52884 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 219 / Wednesday, November 15, 2017 / Notices 

permitted to carry and fish both 

groundfish trawl gear types (bottom 

trawl and midwater trawl) on the same 

trip, assuming the proper declarations 

are made, and bring a new haul on 

board before a previous haul is stowed. 

Finally, vessels fishing on an EFP trip 

would not be constrained by the mesh 

requirements regarding size or how it is 

measured. Participating vessels would 

carry observers or use a NMFS-approved 

electronic monitoring system on 100- 

percent of trips, as is currently required 

in the IFQ program. 

NMFS has some concerns with the 

potential impacts these exemptions may 

have on protected and prohibited 

species. The best available data suggests 

that bycatch rates of Endangered 

Species Act listed salmon, eulachon, 

and green sturgeon could increase as a 

result of the increased effort resulting 

from this EFP. However, because a 

targeted fishery for chilipepper, widow, 

and yellowtail rockfish has not existed 

in more than a decade and the fishery 

has changed a lot since this data was 

collected, this data may not reflect 

current bycatch rates resulting in its 

limited utility for predicting current 

impacts to protected and prohibited 

species. Thus, NMFS has been working 

with the applicant to develop an EFP 

that would meet the applicants’ 

objectives to better target pelagic 

rockfish species while collecting 

information about bycatch and 

minimizing bycatch to the extent 

practicable. To address NMFS’s 

concerns, the applicants included in 

their application a requirement to 

collect bycatch information at the haul 

level and genetic samples on all salmon 

caught. Additionally, the applicants 

proposed and the Council 

recommended that all salmon caught by 

vessels participating in this EFP would 

be subject to a total salmon harvest 

guideline of 3,547 Chinook salmon. In 

addition, the Council recommend two 

sub-harvest guidelines to further help 

mitigate against potential impacts: 

• Prior to May 15th—All vessels 

fishing on an EFP trip north of 42° N. 

lat. would be subject to a sub-harvest 

guideline of 720 Chinook salmon (out of 

the 3,547 Chinook salmon total harvest 

guideline) for this area, including 

seaward, within, and shoreward of the 

trawl RCA, from the inception of this 

EFP until 12:01 a.m. on May 15th which 

corresponds to the start of the Primary 

whiting season for the Shorebased IFQ 

fishery. From May 15th through the end 

of this EFP, all EFP trips taken north of 

42° N. lat. would be subject to the 

remainder of total harvest guideline 

(3,547 Chinook salmon) for the EFP. 

• South of 42° N. lat.—All vessels 

fishing on an EFP trip south of 42° N. 

lat. would be subject to a sub-harvest 

guideline of 80 Chinook salmon (out of 

the 3,547 Chinook salmon harvest 

guideline) for this area for the duration 

of this EFP. 

If the overall harvest guideline of 

3,547 Chinook salmon for the EFP is 

reached, the EFP would be shut down. 

Additionally, if a sub-harvest guideline 

is reached EFP trips for which that subharvest guideline apply would be shut 

down. For example, if vessels fishing 

north of 42° N. lat. prior to May 15th 

catch more than 720 Chinook salmon, 

the EFP would be shut down until May 

15th when it would open back up in 

this area under the 3,547 Chinook 

salmon harvest guideline. For the area 

south of 42° N. lat., if any time during 

the EFP vessels fishing in this area catch 

more than 80 Chinook salmon, the EFP 

activity in the area south of 42° N. lat. 

would be shut down and would not 

reopen for the remainder of the EFP. 

The applicants have not proposed a 

specific list of participating vessels, as 

is traditionally the case, but rather are 

proposing that NMFS publish a public 

notice to gauge interest from limited 

entry groundfish midwater and bottom 

trawl vessels. Depending on the amount 

of interest and where vessels may be 

fishing, NMFS may need to limit 

participation by time and area to 

mitigate against potential impacts. 

Participating vessels that enroll in the 

EFP would be required to declare into 

and out of the EFP on a monthly basis 

by notifying NMFS. 

Information collected under the EFP 

could be used to support the analysis for 

potential new and modifications to 

existing gear regulations. With many of 

the current gear regulations having been 

in place for more than ten years, it is 

difficult for NMFS, the Council, and 

industry to predict the impacts of 

removing these regulations. In the past 

ten years, the industry has changed 

significantly. Reduction in capacity, 

innovations in gear technologies, and 

changes in management have all 

contributed to these changes. This EFP 

would help demonstrate what potential 

impacts, if any, today’s fleet may have 

if some of the current gear, area, and 

time regulations are modified from what 

is currently in regulation. 

Therefore, NMFS is proposing to 

approve a 2018 trawl gear EFP, covering 

all the exemptions stated above 

following the conclusion of the public 

comment period, review of public 

comment, and completion of an analysis 

of the potential impacts. Pending 

approval, NMFS would issue the 

permits for the EFP to the vessel owner 

or designated representative as the ‘‘EFP 

holder.’’ NMFS intends to use an 

adaptive management approach in 

which NMFS may revise requirements 

and protocols to improve the program 

without issuing another Federal 

Register Notice, provided that the 

modifications fall within the scope of 

the original EFP. In addition, the 

applicants may request minor 

modifications and extensions to the EFP 

throughout the course of research. EFP 

modifications and extensions may be 

granted without further public notice if 

they are determined essential to 

facilitate completion of the proposed 

research and result in only a minimal 

change in the scope or impacts of the 

initially approved EFP request. 

In accordance with NAO 

Administrative Order 216–6, a 

Categorical Exclusion or other 

appropriate National Environmental 

Policy Act document would be 

completed prior to the issuance of any 

permits under this EFP. After 

publication of this document in the 

Federal Register, the EFP, if approved 

by NMFS, may be implemented 

following the public comment period. 

NMFS would consider comments 

submitted, as well as the Council’s 

discussion at their September 2017 

Council meeting, in deciding whether to 

approve the application as requested. 

NMFS may approve the application in 

its entirety or may make any alterations 

needed to achieve the goals of the EFP. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., 16 

U.S.C. 773 et seq., and 16 U.S.C. 7001 et seq. 

Dated: November 9, 2017. 

Emily H. Menashes, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2017–24716 Filed 11–14–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XF811 

Endangered and Threatened Species; 

Take of Anadromous Fish 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Applications for four new 

scientific research permits, two permit 

modifications, and eight permit 

renewals. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

NMFS has received 14 scientific 


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research permit application requests 

relating to Pacific salmon, steelhead, 

eulachon, and green sturgeon. The 

proposed research is intended to 

increase knowledge of species listed 

under the Endangered Species Act 

(ESA) and to help guide management 

and conservation efforts. The 

applications 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 applications must 

be received at the appropriate address or 

fax number (see ADDRESSES) no later 

than 5 p.m. Pacific standard time on 

December 15, 2017. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the 

applications should be sent to the 

Protected Resources Division, NMFS, 

1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 1100, 

Portland, OR 97232–1274. Comments 

may also be sent via fax to 503–230– 

5441 or by email to nmfs.nwr.apps@

noaa.gov (include the permit number in 

the subject line of the fax or email). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rob 

Clapp, Portland, OR (Tel: 503–231– 

2314, Fax: 503–230–5441, email: 

Robert.Clapp@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: 

Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus 

tshawytscha): Threatened Lower 

Columbia River (LCR); threatened Puget 

Sound (PS); threatened Snake River (SR) 

spring/summer-run; threatened Snake 

River (SR) fall-run; endangered Upper 

Columbia River (UCR) spring-run; 

threatened Upper Willamette River 

(UWR). 

Steelhead (O. mykiss): Threatened 

LCR; threatened Middle Columbia River 

(MCR); threatened PS; threatened SR; 

threatened UCR; threatened UWR. 

Chum salmon (O. keta): Threatened 

Hood Canal Summer-run (HCS); 

threatened Columbia River (CR). 

Coho salmon (O. kisutch): Threatened 

LCR; threatened Oregon Coast (OC) 

coho. 

Sockeye salmon (O. nerka): 

Threatened Ozette Lake (OL); 

endangered SR. 

Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus): 

Threatened Southern (S). 

Green sturgeon (Acipenser 

medirostris): Threatened Southern (S). 

Authority 

Scientific research 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 222–226). 

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 

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. 

Applications Received 

Permit 10020–5R 

The City of Bellingham (COB) is 

seeking to renew, for five years, a 

research permit that currently allows 

them to take juvenile and adult PS 

Chinook salmon and PS steelhead in 

Cemetery, Padden, Silver, and 

Squalicum creeks in Bellingham, WA. 

The purpose of the COB study is to 

assess the effectiveness of habitat 

restoration activities within the City of 

Bellingham by documenting population 

trends for salmonids inhabiting these 

urban creeks. These restoration actions 

include native riparian and upland 

plantings, large woody debris and gravel 

augmentation, re-routing and restructuring of degraded stream channel, 

and floodplain re-connection. This 

research would benefit the affected 

species by informing future restoration 

designs, providing data to support 

future enhancement projects, and 

helping managers assess salmonid 

population status in these urban 

systems. The COB proposes to capture 

fish using a smolt trap (V-shaped 

channel-spanning weirs with live boxes) 

in only one of the aforementioned 

streams annually. Captured fish would 

be anesthetized, identified to species, 

measured, have a tissue sample taken 

(to determine their origin), and allowed 

to recover in cool, aerated water before 

being released back to the stream. The 

researchers do not intend to kill any 

listed fish, but some may die as an 

inadvertent result of the research. 

Permit 16069–3M 

The City of Portland is seeking to 

modify a permit that currently 

authorizes them to take juvenile and 

adult MCR steelhead, UCR spring 

Chinook salmon, UCR steelhead, SR 

spring/summer-run Chinook salmon, SR 

fall-run Chinook salmon, SR steelhead, 

SR sockeye salmon, LCR Chinook 

salmon, LCR coho salmon, LCR 

steelhead, CR chum salmon, UWR 

Chinook salmon, UWR steelhead, OC 

coho salmon, and S green sturgeon in 

the Columbia and Willamette rivers and 

tributaries (Oregon). The research may 

also cause them to take adult S 

eulachon—a species for which there are 

currently no ESA take prohibitions. The 

permit modification would not change 

the methods or scope of the ongoing 

research, except to increase the number 

of incidental mortalities authorized for 

juvenile UWR steelhead from one to five 

juvenile fish annually. This research is 

part of the Portland Watershed 

Management Plan, which aims to 

improve watershed health in the 

Portland area. In this program, 

researchers sample 37 sites annually 

across all Portland watersheds for 

hydrology, habitat, water chemistry, and 

biological communities. The research 

would benefit listed salmonids by 

providing information to assess 

watershed health, status of critical 

habitat, effectiveness of watershed 

restoration actions, and compliance 

with regulatory requirements. The City 

of Portland proposes to capture juvenile 

fish using backpack and boat 

electrofishing, hold fish in a bucket of 

aerated water, take caudal fin clips for 

genetic analysis, and release fish at a 

point near their capture site that would 

be chosen to minimize the likelihood of 

recapture. The researchers would avoid 

contact with adult fish. The researchers 

do not propose to kill any fish but a 

small number may die as an unintended 

result of the activities. 

Permit 16303–2R 

The United States Geological Survey 

(USGS) is seeking to renew, for five 

years, a research permit that currently 

allows them to take adult PS/GB 

bocaccio, juvenile HCS chum salmon 

and PS steelhead, and juvenile and 

adult PS Chinook salmon throughout 

the marine waters of Puget Sound, Hood 

Canal, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca 

(Washington State). The USGS research 

may also cause them to take adult S 

eulachon and PS/GB yelloweye 

rockfish—species for which there are 

currently no ESA take prohibitions. The 

purpose of the USGS study is to 

examine salmonid stage-specific growth, 

bioenergetics, competition, and 

predation during the critical early 

marine growth period. Additionally, 

unlisted salmonid species, herring, and 

other forage fish species would be 

studied. This research would benefit the 

affected species by quantifying key 


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factors limiting Chinook survival and 

production. The USGS proposes 

capturing fish by mid-water trawl, hook 

and line (micro trolling), beach seine, 

and purse seine. The mid-water trawling 

would be conducted by Canadian 

Department of Fisheries and Oceans 

(CDFO) research vessels using a midwater rope trawl during daylight at 

various depths and velocities and would 

be coordinated with surveys in 

Canadian waters. For the mid-water 

trawls, the fish would be identified to 

species, weighed, measured for length, 

tissue-sampled (fin clip and scales), and 

checked for coded wire tags (CWTs). 

Viable sub-adult/adult salmon and 

rockfish would be released. Listed 

rockfish would be released via rapid 

submergence to their capture depth to 

reduce the effects from barotrauma, and 

sub-adult/adult salmonids would be 

released at the surface. Juvenile 

salmonids that suffer lethal injuries due 

to crushing and descaling would be 

further sampled for CWTs, scales, fins, 

stomach contents, and otoliths. For the 

other capture methods, the fish would 

be anesthetized, identified to species, 

checked for CWTs, measured to length, 

gastric lavaged, tissue-sampled (fin clip 

and scales), and released. For the 

seining, all juvenile, hatchery-origin, 

CWT fish would be intentionally 

sacrificed to determine their origins. 

The researchers do not propose to kill 

any other captured fish, but some may 

die as an unintended result of the 

activities. 

Permit 17258–2R 

The Washington State Department of 

Natural Resources (WDNR) is seeking to 

renew, for five years, a research permit 

that currently allows them to take 

juvenile PS Chinook salmon, HCS chum 

salmon, PS steelhead, and OL sockeye 

salmon throughout the streams of 

Clallam, Jefferson, and Grays Harbor 

counties in western Washington State. 

The purpose of the WDNR study is to 

determine potential fish presence or 

absence in streams located on WDNRmanaged lands in order to support a 

region-wide program of road 

maintenance and abandonment. This 

research would benefit the affected 

species by determining which streams 

with road-related passage barriers 

contain listed fish and, thus, allow 

WDNR to focus its resources on road 

improvements that would best help 

those species. The WDNR proposes to 

capture fish using backpack 

electrofishing equipment and minnow 

traps. Captured fish would be netted, 

identified to species, and released. In 

most cases, the stream survey would 

terminate when one listed fish is 

located. The researchers do not intend 

to kill any listed fish, but some may die 

as an inadvertent result of the research. 

Permit 17798–2R 

The Northwest Fisheries Science 

Center (NWFSC) is seeking to renew, for 

five years, a research permit that 

currently allows them to take juvenile 

PS Chinook salmon and PS steelhead. 

The NWFSC research may also cause 

them to take adult S eulachon—a 

species for which there are currently no 

ESA take prohibitions. Study locations 

include several bays and estuaries in the 

Puget Sound that receive effluent from 

municipal wastewater plants and 

industrial contaminant sources. The 

purpose of the NWFSC study is to assess 

the bioaccumulation and toxic effects of 

Chemicals of Emerging Concern (CECs) 

in Chinook salmon. Whole genome and 

molecular analyses of Chinook salmon 

would be conducted on various tissues, 

which would allow for identification of 

gene pathways and robust mechanismbased diagnostic indices for CEC 

toxicity. This research would benefit the 

listed species by identifying degraded 

estuaries, studying how CECs affect 

Chinook salmon, and providing 

information that can be used to mitigate 

and improve listed species habitat. The 

NWFSC proposes to capture fish using 

beach seines. Sampling would occur at 

seven locations up to two times 

annually. For each sample event, 40 

juvenile Chinook salmon would be 

euthanized for whole body analysis. The 

researchers would prioritize using 

adipose-fin-clipped hatchery fish and 

unintentional mortalities over naturalorigin fish. Excess Chinook salmon (and 

all other species) would be released 

immediately after capture. The 

researchers do not propose to kill any of 

the listed steelhead or eulachon being 

captured, but some may die as an 

unintended result of the activities. 

Permit 17839–2R 

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is 

seeking to renew, for five years, a 

research permit that currently allows 

them to take juvenile PS Chinook 

salmon and PS steelhead in the 

Nooksack, Sauk, Skagit, and 

Stillaguamish River drainages of 

western Washington. The purpose of the 

USFS study is to expand distributional 

knowledge of the Salish sucker 

(Catostomus sp. cf. catostomus), a 

species listed as endangered in Canada 

since 2005 by the Species At Risk Act 

(SARA). Tissue samples would also be 

collected from captured Salish suckers 

for genetic analysis to determine their 

genetic separation from the longnose 

sucker (Catostomus catostomus)—a 

species that they are considered to be 

diverging from. The research would 

benefit the listed species by providing 

information on their distribution. The 

main benefactor of this research is the 

Salish sucker whose status is not well 

understood in the United States. The 

USFS proposes to capture fish using 

minnow and Feddes traps. Captured 

salmonids would be identified to 

species, checked for an adipose fin clip, 

and immediately released downstream. 

The researchers do not intend to kill any 

listed fish, but some may die as an 

inadvertent result of the research. 

Permit 17851–3R 

The Coastal Watershed Institute (CWI) 

is seeking to renew, for five years, a 

research permit that currently allows 

them to take juvenile PS Chinook 

salmon, HCS chum salmon, and PS 

steelhead in the Elwha River estuary 

(Washington State). The CWI research 

may also cause them to take adult S 

eulachon—a species for which there are 

currently no ESA take prohibitions. The 

purpose of the CWI study is to research 

the nearshore restoration response to the 

Elwha River dam removals with an 

emphasis on ecological function of 

nearshore habitats for juvenile salmon 

and forage fish. The research would 

benefit listed species by providing a 

long-term continuous dataset on how 

salmonids use local nearshore areas 

after the dam removals on the Elwha 

River. This study provides information 

on how watersheds and fish populations 

recover after dam removals. The CWI 

proposes to capture fish using a beach 

seine. Captured fish would be identified 

to their lowest taxonomic level. At each 

sampling event, twenty individuals 

from each species would be measured 

and released. Salmonids would be 

scanned for fin clips and tags. The 

researchers do not propose to kill any 

listed fish being captured, but some may 

die as an inadvertent result of the 

research. 

Permit 18001–3R 

The Pierce County Department of 

Public Works and Utilities (PCDPWU) is 

seeking to renew, for five years, a 

research permit that currently allows 

them to take juvenile PS Chinook 

salmon and PS steelhead in the 

waterways of Pierce County, 

Washington. The purpose of the 

PCDPWU study is to determine the 

distribution and diversity of 

anadromous fish species in the 

waterbodies adjacent to and within the 

county’s levee system. The surveys 

would help establish listed salmonid 

presence in waterbodies—information 

that would be used to assess the impacts 


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proposed projects might have on listed 

species. The PCDPWU proposes to 

capture fish using seines, dip netting, 

minnow traps, fyke nets, hook and line, 

and backpack electrofishing. 

Electrofishing would largely be 

‘‘spotshocking’’ for presence and 

absence and would not typically cover 

broad, continuous areas. Captured fish 

would be identified, measured, and then 

released at or near their capture site. 

Fish would not be removed from the 

water unless absolutely necessary. The 

researchers do not intend to kill any 

listed fish, but some may die as an 

inadvertent result of the research. 

Permit 20313 

The NWFSC is seeking a two-year 

research permit to annually take adult 

PS/GB bocaccio and sub-adult PS 

Chinook salmon in the Puget Sound 

near the San Juan Islands (Washington 

state). The NWFSC research may also 

cause them to take adult PS/GB 

yelloweye rockfish—a species for which 

there are currently no ESA take 

prohibitions. The purpose of the 

NWFSC study is to assess the role 

Chinook salmon residency plays in 

salmon recovery—including growth, 

movement patterns, and population 

structure. This research would benefit 

the affected species by giving managers 

information on which populations 

contribute to the resident PS Chinook 

salmon population in the San Juan 

Islands and heling determine the 

relationship between the Chinook 

resident life-history type and overall 

marine survival. These efforts would 

serve as the foundation for evaluating 

the relative contribution residents make 

to the broader ESU—and thereby help 

managers understand how this behavior 

type can help salmon recovery. The 

NWFSC proposes to capture fish using 

hook and line angling equipment. 

Captured salmon would be scanned for 

CWT, measured for length, tissuesampled (scales and fin clips), and 

released. Hatchery-origin Chinook 

salmon would also be anesthetized and 

gastric lavaged. Fifty adipose-clipped, 

hatchery-origin subadult Chinook 

salmon would be intentionally 

sacrificed annually to obtain otolith 

samples movement patterns and early 

growth history may be analyzed. Listed 

rockfish would be released immediately 

via rapid submergence to their capture 

depth to reduce the effects from 

barotrauma. The researchers do not 

propose to kill any other captured fish, 

but some may die as an unintended 

result of the activities. 

Permit 20451–2R 

The University of Washington (UW) is 

seeking to renew, for five years, a 

research permit that currently allows 

them to take juvenile and adult OL 

sockeye salmon in Lake Ozette 

(northwest Washington State). The 

purpose of the UW study is to 

investigate the interactions of native 

predators (i.e., northern pikeminnow, 

sculpin) and non-native predators (i.e., 

largemouth bass, yellow perch) with 

Olympic mudminnow (Novumbra 

hubbsi), a state sensitive species. The 

research would benefit the listed species 

because OL sockeye salmon are 

similarly threatened by the same 

predators. The UW proposes to capture 

fish using minnow traps, hoop nets, gill 

nets, trammel nets, and hook and line. 

For OL sockeye salmon, captured fish 

would be handled and immediately 

released. After the listed fish are 

released, the remaining fish would be 

anesthetized, fin clipped, gastric 

lavaged, and released. The researchers 

do not intend to kill any listed fish, but 

some may die as an inadvertent result 

of the research. 

Permit 20492–2M 

The Oregon Department of Fish and 

Wildlife (ODFW) is seeking to modify a 

permit that currently authorizes 

research in lake, river, backwater, 

slough, and estuary habitats in the 

Willamette and Columbia basins 

(Oregon) and on the Oregon coast. The 

permit would cover the following 

projects for four years: (1) Warmwater 

and Recreational Game Fish 

Management, (2) District Fish 

Population Sampling in the Upper 

Willamette Basin, and (3) Salmonid 

Assessment and Monitoring in the 

Deschutes River. These studies provide 

information on fish population 

structure, abundance, genetics, disease 

occurrences, and species interactions, 

and is used to direct management 

actions to benefit listed species. The 

permit modification would not change 

the methods or scope of the ongoing 

research, except to add take of juvenile 

and adult UWR Chinook and UWR 

steelhead at new research sites in the 

Tualatin and Yamhill Rivers. The 

modified permit would authorize take of 

juvenile UCR spring-run Chinook 

salmon, UCR steelhead, SR spring/ 

summer-run Chinook salmon, SR fallrun Chinook salmon, SR Basin 

steelhead, SR sockeye salmon, MCR 

steelhead, LCR Chinook salmon, LCR 

coho salmon, LCR steelhead, CR chum 

salmon, and OC coho salmon; juvenile 

and adult UWR Chinook salmon and 

UWR steelhead; and adult S green 

sturgeon. The ODFW research may also 

take adult S eulachon—a species for 

which there are currently no ESA take 

prohibitions. Researchers would sample 

fish using boat electrofishing. A subset 

of captured juveniles would be 

anesthetized, weighed and measured, 

allowed to recover, and then released. 

Most juveniles and all adults would be 

allowed to swim away after being 

electroshocked, or they would be netted 

and released immediately. The ODFW 

does not intend to kill any of the fish 

being captured, but a small number may 

die as an unintended result of the 

activities. 

Permit 20713 

The NWFSC is seeking a two-year 

permit that would allow them to take 

juvenile LCR Chinook salmon, SR fallrun Chinook salmon, SR spring/ 

summer-run Chinook salmon, UCR 

spring-run Chinook salmon, UWR 

Chinook salmon, CR chum salmon, LCR 

coho salmon, SR sockeye salmon, LCR 

steelhead, MCR steelhead, SR Basin 

steelhead, UCR steelhead, UWR 

steelhead, and S green sturgeon. The 

research may also cause them to take 

adult S eulachon—a species for which 

there are currently no ESA take 

prohibitions. The purpose of the study 

is to measure contaminant levels in 

juvenile UWR Chinook salmon in the 

lower Willamette River (Oregon) near a 

Superfund site with high levels of 

pollutants and to evaluate associations 

between toxins in fish tissues and fish 

growth and immune response. Study 

results would support an ongoing 

Natural Resource Damage Assessment. 

In addition, the data would be used in 

Chinook salmon life cycle models to 

compare how chemical pollution affects 

UWR Chinook salmon populations 

relative to other stressors. 

The researchers propose to collect fish 

with beach seines at sites in the lower 

20 miles of the Willamette River. The 

researchers hope to complete all 

sampling between March and June 2018, 

but fieldwork could extend to other 

months and to 2019 if sample size 

targets are not met in the initial 

timeframe. The researchers propose to 

hold fish in buckets, identify and count 

fish, check fish for passive integrated 

transponder and coded wire tags, and 

then immediately release any fish that is 

not a juvenile Chinook salmon with an 

intact adipose fin. The researchers 

propose using a lethal dose of MS–222 

to kill natural-origin juvenile Chinook 

salmon that are between 50 and 80 mm 

in fork length. The target ESU for 

contaminant analysis is UWR Chinook, 

but juvenile Chinook salmon from other 

ESUs in the Columbia River basin could 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
52888 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 219 / Wednesday, November 15, 2017 / Notices 

also be killed because juveniles from 

different ESUs cannot be distinguished 

visually. Fish that are killed would be 

frozen individually and later identified 

to ESU using genetic analysis. The 

researchers would pool UWR Chinook 

specimens into composite samples for 

toxicological analysis and would use 

scales and otoliths for analysis of age 

and growth. Specimens that are 

identified through genetic analysis to an 

ESU other than the UWR Chinook ESU 

would be saved and offered for use in 

other studies pending NMFS approval. 

The NWFSC researchers used 

information from past studies to 

estimate the number of fish needed to 

obtain enough tissues for statistically 

robust sample sizes, and to estimate 

expected mortality rates of fish from 

non-target ESUs. Based on this 

information, the NWFSC proposes to 

intentionally kill up to: 201 naturalorigin and 9 hatchery-origin (intact 

adipose fin) juvenile UWR Chinook 

salmon; 119 natural-origin and 5 

hatchery-origin (intact adipose fin) 

juvenile LCR Chinook salmon; 4 

natural-origin juvenile SR fall-run 

Chinook salmon; 2 natural-origin 

juvenile SR spring/summer-run Chinook 

salmon; and 5 natural-origin juvenile 

UCR spring-run Chinook salmon. Any 

Chinook salmon unintentionally killed 

during the research would be used in 

lieu of a fish that would otherwise be 

sacrificed. The NWFSC does not intend 

to kill any fish that is not a juvenile 

Chinook salmon, but a small number of 

individuals from other species may die 

as an unintended result of the research 

activities. 

Permit 21432 

Cramer Fish Sciences is seeking a 

research permit, for two years, that 

would allow them to take juvenile LCR 

Chinook, LCR coho, LCR steelhead, and 

MCR steelhead in the Klickitat, Wind, 

and White Salmon River subbasins 

(Washington). The purpose of the 

research is to determine fish occupancy 

in stream reaches in lands owned by 

SDS Lumber Company. Cramer Fish 

Sciences proposes to capture fish using 

single-pass backpack electrofishing, 

identify fish while they are held briefly 

in hand-held dip nets, and return fish to 

the stream. The researchers would 

compare results of the electrofishing 

surveys with environmental DNA 

(eDNA) studies done in the same stream 

reaches, which would provide 

information on the utility of eDNA 

analysis for determining fish occupancy. 

The research would benefit listed fish 

by affording them protections if they are 

found in streams that previously were 

assessed as non-fish bearing. The 

researchers do not propose to kill any 

fish but a small number may die as an 

unintended result of research activities. 

Permit 21507 

Mount Hood Environmental is 

seeking a research permit, for three 

years, that would allow them to take 

juvenile and adult UWR steelhead and 

UWR Chinook in the Tualatin River 

(Oregon). The purpose of the research is 

to determine if salmonids and lamprey 

are present in the intake channel from 

the Tualatin River to the Spring Hill 

Pumping Plant and if these fish are 

likely to be entrained in the intake. The 

study would benefit listed fish by 

providing information to manage and 

mitigate for potential entrainment of 

these fish during early life-stages. The 

researchers propose to work in the 

intake channel, where they would 

measure water temperature and 

velocity, capture fish by seining, 

trapping, and boat-electrofishing, hold 

fish in aerated buckets, identify them, 

and then release them back to the 

channel. The researchers do not propose 

to kill any fish but a small number may 

die as an unintended result of research 

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: November 8, 2017. 

Angela Somma, 

Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office 

of Protected Resources, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2017–24690 Filed 11–14–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XF728 

Determination of Overfishing or an 

Overfished Condition 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This action serves as a notice 

that NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary of 

Commerce (Secretary), has found that 

the following stocks are subject to 

overfishing or approaching an 

overfished condition. The Stillaguamish 

coho salmon stock in Puget Sound is 

now subject to overfishing. The Klamath 

River fall Chinook salmon stock on the 

Northern California coast, the Queets 

coho salmon stock on the Washington 

coast, and the Skagit coho salmon stock 

in Puget Sound are all approaching an 

overfished condition. The Puerto Rico 

spiny lobster stock and the Puerto Rico 

Triggerfishes and Filefishes Complex 

are both still subject to overfishing. 

NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary, 

notifies the appropriate fishery 

management council (Council) 

whenever it determines that overfishing 

is occurring, a stock is in an overfished 

condition or a stock is approaching an 

overfished condition. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Regina Spallone, (301) 427–8568. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant 

to section 304(e)(2) of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens 

Act), 16 U.S.C. 1854(e)(2), NMFS, on 

behalf of the Secretary, must notify 

Councils, and publish in the Federal 

Register, whenever it determines that a 

stock or stock complex is subject to 

overfishing, overfished, or approaching 

an overfished condition. 

NMFS has determined that the 

Stillaguamish coho salmon stock in 

Puget Sound is now subject to 

overfishing, as the current estimate of 

fishing mortality (F) exceeds its 

maximum fishing mortality threshold 

(MFMT). This determination is based on 

a 2017 assessment—using data from 

2015—produced by the Pacific Fishery 

Management Council’s (Pacific Council) 

Salmon Technical Team (STT). The 

Pacific Council manages this stock. 

Since this stock migrates north, it is also 

managed under the Pacific Salmon 

Treaty (Treaty), a bilateral agreement to 

facilitate management of certain salmon 

stocks between the United States and 

Canada. The Pacific Salmon 

Commission (Commission) implements 

this Treaty. NMFS has informed the 

Pacific Council of this determination 

and that, if exceedance of MFMT for 

Stillaguamish coho continues, the 

Council may consider taking further 

action, consistent with the provisions of 

the FMP. Due to the international 

management of this stock, the Pacific 

Council has limited ability to control 

ocean fisheries in waters outside their 

jurisdiction. 

NMFS has determined that the 

Klamath River fall Chinook salmon 

stock on the Northern California coast, 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES