[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 157 (Tuesday, August 15, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42147-42148]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-20176]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 080895B]
Endangered Species; Permits
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Issuance of emergency permit 972 (P503R) and emergency permit
973 (P211I).
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has issued two emergency
permits authorizing takes of listed species for the purpose of
scientific research and enhancement, subject to certain conditions set
forth therein, to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) and the
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW).
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, F/NWO3, NMFS, 525 NE
Oregon Street, Portland, OR 97232-4169 (503-230-5400).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Emergency permits 972 and 973 were issued
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 217-222).
On June 13, 1995 and June 19, 1995, NMFS received emergency direct
take permit applications from IDFG and ODFW, respectively. Each
applicant proposed to initiate experimental captive broodstock programs
for three populations (total of six populations) of listed Snake River
spring/summer chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). IDFG proposed
to collect juveniles from the upper Salmon River (Idaho) tributaries of
West Fork Yankee Fork, upper East Fork, and Lemhi River beginning in
August 1995. ODFW proposed to collect juveniles from the Lostine River,
Catherine Creek, and upper Grande Ronde River (all located in the
Grande Ronde River Basin of northeast Oregon) beginning in August 1995.
These six populations have been determined to be extremely close to
becoming extinct. Both applicants requested 5-year permits for
authorization to collect no more than 25 percent of the juveniles from
these populations annually and rear them in hatcheries to maturity for
propagation.
The applicants stated that these emergency experimental and
enhancement measures are required to forestall the extinction of the
local populations and to preserve the overall stock structure of Snake
River spring/summer chinook salmon. The long-term objective of the
programs is to achieve the sustainable recovery of the Snake River
salmon populations.
The urgency of the permit requests is based on the limited time
remaining in which to successfully intervene and collect genetically
representative samples of the record low 1994 spring/summer chinook
salmon broodyear from the populations. Delaying juvenile collections
would likely result in less genetically diverse samples as up to 60
percent of the populations may migrate downstream in the fall to
overwinter in mainstem rivers where individual population groups are
indistinguishable. Acquiring and maintaining genetic diversity in
hatchery-reared population segments is necessary to minimize adverse
breeding alterations and to preserve the wild attributes of the fish.
On August 7, 1995, NMFS issued emergency permits 972 and 973 to
IDFG and ODFW, respectively. The permits were written to authorize the
collection of listed juveniles in 1995 only, and to allow the hatchery
rearing of those fish to adults. The collection of listed juveniles in
subsequent years is contingent on the submission of additional permit
requests, to be presented to NMFS after the development of long-term
management plans for the two programs. The development of long-term
management plans will be accomplished by a technical oversight
committee made up of representatives from NMFS, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, the State agencies, and the appropriate Tribes. Any
additional permits issued for the captive broodstock programs would
supersede the emergency permits. Permits 972 and 973 expire on
September 30, 1998, when the fish collected in 1995 will be mature.
Issuance of these permits, as required by the ESA, was based on the
finding that such permits: (1) Were applied for in good faith, (2) will
not operate to the disadvantage of the listed species that are the
subject of the permits, and (3) are consistent with the purposes and
[[Page 42148]]
policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA and the NMFS regulations
governing listed species permits.
Dated: August 9, 1995.
Russell J. Bellmer,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-20176 Filed 8-14-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
