisory Panel (AP).

DATES: The Standing and Special Red

Drum SSC will meet on Wednesday,

May 3, 2000 beginning at 1 p.m. and

will conclude by 12 noon on Thursday,

May 4, 2000; the Red Drum AP will

meet on Friday, May 5, 2000 from 8 a.m.

until 3 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The SSC meeting will be

held at the Tampa Airport Hilton Hotel,

2225 Lois Avenue, Tampa, FL 33607;

telephone 813–877–6688. The AP

meeting will be held at the New Orleans

Airport Hilton, 901 Airline Drive,

Kenner, LA 70062; telephone: 504–469–

5000.

Council address: Gulf of Mexico

Fishery Management Council, 3018 U.S.

Highway 301 North, Suite 1000, Tampa,

FL 33619.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Peter Hood, Fishery Biologist, Gulf of

Mexico Fishery Management Council;

telephone: 813–228–2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The SEC

will convene to review the 1999/2000

red drum stock assessment. A Red Dum

Stock Assessment Panel (SAP) member

will present the assessment to the SSC

related to setting an allowable biological

catch (ABC) range in the Gulf of Mexico.

The SSC may also review estimates of

stock size (biomass at maximum

sustainable yield [Bmsy]), minimum

stock size thresholds (MSST),

escapement rates of juveniles to offshore

waters, and adult red drum bycatch in

shrimp trawls. Based on this review, the

SSC may recommend to the Council

levels for total allowable catch (TAC),

bag limits, size limits, commercial

quotas, and other measures for the red

drum fishery.

The AP will meet to review the 1999/

2000 red drum stock assessment. A Red

Drum SAP member will also present the

assessment to the AP. The AP will also

provide recommendations to the

Council.

Based on recommendations from the

above meetings, the Council, at its May

meeting in New Orleans, LA will decide

if changes are needed to current red

drum management measures. Currently,

it is illegal to harvest or possess red

drum in Federal waters.

A copy of the agenda can be obtained

by contacting the Gulf Council (see

ADDRESSES).

Although other non-emergency issues

not on the agenda may come before the

Standing and Special Red Drum SSC

and the Red Drum AP for discussion, in

accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens

Fishery Conservation and Management

Act, those issues may not be the subject

of formal action during these meetings.

Actions of the Standing and Special

Reef Fish SSC and the Red Drum AP

will be restricted to those issues

specifically identified in the agendas

and any issues arising after publication

of this notice that require emergency

action under Section 305(c) of the

Magnuson-Stevens Act, provided the

public has been notified of the Council’s

intent to take action to address the

emergency. Special Accommodations.

These meetings are physically

accessible to people with disabilities.

Requests for sign language

interpretation or other auxiliary aids

should be directed to Anne Alford at the

Council (see ADDRESSES) by April 27,

2000.

Dated: April 7, 2000.

Gary C. Matlock,

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 00–9846 Filed 4–18–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–M

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 041300B]

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 (1249); receipt

of applications to modify permits (1115,

1156, 1193); and issuance of

modifications to an existing permit

(1048).

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 Mr. E.P. Taft, of Alden

Research Laboratory (ALR) (1249);

NMFS has received applications for

permit modifications from: Chelan

County Public Utility District No. 1 at

Wenatchee, WA (CCPUD)(1115), the

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

at Corvallis, OR (EPA)(1156), and the

Fish Passage Center at Portland, OR

(FPC)(1193); and NMFS has issued

modifications to a scientific research

permit to the Sonoma County Water

Agency (SCWA) (1048).

DATES: Comments or requests for a

public hearing on any of the new

applications or modification requests

must be received at the appropriate

address or fax number (see ADDRESSES)

no later than 5 p.m. eastern daylight

time on May 19, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the

new application or any of the new

modification requests should be sent to

the appropriate office as indicated

below. Comments may also be sent via

fax to the number indicated for the

application or modification request.

Comments will not be accepted if

submitted via e-mail or the internet. The

applications and related documents are

available for review in the indicated

office, by appointment:

For permits 1115, 1156, 1193:

Protected Resources Division, F/NWO3,

525 NE Oregon Street, Suite 500,

Portland, OR 97232–2737 (ph: 503–230–

5400, fax: 503–230–5435).

For permit 1048: Protected Species

Division, NMFS, 777 Sonoma Avenue,

Room 325, Santa Rosa, CA 95404–6528

(ph: 707–575–6066, fax: 707–578–3435).

For permit 1249: Office of Protected

Resources, Endangered Species

Division, F/PR3, 1315 East-West

Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (ph:

301–713–1401, fax: 301–713–0376).

Documents may also be reviewed by

appointment in the Office of Protected

Resources, F/PR3, NMFS, 1315 EastWest Highway, Silver Spring, MD

20910–3226 (301–713–1401).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For permit 1249: Terri Jordan, Silver

Spring, MD (ph: 301–713–1401, fax:

301–713–0376, e-mail:

Terri.Jordan@noaa.gov).