Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 87 / Friday, May 4, 2001 / Notices 22533

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This

notice is relevant to the Middle

Columbia River Steelhead

(Oncorhynchus mykiss) Evolutionarily

Significant Unit (ESU).

Background

ODFW has submitted to NMFS four

FMEPs: (1) Walla Walla River Summer

Steelhead and Trout Fisheries, (2)

Umatilla River Summer Steelhead,

Trout and Warmwater Fisheries, (3)

John Day River Steelhead, Trout and

Warmwater Fisheries, and (4) Deschutes

River, Small Columbia Tributaries:

Fifteenmile, Mill and Chenoweth Creeks

Summer Steelhead, Trout and

Warmwater Fisheries. These FMEPs are

for inland recreational fisheries

potentially affecting listed adult and

juvenile MCR ESU steelhead. These

include fisheries occurring in the

Oregon portion of the Walla Walla

River, the Umatilla River, the John Day

River, the Deschutes River and in the

smaller tributaries to the Columbia

River in Oregon between the Hood River

and the Deschutes River. The objective

of these FMEPs is to harvest known,

hatchery-origin steelhead and other fish

species in a manner that does not

jeopardize the survival and recovery of

the MCR steelhead ESU. All fisheries

included in these FMEPs will be

managed such that only adult hatcheryorigin steelhead that are adipose fin

clipped may be retained. Impacts levels

to listed MCR steelhead are specified in

the FMEPs. Population viability analysis

and risk assessments in the FMEPs

indicate the extinction risk for listed

steelhead under the proposed fishery

impact levels to be low. A variety of

monitoring and evaluation tasks are

specified in the FMEPs to assess the

abundance of steelhead, determine

fishery effort and catch of steelhead and

angler compliance. A review of

compliance with the provisions of the

FMEP will be conducted by ODFW

annually and a comprehensive review to

evaluate the effectiveness of the FMEPs

will occur at a minimum of every five

years. In the John Day River, ODFW has

also proposed a consumptive fishery on

listed naturally produced MCR

steelhead that would be implemented

only after specific conditions are

achieved. This fishery is in addition to

the selective fishery for hatchery-origin

adults described here. The conditions

are described in the FMEP ‘‘John Day

River Steelhead, Trout and Warmwater

Fisheries.’’

ODFW has provided NMFS a draft of

the Conservation Assessment of

Steelhead Populations in Oregon

(Assessment) as part of the FMEP

submittal. The Assessment provides the

population viability analysis and risk

assessment developed for ODFW’s

FMEPs. This Assessment is also

available for review and comment.

As specified in the July 10, 2000 ESA

4(d) rule for salmon and steelhead (65

FR 42422), NMFS may approve an

FMEP if it meets criteria set forth in §

223.203 (b)(4)(i)(A) through (I). Prior to

final approval of an FMEP, NMFS must

publish notification announcing its

availability for public review and

comment.

Authority

Under section 4 of the ESA, the

Secretary of Commerce is required to

adopt such regulations as he deems

necessary and advisable for the

conservation of species listed as

threatened. The ESA salmon and

steelhead 4(d) rule (65 FR 42422, July

10, 2000) specifies categories of

activities that contribute to the

conservation of listed salmonids and

sets out the criteria for such activities.

The rule further provides that the

prohibitions of paragraph (a) of the rule

do not apply to activities associated

with fishery harvest provided that an

FMEP has been approved by NMFS to

be in accordance with the salmon and

steelhead ESA 4(d) rule (65 FR 42422,

July 10, 2000).

Dated: April 30, 2001.

Margaret Lorenz,

Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division,

Office of Protected Resources, National

Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 01–11316 Filed 5–3–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 042501H]

Endangered and Threatened Species;

Take of Anadromous Fish

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability and

request for comment.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that

the Oregon Department of Fish and

Wildlife (ODFW) has submitted two

Fisheries Management and Evaluation

Plans (FMEP) and The Idaho

Department of Fish and Game (IDFG)

has submitted a FMEP pursuant to the

protective regulations promulgated for

Snake River (SR) steelhead under the

Endangered Species Act (ESA). The

FMEPs specify the future management

of inland recreational fisheries

potentially affecting the SR steelhead.

This document serves to notify the

public of the availability of the FMEPs

for review and comment before a final

approval or disapproval is made by

NMFS.

DATES: Written comments on the draft

FMEPs must be received at the

appropriate address or fax number (see

ADDRESSES) no later than 5 p.m. Pacific

standard time on June 4, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and

requests for copies of the draft FMEPs

should be addressed to Richard Turner,

Sustainable Fisheries Division, Hatchery

and Inland Fisheries Branch, 525 N.E.

Oregon Street, Suite 510, Portland, OR

97232 or faxed to 503–872–2737. The

documents are also available on the

Internet at http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/.

Comments will not be accepted if

submitted via e-mail or the Internet.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Debbie Martin, Boise, ID at phone

number: 208–321–2959, or e-mail:

debbie.martin@noaa.gov , or Richard

Turner, Portland, OR at phone number

503–736–4737 or e-mail:

rich.turner@noaa.govregarding FMEPs.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This

notice is relevant to the Snake River

Basin Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU).

Background

ODFW has submitted to NMFS an

FMEP (Snake, Grande Ronde, and

Imnaha Rivers Warmwater and

Sturgeon Recreation Fisheries) for

warmwater and sturgeon recreational

fisheries potentially affecting listed

adult and juvenile SR steelhead. This

includes fisheries occurring in the

Snake, Grande Ronde, and Imnaha River

Basins. The objective of the FMEP is to

provide a catch and release recreational

fishing opportunity and harvest on

introduced warmwater species in the

Oregon portion of the Snake River, the

Imnaha River, and the Grande Ronde

River and tributaries in a manner that

does not jeopardize the survival and

recovery of the SR steelhead ESU. The

FMEP focuses on the incidental

mortality to SR steelhead from these

fisheries. Impacts can result from the

fisheries themselves and the potential

impacts from the resident fish stocking

program. Impact levels to listed

steelhead populations in the ESU due to

catch and release are specified in the

FMEP. Population viability analyses and

risk assessments in the FMEP indicate

the extinction risk for listed steelhead

under the proposed fishery impact

levels to be low. A variety of monitoring

22534 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 87 / Friday, May 4, 2001 / Notices

and evaluation tasks are specified in the

FMEP to assess the abundance of

steelhead, determine fishery effort and

catch of steelhead, and angler

compliance. A comprehensive review of

the FMEP to evaluate whether the

fisheries and listed steelhead

populations are performing as expected

will be done through regular creel

surveys and angler contacts.

ODFW has submitted to NMFS an

FMEP (Summer Steelhead and Trout

Sport Fisheries in Grande Ronde Basin,

Imnaha Basin, and Snake River) for

recreational steelhead fisheries in the

Grande Ronde, Imnaha, and Snake River

Basins. The objective of this FMEP is to

harvest known, hatchery-origin

steelhead in a manner that does not

jeopardize the survival and recovery of

the SR steelhead ESU. Only adult

hatchery-origin steelhead that are

adipose fin clipped may be retained.

Impact levels to listed steelhead

populations in the ESU due to catch and

release are specified in the FMEP.

Population viability analyses and risk

assessments in the FMEP indicate the

extinction risk for listed steelhead under

the proposed fishery impact levels to be

less than 0.1 percent. A variety of

monitoring and evaluation tasks are

specified in the FMEP to assess the

abundance of steelhead, determine

fishery effort and catch of steelhead, and

angler compliance. A comprehensive

review of the FMEP to evaluate whether

the fisheries and listed steelhead

populations are performing as expected

will be done annually.

ODFW has provided NMFS a draft of

the Conservation Assessment of

Steelhead Populations in Oregon

(Assessment) as part of the FMEP

submittal. The Assessment provides the

population viability analysis and risk

assessment developed for ODFW’s

FMEPs. This Assessment is also

available for review and comment.

IDFG has submitted to NMFS an

FMEP (The State of Idaho Resident Fish

Species Fishing Program) for inland,

resident, recreational fisheries

potentially affecting listed adult and

juvenile SR steelhead. This includes

fisheries occurring throughout Idaho

including the Clearwater and Salmon

River Basins. The objective of the FMEP

is to provide sufficient sport fishing

opportunities in a manner that does not

jeopardize the survival and recovery of

the ESU. The FMEP focuses mainly on

impacts to juvenile steelhead. Impacts

can result from the fisheries themselves

and the potential impacts from the

resident fish stocking program. Impact

levels to listed steelhead populations in

the ESU due to catch and release are

specified in the FMEP. Population

viability analyses and risk assessments

in the FMEP indicate the extinction risk

for listed steelhead under the proposed

fishery impact levels to be low. A

variety of monitoring and evaluation

tasks are specified in the FMEP to assess

the abundance of steelhead, determine

fishery effort and catch of steelhead, and

angler compliance. A comprehensive

review of the FMEP to evaluate whether

the fisheries and listed steelhead

populations are performing as expected

will be done through regular creel

surveys and angler contacts.

As specified in the July 10, 2000 ESA

4(d) rule for salmon and steelhead (65

FR 42422), NMFS may approve an

FMEP if it meets criteria set forth in §

223.203 (b)(4)(i)(A) through (I). Prior to

final approval of an FMEP, NMFS must

publish notification announcing its

availability for public review and

comment.

Authority

Under section 4 of the ESA, the

Secretary of Commerce is required to

adopt such regulations as he deems

necessary and advisable for the

conservation of species listed as

threatened. The ESA salmon and

steelhead 4(d) rule (65 FR 42422, July

10, 2000) specifies categories of

activities that contribute to the

conservation of listed salmonids and

sets out the criteria for such activities.

The rule further provides that the

prohibitions of paragraph (a) of the rule

do not apply to activities associated

with fishery harvest provided that an

FMEP has been approved by NMFS to

be in accordance with the salmon and

steelhead ESA 4(d) rule (65 FR 42422,

July 10, 2000).

Dated: May 1, 2001.

Karen Salvini,

Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division,

Office of Protected Resources, National

Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 01–11321 Filed 5–3–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 042501F]

Endangered and Threatened Species;

Take of Anadromous Fish

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability and

request for comment.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that

the Oregon Department of Fish and

Wildlife (ODFW) has submitted two

Fisheries Management and Evaluation

Plans (FMEP) pursuant to the protective

regulations promulgated for Lower

Columbia River (LCR) steelhead under

the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The

FMEPs specify the future management

of inland recreational fisheries

potentially affecting the LCR steelhead.

This document serves to notify the

public of the availability of the FMEPs

for review and comment before a final

approval or disapproval is made by

NMFS.

DATES: Written comments on the draft

FMEPs must be received at the

appropriate address or fax number (see

ADDRESSES) no later than 5 p.m. Pacific

standard time on June 4, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and

requests for copies of the draft FMEPs

should be addressed to Richard Turner,

Sustainable Fisheries Division, Hatchery

and Inland Fisheries Branch, 525 N.E.

Oregon Street, Suite 510, Portland, OR

97232 or faxed to 503–872–2737. The

documents are also available on the

Internet at http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/.

Comments will not be accepted if

submitted via e-mail or the Internet.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Richard Turner, Portland, OR at phone

number 503–736–4737 or e-mail:

rich.turner@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This

notice is relevant to the Lower Columbia

River Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU).

Background

ODFW has submitted to NMFS two

FMEPs: (1) Hood River Basin Steelhead,

Trout and Warmwater Fisheries, and (2)

Lower Columbia River ESU Steelhead,

Trout, Sturgeon and Warmwater

Fisheries, for inland recreational

fisheries potentially affecting listed

adult and juvenile LCR steelhead. These

include fisheries occurring in the Hood

River; the lower Willamette River and

tributaries, including the Clackamas

River; the Columbia River tributaries

from below the Hood River downstream

to the North end of Sauvie Island (near

the town of St. Helens, OR); and the

Sandy River. The objective of these

FMEPs is to harvest known, hatcheryorigin steelhead and other fish species

in a manner that does not jeopardize the

survival and recovery of the LCR

steelhead ESU. All fisheries included in

these FMEPs will be managed such that

only hatchery-origin steelhead that are

adipose fin clipped may be retained.

Impacts levels to listed LCR steelhead

are specified in the FMEPs. Population