[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 12, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9979-9980]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-5750]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 030496D]
Endangered Species; Permits
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Receipt of applications for modifications to a research/
enhancement permit (P503A) and two incidental take permits (P503K and
503I).
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Idaho Department of Fish and
Game in Boise, ID (IDFG) has applied in due form for modifications to
permits authorizing takes of endangered and threatened species for the
purpose of scientific research/enhancement and as incidental takes.
DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on any of
these applications must be received on or before April 11, 1996.
ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for
review in the following offices, by appointment:
Office of Protected Resources, F/PR8, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway,
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3226 (301-713-1401); and
Environmental and Technical Services Division, 525 NE Oregon
Street, Suite 500, Portland, OR 97232-4169 (503-230-5400).
Written comments or requests for a public hearing should be
submitted to the Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of
Protected Resources.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: IDFG requests modifications to permits under
the authority of section 10 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA)
(16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) and the NMFS regulations governing listed fish
and wildlife permits (50 CFR parts 217-227).
IDFG (P503A) requests modification 7 to scientific research/
enhancement permit 795. Permit 795 authorizes IDFG a take of adult and
juvenile, endangered, Snake River sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)
associated with a captive broodstock program. For modification 7, IDFG
requests: (1) To release juvenile sockeye progeny of ESA-listed adults
into net pens in Redfish Lake, ID from June-October annually and to
release those fish from the net pens directly into the lake in October
each year; and (2) an increase in the annual number of listed juvenile
fish to be captured, handled, tagged with passive integrated
transponders, and released during the annual juvenile outmigration. Net
pen culture of juvenile presmolts was selected as the most appropriate
release strategy for listed sockeye salmon progeny by the Stanley Basin
Technical Oversight Committee. A higher take limit of outmigrating,
listed, juvenile sockeye salmon would provide more complete monitoring
information and eliminate the need to suspend research if the currently
authorized limit is reached. Modification 7 is requested for the
duration of the permit. Permit 795 expires on July 31, 1997.
IDFG (P503K) requests modification 1 to permit 908. Permit 908
authorizes an incidental take of endangered Snake River sockeye salmon
and threatened Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon associated with
IDFG's resident fish-stocking program, designed to increase the supply
of fish in the Salmon River and its tributary streams and lakes for
sport-angling. For modification 1, IDFG proposes to stock Redfish Lake
with catchable-sized hatchery rainbow trout in 1996 to provide
recreational fishing in the lake. In 1993 and 1995, NMFS denied IDFG's
requests to stock Redfish Lake with rainbow trout because of concerns
over possible interactions between stocked rainbow trout and ESA-listed
sockeye salmon in the lake, primarily diet overlap and predation. IDFG
believes the proposed Redfish Lake stocking scenario would have no
impact on the recovery of endangered sockeye salmon since the juvenile
sockeye released to the lake in 1996 are proposed to be in net pens
when the majority of the rainbow trout are present (see preceding
paragraph).
Also for modification 1 to permit 908, IDFG proposes to stock
catchable-sized hatchery rainbow trout in Pettit Lake in 1996. In 1995,
NMFS authorized IDFG a direct take of juvenile, endangered, Snake River
sockeye salmon associated with stocking Pettit Lake with juvenile
sockeye salmon from their captive broodstock program approximately
three weeks after stocking rainbow trout in the lake (modification 6,
permit 795, 60 FR 37052) and required that IDFG implement a specific
monitoring plan to assess the interactions between trout and sockeye in
the lake (amendment, permit 908, 60 FR 40345). IDFG has sponsored
scientific research that has provided evidence which suggests that
hatchery rainbow trout releases in Stanley Basin lakes would not
undermine endangered sockeye salmon recovery efforts. Modification 1 is
requested for 1996 only. Permit 908 expires on December 31, 1998.
IDFG (P503I) requests modification 2 to permit 844. Permit 844
authorizes IDFG an incidental take of adult and juvenile, threatened,
Snake River
[[Page 9980]]
spring/summer chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and adult,
threatened, Snake River fall chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
associated with the State of Idaho's sport-fishing activities. For
modification 2, IDFG requests an incidental take of residual,
endangered, Snake River sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) associated
with a kokanee fishery in Redfish Lake from April 1 through August 7,
1996. The fishery is proposed as a kokanee control measure.
A reduction of the kokanee population in Redfish Lake is desirable
because kokanee compete directly with ESA-listed sockeye salmon for
food and habitat. An abundant kokanee population threatens IDFG's
effort to re-establish the endangered sockeye salmon's productivity in
the lake. In 1995, NMFS issued modification 1 to permit 844 authorizing
IDFG an incidental take of residual, endangered, Snake River sockeye
salmon associated with a kokanee fishery in Redfish Lake for 17 days in
July as a kokanee control measure (modification 1, permit 844, FR 60
40345). Angler retention of Redfish Lake kokanee was not allowed since
1992 because of the potential incidental harvest of ESA-listed residual
sockeye, visually indistinguishable from kokanee. Modification 2 is
requested for 1996 only. Permit 844 expires on April 30, 1998.
Those individuals requesting a hearing (see ADDRESSES) should set
out the specific reasons why a hearing on any of these applications
would be appropriate. The holding of such hearing is at the discretion
of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA. All statements and
opinions contained in these application summaries are those of the
applicants and do not necessarily reflect the views of NMFS.
Dated: March 6, 1996.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-5750 Filed 3-11-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
