[Federal Register: May 4, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 87)]
[Notices]
[Page 22533-22534]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04my01-59]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 042501H]
Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comment.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Oregon Department of Fish and
Wildlife (ODFW) has submitted two Fisheries Management and Evaluation
Plans (FMEP) and The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) has
submitted a FMEP pursuant to the protective regulations promulgated for
Snake River (SR) steelhead under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The
FMEPs specify the future management of inland recreational fisheries
potentially affecting the SR steelhead. This document serves to notify
the public of the availability of the FMEPs for review and comment
before a final approval or disapproval is made by NMFS.
DATES: Written comments on the draft FMEPs must be received at the
appropriate address or fax number (see ADDRESSES) no later than 5 p.m.
Pacific standard time on June 4, 2001.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and requests for copies of the draft FMEPs
should be addressed to Richard Turner, Sustainable Fisheries Division,
Hatchery and Inland Fisheries Branch, 525 N.E. Oregon Street, Suite
510, Portland, OR 97232 or faxed to 503-872-2737. The documents are
also available on the Internet at http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/. Comments
will not be accepted if submitted via e-mail or the Internet.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Debbie Martin, Boise, ID at phone
number: 208-321-2959, or e-mail: debbie.martin@noaa.gov , or Richard
Turner, Portland, OR at phone number 503-736-4737 or e-mail:
rich.turner@noaa.govregarding FMEPs.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is relevant to the Snake River
Basin Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Evolutionarily Significant Unit
(ESU).
Background
ODFW has submitted to NMFS an FMEP (Snake, Grande Ronde, and Imnaha
Rivers Warmwater and Sturgeon Recreation Fisheries) for warmwater and
sturgeon recreational fisheries potentially affecting listed adult and
juvenile SR steelhead. This includes fisheries occurring in the Snake,
Grande Ronde, and Imnaha River Basins. The objective of the FMEP is to
provide a catch and release recreational fishing opportunity and
harvest on introduced warmwater species in the Oregon portion of the
Snake River, the Imnaha River, and the Grande Ronde River and
tributaries in a manner that does not jeopardize the survival and
recovery of the SR steelhead ESU. The FMEP focuses on the incidental
mortality to SR steelhead from these fisheries. Impacts can result from
the fisheries themselves and the potential impacts from the resident
fish stocking program. Impact levels to listed steelhead populations in
the ESU due to catch and release are specified in the FMEP. Population
viability analyses and risk assessments in the FMEP indicate the
extinction risk for listed steelhead under the proposed fishery impact
levels to be low. A variety of monitoring
[[Page 22534]]
and evaluation tasks are specified in the FMEP to assess the abundance
of steelhead, determine fishery effort and catch of steelhead, and
angler compliance. A comprehensive review of the FMEP to evaluate
whether the fisheries and listed steelhead populations are performing
as expected will be done through regular creel surveys and angler
contacts.
ODFW has submitted to NMFS an FMEP (Summer Steelhead and Trout
Sport Fisheries in Grande Ronde Basin, Imnaha Basin, and Snake River)
for recreational steelhead fisheries in the Grande Ronde, Imnaha, and
Snake River Basins. The objective of this FMEP is to harvest known,
hatchery-origin steelhead in a manner that does not jeopardize the
survival and recovery of the SR steelhead ESU. Only adult hatchery-
origin steelhead that are adipose fin clipped may be retained. Impact
levels to listed steelhead populations in the ESU due to catch and
release are specified in the FMEP. Population viability analyses and
risk assessments in the FMEP indicate the extinction risk for listed
steelhead under the proposed fishery impact levels to be less than 0.1
percent. A variety of monitoring and evaluation tasks are specified in
the FMEP to assess the abundance of steelhead, determine fishery effort
and catch of steelhead, and angler compliance. A comprehensive review
of the FMEP to evaluate whether the fisheries and listed steelhead
populations are performing as expected will be done annually.
ODFW has provided NMFS a draft of the Conservation Assessment of
Steelhead Populations in Oregon (Assessment) as part of the FMEP
submittal. The Assessment provides the population viability analysis
and risk assessment developed for ODFW's FMEPs. This Assessment is also
available for review and comment.
IDFG has submitted to NMFS an FMEP (The State of Idaho Resident
Fish Species Fishing Program) for inland, resident, recreational
fisheries potentially affecting listed adult and juvenile SR steelhead.
This includes fisheries occurring throughout Idaho including the
Clearwater and Salmon River Basins. The objective of the FMEP is to
provide sufficient sport fishing opportunities in a manner that does
not jeopardize the survival and recovery of the ESU. The FMEP focuses
mainly on impacts to juvenile steelhead. Impacts can result from the
fisheries themselves and the potential impacts from the resident fish
stocking program. Impact levels to listed steelhead populations in the
ESU due to catch and release are specified in the FMEP. Population
viability analyses and risk assessments in the FMEP indicate the
extinction risk for listed steelhead under the proposed fishery impact
levels to be low. A variety of monitoring and evaluation tasks are
specified in the FMEP to assess the abundance of steelhead, determine
fishery effort and catch of steelhead, and angler compliance. A
comprehensive review of the FMEP to evaluate whether the fisheries and
listed steelhead populations are performing as expected will be done
through regular creel surveys and angler contacts.
As specified in the July 10, 2000 ESA 4(d) rule for salmon and
steelhead (65 FR 42422), NMFS may approve an FMEP if it meets criteria
set forth in Sec. 223.203 (b)(4)(i)(A) through (I). Prior to final
approval of an FMEP, NMFS must publish notification announcing its
availability for public review and comment.
Authority
Under section 4 of the ESA, the Secretary of Commerce is required
to adopt such regulations as he deems necessary and advisable for the
conservation of species listed as threatened. The ESA salmon and
steelhead 4(d) rule (65 FR 42422, July 10, 2000) specifies categories
of activities that contribute to the conservation of listed salmonids
and sets out the criteria for such activities. The rule further
provides that the prohibitions of paragraph (a) of the rule do not
apply to activities associated with fishery harvest provided that an
FMEP has been approved by NMFS to be in accordance with the salmon and
steelhead ESA 4(d) rule (65 FR 42422, July 10, 2000).
Dated: May 1, 2001.
Karen Salvini,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-11321 Filed 5-3-01; 8:45 am]
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