[Federal Register: January 16, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 11)]
[Notices]
[Page 2900-2903]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16ja08-39]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XF01
Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Receipt of an application for a scientific research permit;
request for comments.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received two applications
for scientific research permits from the California Department of Fish
and Game (CDFG), one from CDFG Region 1 and one from CDFG Region 3. The
permits
[[Page 2901]]
would affect federally threatened Southern Oregon/Northern California
Coast coho salmon, endangered Central California Coast coho, threatened
California Coastal Chinook salmon, threatened Northern California
steelhead, threatened Central California Coast steelhead, threatened
South-Central California Coast steelhead, and endangered Southern
California steelhead. This document serves to notify the public of the
availability of the permit application for review and comment.
DATES: Written comments on the permit application must be received no
later than 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on February 15, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Comments submitted by e-mail must be sent to the following
address: FRNpermits.SR@noaa.gov. The application and related documents
are available for review by appointment, for Permit 10093: Protected
Resources Division, NMFS, 777 Sonoma Avenue, Room 315, Santa Rosa, CA
95404 (ph: 707-575-6097, fax: 707-578-3435).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Jahn at phone number 707-575-
6097, or e-mail: Jeffrey.Jahn@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority
Issuance of permits, as required by the Endangered Species Act of
1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) (ESA), is based on a finding that such
permits: (1) are applied for in good faith; (2) would not operate to
the disadvantage of the listed species which are the subject of the
permits; and (3) are consistent with the purposes and policies set
forth in section 2 of the ESA. Authority to take listed species is
subject to conditions set forth in the permits. Permits are issued in
accordance with and are subject to the ESA and NMFS regulations
governing listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR parts 222-226).
Those individuals 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). The holding of such a
hearing is at the discretion of the Assistant Administrator for
Fisheries, NOAA. All statements and opinions contained in the permit
action summaries are those of the applicant and do not necessarily
reflect the views of NMFS.
Species Covered in This Notice
This notice is relevant to federally threatened Southern Oregon/
Northern California Coast coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch),
endangered Central California Coast coho salmon (O. kisutch),
threatened California Coastal Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha),
threatened Northern California steelhead (O. mykiss), threatened
Central California Coast steelhead (O. mykiss), threatened South-
Central California Coast steelhead (O. mykiss), and endangered Southern
California steelhead (O. mykiss).
Applications Received
CDFG Region 1 requests a 5-year permit (10093) for take of juvenile
Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast coho salmon, Central
California Coast coho salmon, California Coastal Chinook salmon,
Northern California steelhead, Central California Coast steelhead,
South-Central California Coast steelhead, and Southern California
steelhead; and adult Central California Coast coho salmon, California
Coastal Chinook salmon, and Northern California steelhead associated
with 7 scientific research projects located throughout the California
Coast.
Project 1 is a salmonid occurrence and distribution study
associated with stream habitat inventories and assessments in streams
within California. Surveys will primarily be conducted in Mendocino
County, California; however, surveys may also extend throughout the
entire length of the California Coast. Surveys may also occur in the
San Luis Rey River located in San Diego County, California. CDFG Region
1 requests authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal take of:
400 juvenile Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast coho salmon, 400
juvenile Central California Coast coho salmon, 80 juvenile California
Coastal Chinook salmon, 800 juvenile Northern California Steelhead, 400
juvenile Central California Coast steelhead, 50 juvenile South-Central
California Coast steelhead, 40 juvenile Southern California steelhead,
with no more than 1 percent unintentional mortality resulting from
capture (by backpack electrofishing), handling and release of fish.
CDFG Region 1 also requests authorization for an estimated annual non-
lethal take of: 100 juvenile Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast
coho salmon, 100 juvenile Central California Coast coho salmon, 20
juvenile California Coastal Chinook salmon, 200 juvenile Northern
California Steelhead, 100 juvenile Central California Coast steelhead,
10 juvenile South-Central California Coast steelhead, and 10 juvenile
Southern California steelhead, with no more than 1 percent
unintentional mortality resulting from capture (by backpack
electrofishing), handling, anesthetizing, tissue sampling (by fin-
clipping), scale sampling, and release of fish.
Project 2 is a salmonid study to determine the occurrence and
distribution of juvenile salmonids associated with stream inventories
to identify restoration actions needed to remediate factors limiting
salmonid health and production. Surveys will primarily be conducted in:
Del Norte, Humboldt and Mendocino counties, California; however,
surveys may also extend throughout the entire length of the California
Coast. CDFG Region 1 requests the authorization for an estimated non-
lethal take of: 1000 juvenile Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast
coho salmon, 2000 juvenile Central California Coast coho salmon, 5000
juvenile Northern California steelhead, 5000 juvenile Central
California Coast steelhead, 5000 juvenile South-Central California
Coast steelhead, 5000 juvenile Southern California steelhead, with no
more than 2 percent unintentional mortality resulting from capture (by
backpack electrofishing), handling, and release of fish. CDFG Region 1
also requests authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal take of:
1000 juvenile Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast coho salmon,
2000 juvenile Central California Coast coho salmon, 5000 juvenile
Northern California steelhead, 5000 juvenile Central California Coast
steelhead, 5000 juvenile South-Central California Coast steelhead, 5000
juvenile Southern California steelhead, with no more than 2 percent
unintentional mortality resulting from capture (by backpack
electrofishing), tissue sampling (by fin-clipping), scale sampling,
handling, and release of fish.
Project 3 is a salmonid study to monitor salmonid response at the
reach and/or stream level to watershed restoration activities and
evaluate their effectiveness in remediation factors limiting salmonid
health and production. Surveys will primarily be conducted in Humboldt
and Mendocino counties, California; however, surveys may also extend
throughout the entire length of the California Coast. CDFG Region 1
requests the authorization of an estimated annual non-lethal take of:
300 juvenile Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast coho salmon, 600
juvenile Central California Coast coho salmon, 600 juvenile California
Coastal Chinook salmon, 360 juvenile South-Central California Coast
steelhead, and 360 juvenile Southern California steelhead, with no more
than 2 percent unintentional mortality resulting from capture (by
backpack electrofishing), anesthetizing, handling, tissue sampling
[[Page 2902]]
(by fin-clipping), scale sampling, and release of fish. CDFG Region 1
also requests authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal take of:
1440 juvenile Northern California steelhead, and 1440 juvenile Southern
California steelhead, with no more than 0.5 percent unintentional
mortality resulting from capture (by backpack electrofishing),
handling, anesthetizing, tissue sampling, scale sampling and release of
fish; and 1440 juvenile South-Central California Coast steelhead, with
no more than 0.5 percent unintentional mortality resulting from capture
(by backpack electrofishing) handling and release of fish. CDFG Region
1 also requests authorization of an estimated annual non-lethal take
of: 460 Central California Coast coho salmon carcasses, and 360
California Coastal Chinook salmon carcasses, with no permanent removal
from streams resulting from spawning surveys, handling, tissue sampling
(by fin-clipping), scale sampling, and release of fish carcasses.
Project 4 is salmonid spawning survey study to determine if adults
are returning to, and spawning within indexed reaches or basin areas.
The study consists of multiple spawning surveys primarily located in:
Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino counties, California; and surveys
may also extend throughout the entire length of the California Coast.
CDFG Region 1 requests authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal
take of: 2000 Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast coho salmon
carcasses, 4000 Central California Coast coho salmon carcasses, and
13000 California Coastal Chinook salmon carcasses, with no permanent
removal from the streams resulting from spawning survey, handling,
marking (using hog rings), and release of fish carcasses.
Project 5 is a salmonid population abundance, life history, marine
and fresh water survival, spawning survey, and restoration
effectiveness study located within the following Mendocino County,
California watersheds: Pudding Creek, Noyo River, and Casper Creek.
CDFG Region 1 also requests that other watersheds in Mendocino County
may be included during the life of the permit. CDFG Region 1 requests
authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal take of: 20000
juvenile Central California Coast coho salmon and 10000 juvenile
Northern California steelhead, with no more than 2.5 percent
unintentional mortality resulting from trapping (by fyke-net trap or
rotary screw trap), handling, and release of fish; and 15000 juvenile
Central California Coast coho salmon with no more than 1 percent
unintentional mortality resulting from trapping (by fyke-net trap or
rotary screw trap), anesthetizing, fin-clipping, tagging (using passive
integrated transponder (PIT) tags), and release of fish; and 500
juvenile California Coastal Chinook salmon with less than 0.3 percent
unintentional mortality resulting from trapping (by fyke-net trap or
rotary screw trap), anesthetizing, handling, tagging (using PIT tags),
and release of fish; and 5000 juvenile Northern California steelhead
with no more than 1.5 percent unintentional mortality resulting from
trapping (by fyke-net trap or rotary screw trap), anesthetizing, fin-
clipping, tagging (using PIT tags), and release of fish. CDFG Region 1
also requests authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal take of:
2000 adult Central California Coast coho salmon, 400 adult Northern
California steelhead, with less than 1 percent unintentional mortality
resulting from trapping (by fish ladder trap or weir trap), handling,
tagging (using Floy tags), and release of fish; and 10 adult California
Coastal Chinook salmon with less than 1 percent unintentional mortality
resulting from trapping (by fish ladder trap or weir trap), handling,
tissue sampling, tagging (using Floy tags), and release of fish. CDFG
Region 1 also requests authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal
take of 1000 Central California Coast coho salmon carcasses, and 50
Northern California steelhead carcasses, with no permanent removal from
streams resulting from spawning surveys, handling, tagging, and
releasing of fish carcasses; and 300 Central California Coast coho
salmon carcases, 10 California Coastal Chinook salmon carcasses, and 50
Northern California steelhead carcasses, with no permanent removal from
streams resulting from spawning surveys, handling, tagging, tissue
sampling, and releasing of fish.
Project 6 is a salmonid study to investigate possible straying of
potential spawning adults and to collect adult census data. The
proposed surveys will be conducted within the Noyo River watershed, in
Mendocino County, California. CDFG Region 1 requests the authorization
for estimated annual non-lethal take of: 700 adult Central California
Coast coho salmon and 10 adult California Coastal Chinook salmon, with
no more than 1 percent mortality resulting from capture (by flume type
raceway trap or finger weir trap), counting, handling, tissue sampling,
tagging (using Floy tags), and release of fish; and 50 adult Northen
California steelhead, with no more than 0.5 percent mortality resulting
from capture (by flume type raceway trap or finger weir trap),
counting, handling, tissue sampling, tagging (using Floy tags), and
release of fish.
Project 7 is a salmonid life history and population study in the
following coastal water bodies, all located within Northern or Central
California: Casper Creek, Little River, Pudding Creek, Hollow Tree
Creek, South Fork Noyo River, Ryan Creek in Mendocino County, and
Middle Fork Eel River in Humboldt County. CDFG Region 1 requests the
authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal take of: 12000
juvenile Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast coho salmon, 11000
juvenile Central California Coast coho salmon, 13000 juvenile Northern
California steelhead, and 1000 juvenile Central California Coast
steelhead, with no more than 1 percent unintentional mortality
resulting from capture (by funnel/fyke trap, backpack electrofishing,
or rotary screw trap), anesthetizing, handling, and releasing of fish.
CDFG Region 1 also requests authorization for an estimated annual non-
lethal take of: 5000 juvenile Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast
coho salmon, 5000 juvenile Central California Coast coho salmon, 5000
juvenile California Coastal Chinook salmon, and 3000 juvenile Northern
California steelhead, with no more than 1 percent intentional mortality
resulting from capture (by funnel/fyke trap, backpack electrofishing,
or rotary screw trap), handling, anesthetizing, marking (by fin-
clipping) and release of fish; and 200 juvenile Southern Oregon/
Northern California Coast coho salmon; 2100 juvenile Central California
Coast coho salmon; 100 juvenile California Coastal Chinook salmon; 1500
juvenile Northern California steelhead, and 500 juvenile Central
California Coast steelhead, with no more than 1 percent mortality
resulting from capture (by funnel/fyke trap, backpack electrofishing,
or rotary screw trap), handling, anesthetizing, tissue sampling, and
release of fish. CDFG Region 1 also requests authorization for an
estimated annual non-lethal take of: 200 Southern Oregon/Northern
California Coast coho salmon carcasses, and 1000 Central California
Coast coho salmon carcasses, with no permanent removal from streams
resulting from spawning surveys, handling, tagging (using hog rings),
and release of fish; and 200 Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast
coho salmon carcasses, and 500 Central California Coast coho salmon
carcasses with no permanent removal from streams resulting from
[[Page 2903]]
handling, tissue sampling (by fin-clipping) and release of fish.
CDFG Region 3 requests a 5-year permit (10094) for take of juvenile
and adult Central California Coast coho salmon, California Coastal
Chinook salmon, Northern California steelhead, Central California Coast
steelhead, and South-Central California Coast steelhead associated with
3 scientific research projects located throughout the California Coast.
Project 1 is a North Bay watershed restoration and resource
assessment study including investigations of salmonid occurrence and
distribution, abundance, life history, and adult escapement. Surveys
will be supervised out of Yountville, California and conducted
throughout the rivers, streams, and reservoirs in Mendocino, Sonoma,
Napa and Marin Counties, California. CDFG Region 3 requests
authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal take of: 2300 juvenile
Central California Coast coho salmon, with no more than 1 percent
unintentional mortality resulting from capture (by backpack
electrofishing or funnel/fyke traps), handling, anesthetizing, and
release of fish; and 800 juvenile California Coastal Chinook salmon,
800 juvenile Northern California steelhead, and 7100 juvenile Central
California Coast steelhead with no more than 2 percent unintentional
mortality resulting from capture (by backpack electrofishing or funnel/
fyke traps), handling, anesthetizing, and release of fish. CDFG Region
3 also requests authorization of an estimated annual non-lethal take
of: 340 adult Central California Coast coho salmon, 140 adult
California Coastal Chinook salmon, 130 adult Northern California
steelhead, and 1050 adult Central California Coast steelhead, with no
more than 1 percent unintentional mortality resulting from capture (by
Resistance Board weir or fish ladder trap), handling, tissue sampling
(by fin-clipping or opercular-hole-punching), scale sampling, tagging
(using Floy tags), and release of fish. CDFG Region 1 also requests
authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal take of: 100 Central
California Coast coho salmon carcasses, 100 California Coastal Chinook
salmon carcasses, 100 Northern California steelhead carcasses, and 100
Central California Coast steelhead carcasses, with no permanent removal
from streams resulting from spawning surveys, handling, tissue sampling
(by fin-clipping), scale sampling, and release of fish carcasses.
Project 2 is a South Bay watershed restoration and resource
assessment study including investigations of salmonid occurrence and
distribution, abundance, life history, and adult escapement. Surveys
will be supervised out of Yountville, California and conducted
throughout the rivers, streams, and reservoirs in Monterey, San Luis
Obispo, San Benito, San Mateo, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara,
Alameda, and Contra Costa counties, California. CDFG Region 3 requests
authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal take of: 2000 juvenile
Central California Coast coho salmon, 100 juvenile California Coastal
Chinook salmon, 16400 juvenile Central California Coast steelhead, and
6200 juvenile South-Central California Coast steelhead, with no more
than 1 percent unintentional mortality resulting from capture (by
backpack electrofishing, funnel/fyke traps or beach seining), handling,
anesthetizing, and release of fish. CDFG Region 3 also requests
authorization of an estimated annual non-lethal take of: 310 adult
Central California Coast coho salmon, 10 adult California Coastal
Chinook salmon, 1060 adult Central California Coast steelhead, and 120
adult South-Central California Coast steelhead, with no more than 1
percent unintentional mortality resulting from capture (by Resistance
Board weir or fish ladder trap), handling, tissue sampling (by fin-
clipping or opercular-hole-punching), scale sampling, tagging (using
Floy tags), and release of fish. CDFG Region 1 also requests
authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal take of: 100 Central
California Coast coho salmon carcasses, 100 California Coastal Chinook
salmon carcasses, 100 Central California Coast steelhead carcasses, and
100 South-Central California Coast steelhead carcasses, with no
permanent removal from streams resulting from spawning surveys,
handling, tissue sampling (by fin-clipping or opercular-hole-punching),
scale sampling, and release of fish carcasses.
Project 3 is a Bay Delta Region wild trout assessment study
including investigations of salmonid abundance, life history,
occurrence and distribution. Surveys will be supervised out of
Yountville, California and conducted throughout the rivers, streams,
and reservoirs in Mendocino, Sonoma, Napa, Marin, San Mateo, San
Francisco, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Alameda, Yolo, Solano, Sacramento,
San Joaquin, and Contra Coast counties, California. CDFG Region 3
requests authorization for an estimated annual non-lethal take of: 100
juvenile Central California Coast coho salmon, 100 juvenile California
Coastal Chinook salmon, 1000 juvenile Northern California steelhead,
1000 juvenile Central California Coast steelhead, and 1000 juvenile
South-Central California Coast steelhead, with no more than 2 percent
unintentional mortality resulting from capture (by backpack
electrofishing or hook & line), handling, anesthetizing, and release of
fish. CDFG Region 3 also requests authorization of an estimated annual
non-lethal take of: 1 adult Central California Coast coho salmon, 1
adult California Coastal Chinook salmon, 10 adult Northern California
steelhead, 10 adult Central California Coast steelhead, and 10 adult
South-Central California Coast steelhead, with no more than 1 percent
unintentional mortality resulting from capture (by backpack
electrofishing or hook & line), handling, tissue sampling (by fin-
clipping), scale sampling, and release of fish.
Dated: January 11, 2008.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-688 Filed 1-15-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S