[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 178 (Tuesday, September 15, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49336-49337]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-24726]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 090498B]
Endangered Species; Permits
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Issuance of scientific research permits (1141, 1148, 1152) and
modifications to scientific research permits (900, 946, 948, 994).
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has issued permits to: Public
Utility District No 2 of Grant County at Ephrata, WA (PUDGC) (1141),
the Resource Enhancement and Utilization Technologies Division of the
Northwest Fisheries Science Center, NMFS at Seattle, WA (NWFSC) (1148),
and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife at La Grande, OR (ODFW)
(1152); and has issued modifications to permits to: Northwest Fisheries
Science Center, NMFS at Seattle, WA (NWFSC) (900 and 946), the Northern
Wasco County People's Utility District at The Dalles, OR (NWCPUD)
(948), and the Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at
Moscow, ID (ICFWRU)(994).
ADDRESSES: The permits, applications and related documents are
available for review in the following offices, by appointment:
Protected Resources Division, F/NWO3, 525 NE Oregon Street, Suite 500,
Portland, OR 97232-4169 (503-230-5400); and
Office of Protected Resources, F/PR3, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway,
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3226 (301-713-1401).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For permit 1141: Tom Lichatowich (503-
230-5438).
For permits 900, 946, 948, 994, 1148, and 1152: Robert Koch (503-
230-5424).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority
Permits are 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 ESA-listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR
parts 217-227).
Issuance of the permits and permit modifications, as required by
the ESA, was based on a finding that such actions: (1) Were requested/
proposed in good faith, (2) would not operate to the disadvantage of
the ESA-listed species that are the subject of the permits, and (3) are
consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the
ESA and the NMFS regulations governing ESA-listed species permits.
Species Covered in this Notice
The following species are covered in this notice: Chinook salmon
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), Sockeye salmon (O. nerka), Steelhead (O.
mykiss).
Permits Issued
Notice was published on April 16, 1998 (63 FR 73), that an
application had been filed by PUDGC for a 5-year research permit.
Permit 1141 was issued on August 21, 1998, and authorizes takes of
endangered, juvenile, upper Columbia River (UCR) steelhead in three
research activities. In the first, one-third of the smolts netted at
Wanapum Dam would be anesthetized, counted, examined for marks, and
lengths taken on a representative 5% sample before the fish would be
allowed to recover in a holding tank until release. In the second
activity, 50-100 smolts are examined twice per week for gas bubble
trauma. The third study involves a lethal take of ESA-listed steelhead
smolts captured during weekly fyke-netting efforts at Wanapum Dam from
mid-July through August as part of a hydro acoustics study. Permit 1141
expires on December 31, 2002.
Notice was published on May 15, 1998 (63 FR 27055), that an
application had been filed by NWFSC for a scientific research/
enhancement permit. Permit 1148 was issued to NWFSC on September 2,
1998. Permit 1148 authorizes NWFSC annual direct takes of adult and
juvenile, endangered, Snake River sockeye salmon associated with its
role in a captive broodstock program. The captive broodstock program is
a cooperative effort among the Idaho Department of Fish and Game
(IDFG), NMFS, the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, the University of Idaho, the
Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, the Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife, and the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA).
Funding is provided by BPA. IDFG is authorized annual takes of ESA-
listed sockeye salmon under scientific research/enhancement Permit
1120. Permit 1148 expires on December 31, 2002.
Notice was published on May 29, 1998 (63 FR 29382), that an
application had been filed by ODFW for a scientific research permit.
Permit 1152 was issued to ODFW on August 26, 1998. Permit 1152
authorizes ODFW annual direct takes of adult and juvenile, threatened,
naturally produced, Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon associated
with scientific research conducted in the Grande Ronde and Imnaha River
Basins in the state of OR. ODFW will conduct five research tasks: (1)
Spring chinook salmon spawning ground surveys, (2) spring chinook
salmon early life history, (3) habitat and fish inventory surveys, (4)
passage and irrigation screening, and (5) monitoring of residual
hatchery steelhead. Permit 1152 expires on December 31, 2002.
Permits Modifications Issued
Notice was published on May 29, 1998 (63 FR 29382) that an
application had been filed by NWFSC for modification 6 to scientific
research permit 900. Modification 6 to permit 900 was issued to NWFSC
on September 4, 1998. Permit 900 authorizes NWFSC annual direct takes
of juvenile, endangered, Snake River sockeye salmon; juvenile,
threatened, naturally produced and artificially propagated, Snake River
spring/summer chinook salmon; juvenile, threatened, Snake River fall
chinook salmon; and juvenile, endangered, naturally produced and
artificially propagated, upper Columbia River steelhead associated with
three studies designed to determine the relative survival of migrating
juvenile salmonids at hydropower dams and reservoirs on the Snake and
Columbia Rivers in the Pacific Northwest. For modification 6, NWFSC is
authorized an increase in the annual takes of ESA-listed juvenile fish
associated with The Dalles Dam survival study. Actual field conditions
to date in 1998 indicate that NWFSC underestimated the amount of ESA-
listed fish takes needed to validate the study. Modification 6 is valid
for the duration of the permit, which expires on December 31, 1999.
Notice was published on May 29, 1998 (63 FR 29382) that an
application had been filed by NWFSC for modification 5 to scientific
research permit 946. Modification 5 to permit 946 was issued to NWFSC
on September 4, 1998. Permit 946 authorizes NWFSC annual direct takes
of juvenile, endangered, Snake River sockeye salmon; juvenile,
threatened, naturally produced and artificially propagated, Snake River
spring/summer chinook salmon; juvenile, threatened, Snake River fall
chinook salmon; and juvenile, endangered, naturally produced and
[[Page 49337]]
artificially propagated, upper Columbia River steelhead associated with
two scientific research studies. The studies are designed to assess the
migration timing and relative survival of chinook salmon smolts
transported by barge to below Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River with
the survival to adulthood of smolts migrating volitionally inriver to
Bonneville Dam and to the mouth of the Columbia River. For modification
5, NWFSC is authorized an increase in the takes of ESA-listed juvenile
fish associated with both studies. Actual field conditions to date in
1998 indicate that NWFSC underestimated the amount of ESA-listed fish
takes needed to complete the studies. Modification 5 is valid for the
duration of the permit which expires on December 31, 1999.
Notice was published on March 6, 1998 (63 FR 11220) that an
application had been filed by NWCPUD for modification 2 to scientific
research permit 948. Modification 2 to permit 948 was issued to NWCPUD
on September 2, 1998, and authorizes annual direct takes of juvenile,
endangered, Snake River sockeye salmon; juvenile, threatened, naturally
produced and artificially propagated, Snake River spring/summer chinook
salmon; and juvenile, threatened, Snake River fall chinook salmon
associated with a study designed to assess run-of-the-river juvenile
anadromous fish condition after passage through the screened turbine
intake channel at The Dalles Dam, located on the Columbia River. For
modification 2, NWCPUD is authorized an annual direct take of juvenile,
endangered, naturally produced and artificially propagated, UCR
steelhead associated with the research. Modification 2 is valid for the
duration of the permit. Permit 948 expires on September 30, 1999.
Notice was published on May 29, 1998 (63 FR 29382) that an
application had been filed by ICFWRU for modification 4 to scientific
research permit 994. Modification 4 to permit 994 was issued to ICFWRU
on September 2, 1998, and authorizes annual direct takes of adult,
threatened, Snake River spring/summer and fall chinook salmon and
adult, endangered, Snake River sockeye salmon associated with two
studies. Study 1 is designed to assess the passage success of migrating
adult salmonids at the four dams and reservoirs in the lower Columbia
River. Study 2 is designed to determine if adult salmon successfully
return to natal streams or hatcheries after passing Lower Granite Dam
on the Snake River. For modification 4, ICFWRU is authorized an annual
direct take of adult, endangered, UCR steelhead associated with a new
study designed to determine the effects of transporting steelhead
smolts on the homing of returning adults. Modification 4 is valid for
the duration of the permit, which expires on December 31, 2000.
Dated: September 9, 1998.
Kevin Collins,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-24726 Filed 9-14-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
