Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 214 / Wednesday, November 5, 2014 / Notices 65627 

can be identified. The captured 

steelhead and Chinook would be 

released with minimal handling, but 

some may be anesthetized, identified by 

species, and scanned for PIT tags. These 

fish will be held and allowed to recover 

in cool, aerated water and released at or 

near the site of capture. 

The studies would benefit the fish by 

helping guide habitat restoration efforts 

and refuge planning and adding 

information on fish presence and 

interactions in areas where they are 

currently poorly understood. The 

researchers do not intend to kill any of 

the fish being captured but a small 

number may die as an inadvertent result 

of the activities. 

Permit 18883 

The City of Portland has requested a 

one-year permit to take listed salmon 

and steelhead while conducting fish 

tissue sampling in the Columbia River 

slough. The City performs fish tissue 

sampling every 10 years to assess 

whether upland source control actions 

have reduced the level of toxins in fish 

tissue and to evaluate exposure levels 

for people who consume fish. Due to 

their high lipid content and feeding 

habits, carp are the target fish species 

used to evaluate exposure levels. The 

City would collect adult carp, using boat 

electrofishing equipment, from locations 

throughout the Slough. Although 

salmon and steelhead are not the target 

of the study, the City may inadvertently 

take juvenile and adult LCR Chinook 

salmon, LCR coho salmon, LCR 

steelhead, UWR Chinook salmon, and 

UWR steelhead. These fish would 

benefit from the information to be 

gained because that information would 

be used to reduce contaminant loads in 

all fish using the slough. The City does 

not intend to kill any of the salmonids 

being captured but a small number of 

juvenile fish may die as an unintended 

result of the activities. 

Permit 18906 

The Northwest Straits Foundation 

(NSF) is seeking a five-year research 

permit to annually take juvenile HCS 

chum salmon, PS Chinook salmon, and 

PS steelhead. The researchers may also 

take adult S eulachon, for which there 

are currently no ESA take prohibitions. 

Sampling would take place at 20 to 30 

sites in Puget Sound at the following 

locations: Fidalgo Bay, Bowman Bay, 

Shannon Point, Fort Townsend, Oak 

Bay, and Smugglers Cove. The purpose 

of the study is to monitor ecosystem 

response to restoration efforts and 

determine the restoration activities’ 

effectiveness at reestablishing habitat as 

a natural functioning ecosystem. The 

research would benefit the listed species 

by determining the effectiveness of 

these restoration efforts and helping 

guide future efforts. The NSF proposes 

to use beach seines to capture the fish; 

they would then be identified by 

species, measured, and released. The 

researchers do not propose to kill any of 

the listed fish being captured, but a 

small number may die as an unintended 

result of the activities. 

Permit 19013 

Long Live the Kings (LLTK) is seeking 

a five-year research permit to annually 

take juvenile HCS chum salmon, PS 

Chinook salmon, and PS steelhead from 

the Hamma Hamma River, Washington, 

while assessing effects and effectiveness 

of PS steelhead supplementation in that 

area. The research would benefit the 

listed species by determining what 

legacy effects the PS steelhead hatchery 

program has had on natural steelhead 

populations (abundance, genetic 

diversity, and life history diversity). The 

LLTK researchers propose to use a 

rotary screw trap to capture the fish 

which would then be anesthetized, 

weighed, measured, have a tissue 

sample taken (sample scale and fin 

clip), and allowed to recover in cool, 

aerated water until they are ready for 

release. The researchers do not propose 

to kill any of the listed salmonids being 

captured, but a small number may die 

as an unintended result of the activities. 

This notice is provided pursuant to 

section 10(c) of the ESA. NMFS will 

evaluate the applications, associated 

documents, and comments submitted to 

determine whether the applications 

meet the requirements of section 10(a) 

of the ESA and Federal regulations. The 

final permit decisions will not be made 

until after the end of the 30-day 

comment period. NMFS will publish 

notice of its final action in the Federal 

Register. 

Dated: October 29, 2014. 

Angela Somma, 

Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office 

of Protected Resources, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–26243 Filed 11–4–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XD594 

Endangered and Threatened Species; 

Take of Abalone 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of receipt for a request to 

modify an existing scientific research 

and enhancement permit. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

NMFS has received one permit 

application request to modify an 

existing research and enhancement 

permit. The proposed research is 

intended to increase knowledge of 

species listed under the Endangered 

Species Act (ESA) and to help guide 

management, conservation, and 

recovery efforts. The application may be 

viewed online at: https://apps.nmfs.

noaa.gov/preview/preview_open_for_

comment.cfm. 

DATES: Comments or requests for a 

public hearing on the application must 

be received at the appropriate address or 

fax number (see ADDRESSES) no later 

than 5 p.m. Pacific standard time on 

December 5, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the 

application should be submitted to the 

Protected Resources Division, NMFS, 

777 Sonoma Avenue, Room 325, Santa 

Rosa, CA 95404. Comments may also be 

submitted via fax to 707–578–3435 or by 

email to nmfs.swr.apps@noaa.gov 

(include the permit number in the 

subject line of the email). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jeffrey Jahn, Santa Rosa, CA (ph.: 707– 

575–6097), Fax: 707–578–3435, email: 

Jeffrey.Jahn@noaa.gov). Permit 

application instructions are available 

from the address above, or online at 

https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Species Covered in This Notice 

The following listed species are 

covered in this notice: 

Endangered white abalone (Haliotis 

sorenseni). 

Authority 

Scientific research and enhancement 

permits are issued in accordance with 

section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 

1531 et. seq) and regulations governing 

listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR 

parts 222–227). NMFS issues permits 

based on findings that such permits: (1) 

Are applied for in good faith; (2) if 

granted and exercised, would not 

operate to the disadvantage of the listed 

species that are the subject of the 

permit; and (3) are consistent with the 

purposes and policy of section 2 of the 

ESA. The authority to take listed species 

is subject to conditions set forth in the 

permits. 

Anyone requesting a hearing on an 

application listed in this notice should 

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65628 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 214 / Wednesday, November 5, 2014 / Notices 

set out the specific reasons why a 

hearing on that application would be 

appropriate (see ADDRESSES). Such 

hearings are held at the discretion of the 

Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, 

NMFS. 

Application Received 

Permit 14344 Modification 1 

The University of California at Davis, 

Bodega Marine Laboratory (BML) is 

seeking to modify permit (14344) that 

currently authorizes the captive 

maintenance and breeding of captive 

white abalone. The research is designed 

to (1) investigate and overcome barriers 

to propagating endangered white 

abalone in captivity, (2) identify 

reproduction limits in wild white 

abalone, (3) to investigate white abalone 

disease processes and learn how to 

mitigate them, and (4) seek the most 

successful means of recovering these 

animals in the wild. The requested 

modification would allow BML to 

collect wild white abalone from the 

ocean, especially individuals facing 

immediate harm, in order to increase 

the numbers and genetic integrity of 

captive broodstock. We expect and 

intend that the captive breeding 

program will benefit the abalone by 

increasing their numbers, helping to 

stabilize the population, and eventually 

helping to recover them in the wild. The 

researchers do not intend to kill any of 

the animals being captured but a small 

number of them may be killed as an 

inadvertent result of the activities. 

This notice is provided pursuant to 

section 10(c) of the ESA. NMFS will 

evaluate the applications, associated 

documents, and comments submitted to 

determine whether the applications 

meet the requirements of section 10(a) 

of the ESA and Federal regulations. The 

final permit decisions will not be made 

until after the end of the 30-day 

comment period. NMFS will publish 

notice of its final action in the Federal 

Register. 

Dated: October 29, 2014. 

Angela Somma, 

Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office 

of Protected Resources, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–26242 Filed 11–4–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[Docket No. 1206013478–4863–03] 

RIN 0648–XB140 

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife 

and Plants: Notice of 12-Month Finding 

on a Petition To List the Queen Conch 

as Threatened or Endangered Under 

the Endangered Species Act (ESA) 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of 12-month finding. 

SUMMARY: We, NMFS, announce a 12- 

month finding and listing determination 

on a petition to list the queen conch 

(Strombus gigas) as threatened or 

endangered under the Endangered 

Species Act (ESA). We have completed 

a comprehensive status report for the 

queen conch in response to the petition 

submitted by WildEarth Guardians. 

Based on the best scientific and 

commercial information available, 

including the status report (NMFS, 

2014a), we have determined that the 

species does not warrant listing at this 

time. We conclude that the queen conch 

is not currently in danger of extinction 

throughout all or a significant portion of 

its range nor is it not likely to become 

so within the foreseeable future. 

DATES: This finding was made on 

November 5, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: Documents associated with 

this determination and reference list— 

are available by submitting a request to 

the Species Conservation Branch Chief, 

Protected Resources Division, NMFS 

Southeast Regional Office, 263 13th 

Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 

33701–5505, Attn: Queen Conch 12- 

month Finding. The reports are also 

available electronically at: http://sero.

nmfs.noaa.gov/protected_resources/

listing_petitions/index.html. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Calusa Horn, NMFS, Southeast Regional 

Office (727) 824–5312. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

On February 27, 2012, we received a 

petition from WildEarth Guardians to 

list the queen conch (Stombus gigas) as 

threatened or endangered under the 

Endangered Species Act of 1973. The 

petitioner also requested that critical 

habitat be designated for this species 

concurrent with listing under the ESA. 

The petition stated that overfishing is 

the greatest threat to queen conch and 

is the principal cause of population 

declines. It also argued that the existing 

regulations are ineffective and unable to 

prevent the unsustainable and illegal 

harvest of queen conch. The petitioner 

asserted that biological characteristics 

(e.g., slow growth, late maturation, 

limited mobility, occurrence in shallow 

waters, and tendency to aggregate) 

render the species particularly 

vulnerable to overharvest, and that 

Allee effects are preventing the recovery 

of overexploited stocks. The petitioner 

also argued that degradation of shallow 

water nursery habitat and water 

pollution, specifically high 

concentrations of zinc and copper, 

reduces juvenile recruitment and causes 

reproductive failure. 

On August 27, 2012, we published a 

90-day finding with our determination 

that the petition presented substantial 

scientific and commercial information 

indicating that the petitioned action 

may be warranted (77 FR 51763). The 

90-day finding requested scientific and 

commercial information from the public 

to inform a status report of the species. 

We requested information on the status 

of the queen conch throughout its range 

including: (1) Historical and current 

distribution and abundance of this 

species throughout its range; (2) 

historical and current population 

trends; (3) biological information (life 

history, genetics, population 

connectivity, etc.); (4) landings and 

trade data; (5) management, regulatory, 

and enforcement information; (6) any 

current or planned activities that may 

adversely impact the species; and (7) 

ongoing or planned efforts to protect 

and restore the species and its habitat. 

We received information from the 

public in response to the 90-day finding, 

and relevant information was 

incorporated into the status report. 

Listing Species Under the ESA 

We are responsible for determining 

whether queen conch are threatened or 

endangered under the ESA (16 U.S.C. 

1531 et seq.). To make this 

determination, we first consider 

whether a group of organisms 

constitutes a ‘‘species’’ under Section 3 

of the ESA, then whether the status of 

the species qualifies it for listing as 

either threatened or endangered. Section 

3 of the ESA defines species to include 

‘‘any subspecies of fish or wildlife or 

plants, and any distinct population 

segment [DPS] of any species of 

vertebrate fish or wildlife which 

interbreeds when mature.’’ Thus, as an 

invertebrate, the queen conch can only 

be considered for listing as a taxonomic 

species or subspecies. The species 

diagnosis for the queen conch has been 

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