Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish, 45197-45203 [2015-18600]
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 145 / Wednesday, July 29, 2015 / Notices
cetaceans, and sea turtles in U.S.
territorial and international waters as
mandated by the MMPA and ESA.
These studies are conducted through
ground, vessel, and aerial surveys for
observation, photogrammetry, photoidentification, biological sample
collection, and tagging animals.
Researchers also may salvage and
import/export specimens and biological
samples of these species.
In compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an initial
determination has been made that the
activity proposed is categorically
excluded from the requirement to
prepare an environmental assessment or
environmental impact statement.
Concurrent with the publication of
this notice in the Federal Register,
NMFS is forwarding copies of the
application to the Marine Mammal
Commission and its Committee of
Scientific Advisors.
Dated: July 23, 2015.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division,
Office of Protected Resources, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015–18549 Filed 7–28–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XD989
Endangered and Threatened Species;
Take of Anadromous Fish
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Applications for six new
scientific research permits, and fourteen
research permit renewals.
AGENCY:
Notice is hereby given that
NMFS has received 20 scientific
research permit application requests
relating to Pacific salmon, sturgeon, and
eulachon. The proposed research is
intended to increase knowledge of
species listed under the Endangered
Species Act (ESA) and to help guide
management, conservation, and
recovery efforts. The applications may
be viewed online at: https://
apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/preview/preview_
open_for_comment.cfm.
DATES: Comments or requests for a
public hearing on the applications must
be received at the appropriate address or
fax number (see ADDRESSES) no later
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SUMMARY:
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than 5 p.m. Pacific standard time on
August 28, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the
applications should be submitted to the
Protected Resources Division, NMFS,
777 Sonoma Avenue, Room 325, Santa
Rosa, CA 95404. Comments may also be
submitted via fax to 707–578–3435 or by
email to nmfs.swr.apps@noaa.gov
(include the permit number in the
subject line of the fax or email).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff
Abrams, Santa Rosa, CA (ph.: 707–575–
6080), Fax: 707–578–3435, email:
Jeff.Abrams@noaa.gov). Permit
application instructions are available
from the address above, or online at
https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Species Covered in This Notice
The following listed species are
covered in this notice:
Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus
tshawytscha): Threatened California
Coastal (CC); Threatened Central Valley
spring-run (CVSR); endangered
Sacramento River winter-run (SRWR).
Coho salmon (O. kisutch): Threatened
Southern Oregon/Northern California
Coast (SONCC); endangered Central
California Coast (CCC).
Steelhead (O. mykiss): Threatened
Northern California (NC); threatened
CCC; threatened California Central
Valley (CCV); threatened South-Central
California Coast (S–CCC); endangered
Southern California (SC).
North American green sturgeon
(Acipenser medisrostris): Threatened
southern distinct population segment
(sDPS).
Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus):
Threatened sDPS.
Authority
Scientific research permits are issued
in accordance with section 10(a)(1)(A)
of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and
regulations governing listed fish and
wildlife permits (50 CFR parts 222–227).
NMFS issues permits based on findings
that such permits: (1) Are applied for in
good faith; (2) if granted and exercised,
would not operate to the disadvantage
of the listed species that are the subject
of the permit; and (3) are consistent
with the purposes and policy of section
2 of the ESA. The authority to take
listed species is subject to conditions set
forth in the permits.
Anyone 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). Such
hearings are held at the discretion of the
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,
NMFS.
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Applications Received
Permit 1440–2R
The Interagency Ecological Program
(IEP), a consortium of nine state and
federal agencies, is seeking to renew
Permit 1440 for a period of five years.
The permit would authorize IEP to take
CVSR Chinook salmon, SRWR Chinook
salmon, CCV steelhead, CCC steelhead
and sDPS green sturgeon while
conducting 11 surveys in the San
Francisco Bay-Delta region. The studies
would examine the abundance, and
temporal and spatial distribution of
various life stages of pelagic fishes of
management concern, including listed
species, and their food (e.g.,
zooplankton) resources, along with
environmental conditions. These IEP
studies are intended to monitor/inform
the effectiveness of water operations,
aquatic habitat restoration, and fish
management practices, thereby
providing a benefit to listed fish. The 11
studies included are: (1) Adult Striped
Bass, a striped bass population study;
(2) Fall Midwater Trawl, which
monitors the relative abundance of
native and introduced fish species; (3)
Sturgeon Tagging, a white sturgeon
tagging program; (4) Summer Townet,
which targets delta smelt and young-ofthe-year striped bass; (5) Estuarine and
Marine Fish, a San Francisco Bay trawl
study; (6) 20mm Survey, a study to
monitor juvenile delta smelt
distribution and relative abundance; (7)
Yolo Bypass, a research effort to
understand fish and invertebrate use of
the Yolo Bypass seasonal floodplain; (8)
Upper Estuary Zooplankton, which
targets multiple zooplankters; (9) Spring
Kodiak Trawl, which determines the
relative abundance and distribution of
spawning delta smelt; (10) Suisun
Marsh Survey, monitoring to determine
the effects of the Suisun Marsh Salinity
Control Gates operation on fish,
including listed salmonids; and (11)
Smelt Larva Survey, which provides
distribution data for longfin smelt larvae
in the Delta. Listed fish would be
captured by fyke net, gill net, midwater
trawl, trammel net, hoop net, otter
trawl, larval fish net, zooplankton net,
Kodiak trawl net, rotary screw trap, and
beach seine. The majority of captured
fishes would be identified to species,
enumerated, measured for standard
length, and released. Juvenile SRWR
and CVSR Chinook salmon would be
identified using the Delta Model Lengthat-Date-of-Capture Table. Listed species
would be processed first and released. A
subsample of wild juvenile SRWR and
CVSR Chinook salmon sized captures
would be tissue sampled for genetic
analysis, and a subsample of hatchery
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juvenile SRWR and CVSR Chinook
salmon sized captures would be
sacrificed (i.e., intentional directed
mortality) in order to collect coded wire
tag data for management purposes and
for stock confirmation. To reduce
handling mortality, investigators would
conduct water to water transfers, use
fish-friendly nets, avoid handling when
possible, and would not release fish
from a vessel under way.
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Permit 13675–2R
The Fishery Foundation of California
is seeking to renew permit 13675 to
annually take juvenile CVSR Chinook
salmon, SRWR Chinook salmon, CCV
steelhead, and sDPS green sturgeon
while conducting research designed to
monitor the use of the Fremont Landing
Conservation Bank (FLCB) at the
confluence of the Sacramento and
Feather rivers in California’s Central
Valley. The requested permit would
authorize take for a period of five years.
FLCB is a restored area that provides
mitigation for impacts to listed
salmonid species in the Central Valley.
The proposed monitoring would
evaluate the use of the FLCB by listed
fish, provide data directly related to
success criteria described in the FLCB
management plan, and benefit listed
fish by informing adaptive management
strategies being conducted at the FLCB.
The researchers would use beach seines
and fyke nets to capture listed fish.
Once captured, all listed fish would be
identified to species and released. A
subsample would be measured for fork
length. No anesthesia would be used,
and no additional handling procedures
would be implemented. Captured fish
would remain completely wetted at all
times to minimize stress. Any fish
exhibiting signs of physiological stress
would be immediately released. The
researchers are not proposing to kill any
of the fish they capture, but some may
die as an unintended result of the
research.
Permit 13791–2R
The United States Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS), Stockton Fish and
Wildlife Office (SFWO), has requested
to renew Permit 13791 for a period of
four years. The permit would authorize
SFWO to annually take juvenile and
smolt CVSR Chinook salmon, SRWR
Chinook salmon, CCV steelhead, and
juvenile and larval sDPS green sturgeon
while conducting seven research
studies. The purpose of the studies is to
evaluate/monitor the: (1) Abundance,
temporal and spatial distribution, and
survival of salmonids and other fishes
in the lower Sacramento and San
Joaquin rivers and the San Francisco
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Estuary (SFE); (2) occurrence and
habitat use of fishes, especially early life
history stages, within the Liberty Island
and Cache Slough Complex, (3) relative
gear efficiencies for all IEP fish survey
nets, and also the distribution of delta
smelt; (4) littoral habitat use of juvenile
Chinook salmon within the Delta; (5)
the effect of projected water operations
on delta smelt; (6) length at date race
criteria of SRWR Chinook salmon sized
juvenile Chinook salmon; and (7) SRWR
and CVSR Chinook salmon floodplain
usage in the Yolo bypass. These studies
would result in capture/handle/release
take, tissue sampling, and/or intentional
directed mortality. Intentional directed
mortality would apply to only juvenile
hatchery adipose clipped salmonids and
larval green sturgeon. Capture methods
would include Kodiak trawl, midwater
trawl, beach seine, zooplankton net,
larval net, gill net, fyke net, purse seine,
and boat electrofishing. All listed fish
except adipose fin clipped SRWR and
CVSR Chinook salmon would be
immediately collected from the
sampling gears, placed in containers
filled with river water collected at the
location being sampled, processed, held
in a recovery container filled with
aerated river water, and subsequently
released at the sampled location. A fin
tissue sample would be collected from
a subset of natural origin SRWR and
CVSR Chinook salmon for stock
determination. The purpose of
intentional mortality of hatchery origin
(adipose clipped) SRWR and CVSR
Chinook salmon would be to collect
coded wire tags (CWT), and up ten
green sturgeon larvae would be killed
during larval fish collections in order to
identify the contents of the larval trawl
net, which can only be achieved in the
lab. The data provided by these studies
would provide natural resource
managers real-time biological and
population data on fishes to evaluate the
effect of water operations and fish
management practices within the SFE,
thereby benefiting listed fish.
Permit 14516–2R
Dr. Jerry Smith, Associate Professor in
the Department of Biological Sciences at
San Jose State University, is requesting
to renew permit 14516 for a period of
five years. The permit would authorize
Dr. Smith to annually take multiple life
stages of CCC coho salmon and CCC
steelhead while conducting two studies:
(1) Stream and lagoon surveys in Gazos
Creek, Waddell Creek, and Scott Creek;
and (2) lagoon surveys in Pescadero
Creek Lagoon and San Gregorio Lagoon.
The purpose of the studies is to: (1)
Provide an annual index of relative
abundance for juvenile listed salmonids,
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provide data on lagoon and upstream
habitat utilization and growth, and
provide an assessment of trends and
year to year response to variations in
habitat conditions; and (2) determine
juvenile listed salmonid abundance and
growth, and provide adult life history
information in the lagoons. Capture
methods would include backpack
electrofishing, and beach seine.
Captured salmonids would be
measured, and a subset of juvenile
captures and all adults would have scale
samples taken, before being released at
the capture location. A subsample of
juvenile steelhead would also be
marked via caudal fin clip to perform a
mark-recapture analysis. Scale and fin
tissue samples would be taken from
adult fish carcasses. Captured live fish
would be held in flow-through live cars,
covered with a towel to provide shade
and cover to calm fish. Adult fish would
be processed and released first. In
lagoons, live cars would be kept in
deeper water with cooler temperatures
and less turbidity to prevent warming
above ambient temperatures or a
decrease in dissolved oxygen. The
researchers are not proposing to kill any
of the fish they capture, but a small
number may die as an unintended result
of the activities.
Permit 15215
The California Department of Fish
and Wildlife (CDFW), Fisheries Branch,
Fish Health Laboratory, is applying for
a permit to take endangered SRWR
Chinook salmon, CCC coho salmon and
SC steelhead for a period of five years.
The purpose of the proposed research is
to investigate wild fish kills/disease
outbreaks that could occur in California
that involve federally listed endangered
species. The research would benefit the
listed species by providing fisheries
managers with the necessary
information to help alleviate future
outbreaks of fish disease through proper
management of fishery and water
resources. The proposed research would
only be conducted in the event of
elevated and unexplained endangered
species mortality or the presence of
clinically diseased animals. Given such
a triggering event, endangered fish
would be collected in any of the state
waters of California in which a disease
outbreak/fish die-off occurred. Adult
and juvenile endangered fish would be
collected by hand or dip-net, as only
dead and/or moribund fish, or fish
displaying clinical signs of disease,
would be collected. Moribund or
clinically diseased fish would be
euthanized (i.e., intentional directed
mortality). Trained CDFW pathologists
and veterinarians would assess
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moribund or diseased fish prior to
euthanasia, and only fish that would
likely die regardless of the actions
proposed by CDFW would be
euthanized. Necropsies would be
performed on dead and euthanized
captured fish either in the laboratory or
in the field, fish would be examined for
signs of parasitic and bacterial
infections, and fin and/or internal
tissues would be collected for virology,
histopathology, immunological testing
and/or DNA testing.
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Permit 16274
The Mendocino Redwood Company
(MRC) is seeking to renew Permit 1181–
Modification 1 for a period of five years.
The permit would authorize MRC to
take CC Chinook salmon, SONCC coho
salmon, CCC coho salmon, NC
steelhead, and CCC steelhead while
conducting research and monitoring to
assess juvenile and adult populations of
salmonids and their distribution in
streams within MRC’s property.
Research would be conducted in several
watersheds within Mendocino and
northern Sonoma counties. The data
gathered would benefit listed fish by
informing a better understanding of
salmonid distribution, abundance, and
habitat utilization in these areas.
Juvenile salmonids would be captured
by backpack electrofishing,
anesthetized, weighed, measured to fork
length, and released. A subsample of
juvenile salmonids would be fin clipped
to mark and to collect tissue samples for
genetic analysis. Live adults and/or
juveniles would be observed via snorkel
surveys and spawning surveys.
Carcasses would be measured and then
marked to ensure duplicate
measurements were not made.
Outmigrant trapping would be
conducted using a rotary screw trap or
weir/pipe trap; captured outmigrants
would be anesthetized, measured, and
released. A subsample of outmigrants
would be marked (dye, elastomer, or fin
clip) or Passive Integrated Transponder
(PIT) tagged. All anesthetized fish
would be allowed to recover in a bucket
containing aerated natal water prior to
being released back into the stream from
which they were taken. The researchers
are not proposing to kill any of the fish
they capture, but a small number may
die as an unintended result of the
activities.
Permit 17063
The United States Forest Service
(USFS), Redwood Sciences Laboratory
is requesting to renew permit 1071 for
a period of five years to perform eight
studies that together would take CC
Chinook salmon, SONCC coho salmon,
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CCC coho salmon, NC steelhead, CC
steelhead, and SC steelhead. The
purposes of the eight studies are: (1) To
investigate the invasion history of nonlisted speckled dace in the Van Duzen
River and the Eel River, (2) to
investigate the invasion history of nonlisted California roach in the Van Duzen
River and the Eel River, (3) to develop
an Individual Based Modeling (IBM)
approach to predict the effects of
management practices on salmonid
population in Northern California, (4) to
link abiotic factors (e.g., distance to
spawning ground) to the expression of
an anadromous or resident life history
for O. mykiss in the Eel River, (5) to link
the distribution and movement of
watershed products (e.g., wood,
sediment, and water) in tributaries and
mainstem channels to fish diversity and
abundance in Northern California rivers,
(6) to provide managers with insights
into the status and relatedness of
Sacramento sucker populations in
northern California, (7) to document the
speckled dace invasion of the Mad
River, and (8) to provide managers with
a tool to predict the effects of
management decisions on Santa Ana
suckers in the Santa Ana River. Listed
adult and juvenile salmonids would be
observed via snorkel surveys. Listed
juvenile salmonids would be captured
via backpack and/or boat electrofishing
for all eight studies, and also via beach
seine and/or fyke net for Study 6 (i.e.,
Sacramento sucker relatedness and
distribution). For most studies, listed
salmonids that are captured would be
anesthetized, measured and/or weighed,
and released. Captured fishes would be
held in multiple live cars to prevent
overcrowding and to maintain
acceptable water quality conditions. In
addition to capturing, handling and
releasing fish, Study 4 (i.e. factors
affecting the expression of an
anadromous versus resident life history
in O. mykiss) would also include
intentional directed mortality for otolith
microchemical analyses. A maximum of
four O. mykiss would be sacrificed from
each of seventy sample streams
distributed throughout the Eel River,
which would include both anadromous
(listed as threatened) and resident (nonlisted) life history forms.
Permit 17077–2R
Dr. Peter Moyle, with the University
of California at Davis, Department of
Wildlife, Fish and Conservation
Biology, has applied for a five year
renewal of Permit 17077 to take listed
species while conducting research
designed to develop a better
understanding of how physical habitat,
flow and other factors interact to
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maintain assemblages of native and nonnative aquatic species in the upper SFE.
This study would provide knowledge
about food web and habitat support for
native fishes, including listed
anadromous fish, which are suspected
of utilizing such habitats during
development. While listed fish are not
the target species for this study, the
study would benefit listed fish by
improving management decisions
regarding creating additional habitat,
and helping to anticipate the effects of
drought and climate change on food and
habitat availability. Sampling would be
conducted in three distinct regions of
the SFE: (1) The Cache-Lindsey
complex, (2) the Sherman Lake complex
and (3) Suisun Marsh, and would take
juvenile and adult CVSR Chinook
salmon, SRWR Chinook Salmon, CCV
steelhead, and sDPS green sturgeon.
Capture methods would be similar for
each of these regions, and would
include otter trawling, beach seining
and boat electrofishing, however
electrofishing would be suspended
immediately upon encountering a listed
species. All sampled fish would be
placed in a bucket with ambient water
and an aerator, examined for
responsiveness and returned to the
water as soon as possible with a
minimum of handling, after
identification and length estimates were
made. Juvenile SRWR and CVSR
Chinook salmon would be identified
using published size-at-date criteria.
Only adult green sturgeon captures
would receive additional processing
beyond identification and measuring for
length. Adult green sturgeon would be
scanned for the presence of a PIT tag,
and a soft pelvic fin tissue sample
would be collected. The researchers are
not proposing to kill any of the fish they
capture, but a small number may die as
an unintended result of the activities.
Permit 17219
The NMFS Southwest Fisheries
Science Center, Fishery Ecology
Division (FED), requests a five-year
renewal of permit 1044-Modification 4
for research throughout California that
would include take of SRWR Chinook
salmon, CVSR Chinook salmon, SONCC
coho salmon, CCC coho salmon, NC
steelhead, CCC steelhead, CCV
steelhead, S–CCC steelhead, SC
steelhead, and juvenile sDPS green
sturgeon. The proposed research would
benefit listed fish by supporting
conservation and management of listed
anadromous salmonids and green
sturgeon in California by directly
addressing information needs identified
by NMFS and other agencies. FED
studies address priority topics identified
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in NMFS technical recovery team
reports, NMFS recovery plans, joint
programs such as the California Coastal
Monitoring Program developed by
NMFS and CDFW, and state programs
such as the Fisheries Restoration Grant
Program. Research objectives of specific
proposed studies include: (1) Estimating
population abundance and dynamics;
(2) evaluating factors affecting growth,
survival, and life-history; (3) assessing
life-stage specific habitat use and
movement; (4) collecting data necessary
to construct various types of models
(e.g., population, life-cycle,
bioenergetics, and habitat-use models);
(5) determining genetic structure of
populations; (6) evaluating the effects of
activities such as water management
and habitat restoration on populations;
and (7) developing improved sampling
and monitoring methods.
Research and take would involve
various life stages (juvenile, smolt,
adult, and carcass). Listed fish would be
observed during spawning surveys, and
captured by electrofishing, beach seine,
rotary screw trap, and/or hook-and-line.
The majority of captured fish would be
anesthetized, measured to fork length,
and released. A subsample of captured
fish would be further sampled by
collection of scales, fin clips, gill clips
or stomach contents; and/or marking or
tagging including fin tissue clips, PIT
tags, elastomer tags, acoustic tags, or
radio tags. Species care after capture
would include use of aerated buckets or
live cars for holding and recovery, and
minimization of handling time. The
majority of fish captured would be
released alive at their point of capture
following recovery from handling.
However, in limited cases some fish
would be: (1) Retained in enclosures in
streams for short-term growth and
survival experiments and then released,
or (2) euthanized for analysis of otoliths
and/or parasitological/pathological
studies of parasites and diseases of wild
juvenile steelhead.
Permit 17272
The USFWS, Arcata Fish and Wildlife
Office Fisheries Program (AFWO) is
seeking to renew permit 1068Modification 2 for a period of five years.
The requested permit would authorize
AFWO to take multiple life stages of
hatchery and wild SONCC coho salmon
via monitoring and research activities in
Northwest California. Five studies are
proposed, the purposes of which are to
monitor: (1) Chinook salmon fry
production and disease incidence in the
Klamath River below Iron Gate dam, (2)
Chinook salmon escapement in the
mainstem Klamath River below the
Shasta River confluence, (3) Chinook
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salmon escapement in the mainstem
Klamath River from Iron Gate dam to
the Shasta River confluence, (4) coho
salmon escapement between Iron Gate
Dam and the Indian Creek confluence,
and (5) long-term salmonid disease
incidence in the lower Klamath River.
Trained AFWO crews would conduct
redd surveys, on foot and from rafts,
which could observe/harass spawning
SONCC coho salmon. Crews would
spend minimal time around redds and
avoid walking on redds. Trained AFWO
crews would also capture juvenile
SONCC coho salmon using rotary-screw
traps, frame nets, and beach seines.
Traps would be thoroughly cleaned at
least once a day. Juvenile coho salmon
would be held in aerated holding
buckets filled with fresh river water
then anesthetized, measured for fork
length, weighed, and released back into
the river. There would be some
intentional mortality of hatchery
juvenile coho salmon for disease
analysis. Aside from these hatchery fish,
the researchers are not proposing to kill
any of the fish they capture, but a small
number may die as an unintended result
of the activities. The proposed studies
would benefit listed coho salmon by
informing the AFWO goal to develop
conservation strategies for aquatic
resources and to evaluate the success of
aquatic habitat restoration efforts that
will lead to the recovery and
conservation of fish populations and
fisheries in northern California.
Permit 17351
The Green Diamond Resource
Company (GDRC) has applied for a five
year renewal of research permit 1060Modification 1 to take listed salmonids
while conducting research and
monitoring under an existing Aquatic
Habitat Conservation Plan (AHCP). The
AHCP, which was approved in 2007 and
is valid until 2057, identifies potential
threats to three listed fish species that
may result from GDRC’s timber harvest
activities and describes minimization
and mitigation measures and
effectiveness monitoring to address
potential threats. The requested take
limits would allow for implementation
of monitoring and research activities in
several northern California watersheds
including the Winchuk River, Smith
River, Lower Klamath basin tributaries,
Mad River, Little River, several
Humboldt Bay tributaries, and Eel River.
The three species identified which
would be taken as a direct result of this
monitoring are CC Chinook salmon,
SONCC coho salmon, and NC steelhead.
Research and take would involve
various life stages (fry, juvenile, smolt,
adult, and carcass). Trained GDRC
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crews would observe listed salmonids
during snorkel surveys and spawning
surveys. Crews would avoid walking in
suitable spawning habitats (e.g., riffle
crests). Listed salmonids would be
captured by various capture methods
including backpack electrofishing, kick
net sampling, rotary screw trapping,
v-notch weir outmigrant trapping, and
minnow trapping. Most captured fish
would be measured and released. A
subsample of captured fish would be
anesthetized, then marked via dorsal fin
clip, fin tissue sampled, scale sampled,
and/or PIT tagged. Anesthetized
individuals would be allowed to recover
in mesh containers placed in the stream
channel prior to release. Data collected
would be used to document long-term
population trends and better understand
the potential impacts on the covered
species and their habitats that may
result from AHCP covered activities.
The researchers are not proposing to kill
any of the fish they capture, but a small
number may die as an unintended result
of the activities.
Permit 17396
The USFWS, Anadromous Fish
Restoration Program (AFRP) has applied
for a five year permit to take listed fish
while conducting research designed to:
(1) Provide data necessary to evaluate
the effectiveness of AFRP restoration
projects, including appraisal of
spawning gravel augmentation, inchannel and floodplain habitat
enhancement actions, and water
allocation/flow regime alteration
actions; and (2) provide reconnaissancelevel population and biological data on
contemporary anadromous fish
population patterns within the Central
Valley of California, in order to
prioritize and select future restoration
projects to benefit anadromous
salmonids. All AFRP restoration
monitoring projects would serve to
benefit anadromous salmonids by
providing data on restoration project
effectiveness, and providing valuable
information relating to adaptive
management procedures. Take of listed
species including various life stages of
CVSR Chinook salmon, CCV steelhead,
and sDPS green sturgeon would result
from activities in the following five
proposed projects: (1) Bobcat flat
restoration effectiveness monitoring in
the lower Tuolumne River; (2) adult
sturgeon acoustic telemetry in the lower
San Joaquin basin; (3) San Joaquin River
sturgeon spawning habitat assessment;
(4) steelhead sampling and acoustic
tracking in the lower Stanislaus,
Tuolumne and Merced Rivers; and (5)
fish reconnaissance in the San Joaquin
River system. Observe/harass take
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would result from snorkel surveys.
Capture methods would include beach
seine, trammel nets, gill nets, fyke nets,
hook-and-line, egg mats, benthic d-nets,
and boat and backpack electrofishing.
The majority of captured listed fish
would be handled and released; a
subsample of captures would be
anesthetized, scale sampled, fin clipped
(to mark and to collect fin tissue for
genetic analysis), acoustic tagged, and/
or subject to intentional directed
mortality. Green sturgeon eggs (n = 100)
and larvae (n = 5) would be
intentionally sacrificed, which would be
necessary to provide voucher tissue
specimens, and would benefit the
species by providing critical
information on green sturgeon spawning
habitat. To minimize physiological
stress, all sturgeon would be held in a
net pen submerged in river or with
flowing water through their gills while
waiting to be handled. All listed
salmonids would be immediately
collected from the sampling gears,
placed in five gallon buckets filled with
fresh river water from the location being
sampled, processed, held in another
container filled with fresh river water
for recovery, and subsequently released
in the sampled location. The new
information on these species generated
by these projects would help prioritize
future restoration projects, thus
benefiting listed species.
Permit 17867
The Humboldt Redwood Company
(HRC) is seeking to renew permit 1074Modification 1 for a period of five years.
The permit would authorize HRC to take
juvenile and adult CC Chinook salmon,
SONCC coho salmon and NC steelhead
while conducting research and
monitoring that satisfies two objectives:
(1) To comply with CDFW’s Restorable
Class I policy by sampling reaches
through snorkel and electrofishing
methods to identify Class I habitat
within proposed timber harvest plans,
and (2) to monitor fish occupancy
trends at the reach, sub basin, watershed
and HRC property level over time by
repeated snorkel surveys at index and
randomly selected reaches. Adult and
juvenile salmonids would be observed
during snorkel surveys, and juvenile
salmonids would be captured by
backpack electrofishing. Snorkel
surveys would be the preferred method
of detecting presence/absence of fish
species. Captured fish would be
identified, and transported upstream of
the project area. All captured specimens
would be kept in aerated buckets,
observed closely, and not released until
fully recovered. The proposed
monitoring would help to achieve
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HRC’s fisheries program’s general goal,
which is to determine the occurrence,
distribution, population and habitat
conditions of anadromous fishes on
HRC lands as well as to monitor,
protect, restore and enhance the
anadromous fishery resources in
watersheds owned by HRC. The
researchers are not proposing to kill any
of the fish they capture, but a small
number may die as an unintended result
of the activities.
Permit 17877
The United States Bureau of
Reclamation (BOR) is requesting to
renew Permit 1072—Modification 2 for
a period of five years. BOR is applying
for this permit as a contingent of the
Trinity River Restoration Program
(TRRP), an inter-agency partnership of
the BOR, USFWS, Hoopa Valley Tribe,
Yurok Tribe, CDFW, Trinity County,
USFS, NMFS, and the California
Department of Water Resources. The
TRRP benefits listed species by
conducting large-scale channel
restoration and habitat restoration
activities in the Trinity River mainstem
and watershed as a means of restoring
declining fishery resources. The
following six specific studies are
proposed: (1) Trinity River juvenile
salmonid outmigrant monitoring, (2)
juvenile Chinook salmon density
monitoring, (3) Trinity River Chinook
salmon redd and carcass survey, (4)
Trinity River invasive brown trout
predation on coho investigation, (5)
Trinity River juvenile coho salmon
ecology study, and (6) watershed
rehabilitation/research. The requested
permit would authorize BOR to take
juvenile, smolt, adult and carcasses of
SONCC coho salmon via: (1)
Observation/harassment by way of
snorkel surveys, hand netting that
specifically targets other species, and
spawning surveys; and (2) capture by
rotary screw trap, boat electrofishing,
hook-and-line, beach seine, fyke net, or
minnow trapping. Fin tissue samples
would be collected from carcasses. The
majority of captured juvenile coho
salmon would be anesthetized,
measured to fork length and released,
but a subsample would also be PIT
tagged. Tagged fish would be held in
recovery pens post tagging to monitor
and enhance post-tagging health. The
researchers are not proposing to kill any
of the fish they capture, but a small
number may die as an unintended result
of the activities.
Permit 17916
The Bureau of Land Management
(BLM), Arcata Field Office, is seeking to
renew permit 1088-Modificaiton 1 for a
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period of five years to monitor the
effects of current management actions
related to the Northwest Forest Plan’s
Aquatic Conservation Strategy on
anadromous salmonids and their
habitats. In order to monitor land
management actions and implement the
Northwest Forest Plan in northern
California, BLM needs to obtain updated
information on fish distribution and
habitat. Sampling would occur in
various watersheds, including the
Mattole River, Eel River, Lost Coast
region tributaries to the Pacific Ocean,
and Humboldt Bay tributaries. Take of
CC Chinook salmon, SONCC coho
salmon, and NC steelhead would result
from this monitoring and research. The
preponderance of requested take would
result from spawning surveys, snorkel
surveys, and presence/absence surveys
from the bank, all of which would result
in observe/harass take of juvenile and/
or adult salmonids. Capture methods
that would take juvenile salmonids
include backpack electrofishing and
beach seine. A small number of
salmonid fry may also be captured
during kick net activities intended to
sample invertebrates. Electrofishing
would be used only when stream
conditions prohibit less invasive
sampling methods, and electrofishing
activities would follow the NMFS 2000
Electrofishing Guidelines. Personnel
handling fish would have wet hands
and experience in fish handling. After
length measurements were complete,
fish would be placed in a bucket of
freshwater for longer than 30 minutes to
allow for recovery prior to being
released. Recovering fish would be kept
in cool, shaded, aerated water and
would not be overcrowded. This
research would benefit listed fish by
informing adaptive management
strategies intended to aid in the
recovery of at-risk anadromous
salmonids. The researchers are not
proposing to kill any of the fish they
capture, but a small number may die as
an unintended result of the activities.
Permit 18012
The CDFW, Bay Delta Region (Region
III), requests a five year renewal of
permit 10094 to authorize take related to
two research projects, the Watershed
Restoration Project (WRP) and the
Fisheries Management Project (FMP),
designed to assess and restore the
productivity of CC Chinook salmon,
CCC coho salmon, NC steelhead, CCC
steelhead, and S–CCC steelhead in
Sonoma, Mendocino, Napa, Marin, San
Mateo, Santa Cruz and Monterey
counties in north central California.
Program staff would accomplish this
goal by conducting habitat and
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salmonid surveys to determine potential
limiting factors and stock status in order
to identify the specific measures and
actions needed to protect and increase
production of listed salmonids.
Proposed studies include: (1) Juvenile
salmonid occurrence, distribution and
habitat monitoring; (2) adult salmonid
occurrence, passage, and distribution;
(3) spawning ground surveys; (4) life
cycle station monitoring; and (5)
juvenile steelhead lagoon beach seining.
Listed fish would be observed/harassed
during snorkel surveys, spawning
surveys, carcass surveys, and by the use
of electronic counting stations (i.e.,
DIDSON camera, Vaki Riverwatcher
and/or video weir). Listed salmonids
would be captured using backpack
electrofishing, beach seining, rotary
screw traps, fyke/pipe traps, and
potentially adults may be captured
using a resistance board weir. When
electrofishing, the avoidance and impact
minimization measures outlined in the
NMFS 2000 electrofishing guidelines
would be followed. The majority of
juvenile captures would be handled
(measured for fork length and weighed),
and released. A subset of juvenile
salmonid captures would be
anesthetized, fin tissue sampled to
collect tissue for genetic analysis, scale
sampled, marked with an upper caudal
fin clip, and/or PIT tagged. Only healthy
fish with no signs of stress or injury
would be subjected to marking or
tagging. All fish would be allowed to
recover fully and would be observed
carefully for injury prior to release.
Captured adult salmonids would be
handled (i.e., identified, measured,
weighed, and scale and tissue samples
taken), tagged (bi-colored Floy tags and/
or opercular-hole-punched) and
released upstream of the weir. All fish
handled would be held in clean and
decontaminated containers that are
supplied with cool, aerated water and
would be released back into the stream
reach from which they were collected
after recovery. Implementation of these
activities under the WRP and the FMP
would benefit listed species by
informing recommendations on
proposed habitat restoration projects
and by determining the impacts of
various management actions. The
researchers are not proposing to kill any
of the fish they capture, but a small
number may die as an unintended result
of the activities.
Permit 18712
H.T. Harvey & Associates has
requested a permit to complete a project
that is intended to meet three Marine
Protected Area (MPA) monitoring goals
set by the MPA Monitoring Enterprise:
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(1) To assess trends in the condition of
ecosystems inside and outside of
MPA’s, (2) to evaluate the effects of
specific MPA design criteria such as
MPA size and distance between MPAs,
and (3) to evaluate the effect of visitors
on MPAs. The project would contribute
to the goals of the monitoring enterprise
by describing the baseline biological
community in four northern California
estuaries: (1) Mad River Estuary in
Humboldt County, (2) South Humboldt
Bay State Marine Recreational
Management Area in Humboldt County,
(3) Ten Mile Estuary State Marine
Conservation Area (SMCA) in
Mendocino County, and (4) Big River
Estuary SMCA in Mendocino County.
Sampling related to this project may
take juvenile and smolt CC Chinook
salmon, SONCC coho salmon, CCC coho
salmon, NC steelhead, and adult sDPS
eulachon. Beach seines and fyke nets
would be used to capture fish whereby
take (i.e., capture/handle/release) of
listed salmonids would occur. Handling
would consist of identifying and
measuring fish to fork length. To ensure
that handled fish would experience
minimal adverse effects as a result of the
sampling process, fish would be
allowed to recover briefly either in live
wells or in shaded, aerated buckets. The
researchers are not proposing to kill any
of the fish they capture, but a small
number may die as an unintended result
of the activities.
Permit 18937
The Scripps Institution of
Oceanography, University of California,
San Diego, California Sea Grant (CSG)
College Program is seeking a five year
permit to annually take listed CC
Chinook salmon, CCC coho salmon, and
CCC steelhead while monitoring the
status and trends of listed salmonids in
the Russian River watershed. CSG is
proposing to collect data to estimate
population metrics such as abundance,
survival, growth, and spatial
distribution of multiple life stages of
salmonids, and relate them to different
recovery actions including hatchery
releases, habitat enhancement projects,
and stream flow improvement projects.
Data collection would be designed to
meet four specific study objectives: (1)
Evaluation of the Russian River Coho
Salmon Captive Broodstock Program, (2)
implementation of the California Coastal
Salmonid Monitoring Plan, (3)
comparing juvenile coho salmon
oversummer survival with stream flow,
and (4) evaluation of habitat
enhancement projects. The four
proposed studies would provide
resource agencies with valuable
information that would help guide
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future decisions regarding recovery
actions. Fish populations would be
monitored in many tributaries of the
Russian River watershed and several
methods that could observe/harass and/
or capture fish would be employed,
including: Snorkel surveys, spawning
surveys, redd surveys, downstream
migrant trapping (pipe/funnel trap),
minnow trapping, operation of PIT tag
detection systems (i.e., PIT tag arrays
and PIT tag wand surveys), and
backpack electrofishing. Handling of
live fish captured in traps or during
electrofishing surveys would include
anesthetization, measuring for fork
length, scanning for CWT and PIT tags,
fin tissue sampling, scale sampling, PIT
tagging, and/or gastric lavage. Adult
salmonid carcasses encountered during
spawning surveys would be scanned for
PIT tags, measured, fin clipped, scale
sampled, and otoliths would be
extracted. All live fish would be
released back into the stream following
recovery in aerated buckets of cold
water. Specific measures that would be
taken to reduce the risk of injury or
mortality to fish include following the
NMFS 2000 Electrofishing Guidelines,
minimizing the time that fish are
handled, placing potential predators in
separate holding buckets, running
aerators in buckets, avoiding
overcrowding in buckets, changing
water in the anesthesia bucket
frequently, placing a thermometer in
holding buckets and replacing water
frequently if the temperatures are rising,
wetting measuring boards and weigh
pans, processing listed species first,
checking traps at least once per day and
more frequently in high flow or windy
conditions, and placing flow deflectors
inside the trap box to provide refugia for
fish. The researchers are not proposing
to kill any of the fish they capture, but
a small number may die as an
unintended result of the activities.
Permit 19121
The United States Geological Survey,
California Water Survey has applied for
a five year permit for take associated
with completing two main objectives:
(1) To examine research applications of
the SmeltCam that have been developed
and coordinated with the IEP, and (2) to
provide fisheries science support for the
BOR’s compliance with Biological
Opinions. The studies are intended to:
(1) Provide new quantitative data
addressing the potential benefits of
habitat restoration to the SFE and Delta
ecosystem and its native fish
populations, and (2) determine the
vertical and lateral distribution of delta
smelt, and the continued evaluation and
application of SmeltCam technology for
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studies of delta smelt and other fishes.
The results of these studies are expected
to provide net benefits to listed species
by improving our understanding of their
ecology and habitat use, and by
informing the development of new
research tools that can guide
management decisions and habitat
restoration actions. Sampling would be
conducted in Suisun Bay, and would
take multiple life stages of CVSR
Chinook salmon, SRWR Chinook
salmon, CCV steelhead, and sDPS green
sturgeon. Capture methods would
include beach seine, fyke trap, larval
net, otter trawl, midwater trawl, boat
electrofishing, set line, and gill net. All
sampling would follow methods and
protocols designed to minimize take of
listed species while conducting research
and monitoring. For example, sampling
gear such as gill nets would be watched
closely to monitor the status of any
fishes entangled in the net. Set times
would be short (approximately one
hour), and nets would be set in habitats
that listed fish are unlikely to inhabit.
Listed salmonids captured in the course
of sampling would be identified,
carefully measured for length and
released. Green sturgeon would be
anesthetized using MS–222, scanned for
a presence of a PIT tag, PIT tagged if no
PIT tag is present, tissue sampled, and
allowed to recover prior to release. All
fishes collected in any sampling gear
would be handled as gently as possible
to facilitate safe release back to the
water. The researchers are not proposing
to kill any of the fish they capture, but
a small number may die as an
unintended result of the activities.
Permit 19400
ICF consulting has requested a five
year permit to take juvenile CVSR
Chinook salmon and SRWR Chinook
salmon while conducting a study to
investigate if longfin smelt in San Pablo
Bay shift their vertical distribution
under different environmental and
biological conditions. Although this
study principally targets longfin smelt,
ESA listed Chinook salmon would be
encountered during sampling. ICF
proposes to collect data that would be
useful to local researchers on captured
and/or photographed listed Chinook
salmon, including abundance, length,
and potentially tissue samples. Fish
would be sampled using a midwater
trawl, however the majority of tows
would be conducted with only a video
device (i.e., SmeltCam) acting as the
codend. Therefore, the majority of take
would be observe/harass. The fish
camera image program would be able to
determine the length, and thereby an
estimate of the race/run/listing status, of
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salmon that pass through the net. In
order to verify the results of the
SmeltCam, some tows would be
conducted with both the video device
and a traditional codend. Physically
captured juvenile salmonids would be
placed in a bucket with aerated water,
handled (i.e., measured to fork length
and possibly fin tissue sampled for
genetic analysis), and released. The
researchers are not proposing to kill any
of the fish they capture.
This notice is provided pursuant to
section 10(c) of the ESA. NMFS will
evaluate the applications, associated
documents, and comments submitted to
determine whether the applications
meet the requirements of section 10(a)
of the ESA and Federal regulations. The
final permit decisions will not be made
until after the end of the 30-day
comment period. NMFS will publish
notice of its final action in the Federal
Register.
Dated: July 22, 2015.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office
of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015–18600 Filed 7–28–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XE042
Endangered Species; File No. 18238
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; receipt of application.
AGENCY:
Notice is hereby given that
NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science
Center (SWFSC), 8901 La Jolla Shore
Dr., La Jolla, CA 92037, [Responsible
Party: Lisa Ballance, Ph.D.], has applied
in due form for a permit to take green
(Chelonia mydas), loggerhead (Caretta
caretta), and olive ridley (Lepidochelys
olivacea) sea turtles for purposes of
scientific research.
DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email
comments must be received on or before
August 28, 2015.
ADDRESSES: The application and related
documents are available for review by
selecting ‘‘Records Open for Public
Comment’’ from the Features box on the
Applications and Permits for Protected
Species (APPS) home page, https://
apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting
File No. 18238 from the list of available
applications.
SUMMARY:
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These documents are also available
upon written request or by appointment
in the Permits and Conservation
Division, Office of Protected Resources,
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room
13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone
(301) 427–8401; fax (301) 713–0376.
Written comments on this application
should be submitted to the Chief,
Permits and Conservation Division, at
the address listed above. Comments may
also be submitted by facsimile to (301)
713–0376, or by email to
NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Please
include the File No. in the subject line
of the email comment.
Those individuals requesting a public
hearing should submit a written request
to the Chief, Permits and Conservation
Division at the address listed above. The
request should set forth the specific
reasons why a hearing on this
application would be appropriate.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Amy Hapeman or Brendan Hurley, (301)
427–8401.
The
subject permit is requested under the
authority of the Endangered Species Act
of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.) and the regulations
governing the taking, importing, and
exporting of endangered and threatened
species (50 CFR parts 222–226).
The SWFSC requests a five-year
research permit proposes to continue
long-term monitoring of resident green
sea turtles in southern California to
characterize population structure,
foraging ecology, and migration
patterns. Up to 60 green, five olive
ridley, and five loggerhead sea turtles
would be captured annually using
entanglement, seine, or dip net and have
the following procedures performed
before release: photography/video;
temporary marking the carapace; flipper
tagging and passive integrated
transponder tagging; ultrasound;
morphometrics; tetracycline injection;
biological sampling; cloacal and oral
swabbing; lavage; and up two
transmitter attachments. Animals with
transmitters may be surveyed and
tracked by vessel after release. The
permit would be valid for five years
from the date of issuance.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Dated: July 23, 2015.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division,
Office of Protected Resources, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015–18551 Filed 7–28–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 145 (Wednesday, July 29, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45197-45203]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-18600]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XD989
Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Applications for six new scientific research permits, and
fourteen research permit renewals.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received 20 scientific
research permit application requests relating to Pacific salmon,
sturgeon, and eulachon. The proposed research is intended to increase
knowledge of species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and
to help guide management, conservation, and recovery efforts. The
applications may be viewed online at: https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/preview/preview_open_for_comment.cfm.
DATES: Comments or requests for a public hearing on the applications
must be received at the appropriate address or fax number (see
ADDRESSES) no later than 5 p.m. Pacific standard time on August 28,
2015.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the applications should be submitted to
the Protected Resources Division, NMFS, 777 Sonoma Avenue, Room 325,
Santa Rosa, CA 95404. Comments may also be submitted via fax to 707-
578-3435 or by email to nmfs.swr.apps@noaa.gov (include the permit
number in the subject line of the fax or email).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff Abrams, Santa Rosa, CA (ph.: 707-
575-6080), Fax: 707-578-3435, email: Jeff.Abrams@noaa.gov). Permit
application instructions are available from the address above, or
online at https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Species Covered in This Notice
The following listed species are covered in this notice:
Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): Threatened California
Coastal (CC); Threatened Central Valley spring-run (CVSR); endangered
Sacramento River winter-run (SRWR).
Coho salmon (O. kisutch): Threatened Southern Oregon/Northern
California Coast (SONCC); endangered Central California Coast (CCC).
Steelhead (O. mykiss): Threatened Northern California (NC);
threatened CCC; threatened California Central Valley (CCV); threatened
South-Central California Coast (S-CCC); endangered Southern California
(SC).
North American green sturgeon (Acipenser medisrostris): Threatened
southern distinct population segment (sDPS).
Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus): Threatened sDPS.
Authority
Scientific research permits are issued in accordance with section
10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and regulations
governing listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR parts 222-227). NMFS
issues permits based on findings that such permits: (1) Are applied for
in good faith; (2) if granted and exercised, would not operate to the
disadvantage of the listed species that are the subject of the permit;
and (3) are consistent with the purposes and policy of section 2 of the
ESA. The authority to take listed species is subject to conditions set
forth in the permits.
Anyone 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). Such hearings are held at the
discretion of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NMFS.
Applications Received
Permit 1440-2R
The Interagency Ecological Program (IEP), a consortium of nine
state and federal agencies, is seeking to renew Permit 1440 for a
period of five years. The permit would authorize IEP to take CVSR
Chinook salmon, SRWR Chinook salmon, CCV steelhead, CCC steelhead and
sDPS green sturgeon while conducting 11 surveys in the San Francisco
Bay-Delta region. The studies would examine the abundance, and temporal
and spatial distribution of various life stages of pelagic fishes of
management concern, including listed species, and their food (e.g.,
zooplankton) resources, along with environmental conditions. These IEP
studies are intended to monitor/inform the effectiveness of water
operations, aquatic habitat restoration, and fish management practices,
thereby providing a benefit to listed fish. The 11 studies included
are: (1) Adult Striped Bass, a striped bass population study; (2) Fall
Midwater Trawl, which monitors the relative abundance of native and
introduced fish species; (3) Sturgeon Tagging, a white sturgeon tagging
program; (4) Summer Townet, which targets delta smelt and young-of-the-
year striped bass; (5) Estuarine and Marine Fish, a San Francisco Bay
trawl study; (6) 20mm Survey, a study to monitor juvenile delta smelt
distribution and relative abundance; (7) Yolo Bypass, a research effort
to understand fish and invertebrate use of the Yolo Bypass seasonal
floodplain; (8) Upper Estuary Zooplankton, which targets multiple
zooplankters; (9) Spring Kodiak Trawl, which determines the relative
abundance and distribution of spawning delta smelt; (10) Suisun Marsh
Survey, monitoring to determine the effects of the Suisun Marsh
Salinity Control Gates operation on fish, including listed salmonids;
and (11) Smelt Larva Survey, which provides distribution data for
longfin smelt larvae in the Delta. Listed fish would be captured by
fyke net, gill net, midwater trawl, trammel net, hoop net, otter trawl,
larval fish net, zooplankton net, Kodiak trawl net, rotary screw trap,
and beach seine. The majority of captured fishes would be identified to
species, enumerated, measured for standard length, and released.
Juvenile SRWR and CVSR Chinook salmon would be identified using the
Delta Model Length-at-Date-of-Capture Table. Listed species would be
processed first and released. A subsample of wild juvenile SRWR and
CVSR Chinook salmon sized captures would be tissue sampled for genetic
analysis, and a subsample of hatchery
[[Page 45198]]
juvenile SRWR and CVSR Chinook salmon sized captures would be
sacrificed (i.e., intentional directed mortality) in order to collect
coded wire tag data for management purposes and for stock confirmation.
To reduce handling mortality, investigators would conduct water to
water transfers, use fish-friendly nets, avoid handling when possible,
and would not release fish from a vessel under way.
Permit 13675-2R
The Fishery Foundation of California is seeking to renew permit
13675 to annually take juvenile CVSR Chinook salmon, SRWR Chinook
salmon, CCV steelhead, and sDPS green sturgeon while conducting
research designed to monitor the use of the Fremont Landing
Conservation Bank (FLCB) at the confluence of the Sacramento and
Feather rivers in California's Central Valley. The requested permit
would authorize take for a period of five years. FLCB is a restored
area that provides mitigation for impacts to listed salmonid species in
the Central Valley. The proposed monitoring would evaluate the use of
the FLCB by listed fish, provide data directly related to success
criteria described in the FLCB management plan, and benefit listed fish
by informing adaptive management strategies being conducted at the
FLCB. The researchers would use beach seines and fyke nets to capture
listed fish. Once captured, all listed fish would be identified to
species and released. A subsample would be measured for fork length. No
anesthesia would be used, and no additional handling procedures would
be implemented. Captured fish would remain completely wetted at all
times to minimize stress. Any fish exhibiting signs of physiological
stress would be immediately released. The researchers are not proposing
to kill any of the fish they capture, but some may die as an unintended
result of the research.
Permit 13791-2R
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Stockton Fish
and Wildlife Office (SFWO), has requested to renew Permit 13791 for a
period of four years. The permit would authorize SFWO to annually take
juvenile and smolt CVSR Chinook salmon, SRWR Chinook salmon, CCV
steelhead, and juvenile and larval sDPS green sturgeon while conducting
seven research studies. The purpose of the studies is to evaluate/
monitor the: (1) Abundance, temporal and spatial distribution, and
survival of salmonids and other fishes in the lower Sacramento and San
Joaquin rivers and the San Francisco Estuary (SFE); (2) occurrence and
habitat use of fishes, especially early life history stages, within the
Liberty Island and Cache Slough Complex, (3) relative gear efficiencies
for all IEP fish survey nets, and also the distribution of delta smelt;
(4) littoral habitat use of juvenile Chinook salmon within the Delta;
(5) the effect of projected water operations on delta smelt; (6) length
at date race criteria of SRWR Chinook salmon sized juvenile Chinook
salmon; and (7) SRWR and CVSR Chinook salmon floodplain usage in the
Yolo bypass. These studies would result in capture/handle/release take,
tissue sampling, and/or intentional directed mortality. Intentional
directed mortality would apply to only juvenile hatchery adipose
clipped salmonids and larval green sturgeon. Capture methods would
include Kodiak trawl, midwater trawl, beach seine, zooplankton net,
larval net, gill net, fyke net, purse seine, and boat electrofishing.
All listed fish except adipose fin clipped SRWR and CVSR Chinook salmon
would be immediately collected from the sampling gears, placed in
containers filled with river water collected at the location being
sampled, processed, held in a recovery container filled with aerated
river water, and subsequently released at the sampled location. A fin
tissue sample would be collected from a subset of natural origin SRWR
and CVSR Chinook salmon for stock determination. The purpose of
intentional mortality of hatchery origin (adipose clipped) SRWR and
CVSR Chinook salmon would be to collect coded wire tags (CWT), and up
ten green sturgeon larvae would be killed during larval fish
collections in order to identify the contents of the larval trawl net,
which can only be achieved in the lab. The data provided by these
studies would provide natural resource managers real-time biological
and population data on fishes to evaluate the effect of water
operations and fish management practices within the SFE, thereby
benefiting listed fish.
Permit 14516-2R
Dr. Jerry Smith, Associate Professor in the Department of
Biological Sciences at San Jose State University, is requesting to
renew permit 14516 for a period of five years. The permit would
authorize Dr. Smith to annually take multiple life stages of CCC coho
salmon and CCC steelhead while conducting two studies: (1) Stream and
lagoon surveys in Gazos Creek, Waddell Creek, and Scott Creek; and (2)
lagoon surveys in Pescadero Creek Lagoon and San Gregorio Lagoon. The
purpose of the studies is to: (1) Provide an annual index of relative
abundance for juvenile listed salmonids, provide data on lagoon and
upstream habitat utilization and growth, and provide an assessment of
trends and year to year response to variations in habitat conditions;
and (2) determine juvenile listed salmonid abundance and growth, and
provide adult life history information in the lagoons. Capture methods
would include backpack electrofishing, and beach seine. Captured
salmonids would be measured, and a subset of juvenile captures and all
adults would have scale samples taken, before being released at the
capture location. A subsample of juvenile steelhead would also be
marked via caudal fin clip to perform a mark-recapture analysis. Scale
and fin tissue samples would be taken from adult fish carcasses.
Captured live fish would be held in flow-through live cars, covered
with a towel to provide shade and cover to calm fish. Adult fish would
be processed and released first. In lagoons, live cars would be kept in
deeper water with cooler temperatures and less turbidity to prevent
warming above ambient temperatures or a decrease in dissolved oxygen.
The researchers are not proposing to kill any of the fish they capture,
but a small number may die as an unintended result of the activities.
Permit 15215
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Fisheries
Branch, Fish Health Laboratory, is applying for a permit to take
endangered SRWR Chinook salmon, CCC coho salmon and SC steelhead for a
period of five years. The purpose of the proposed research is to
investigate wild fish kills/disease outbreaks that could occur in
California that involve federally listed endangered species. The
research would benefit the listed species by providing fisheries
managers with the necessary information to help alleviate future
outbreaks of fish disease through proper management of fishery and
water resources. The proposed research would only be conducted in the
event of elevated and unexplained endangered species mortality or the
presence of clinically diseased animals. Given such a triggering event,
endangered fish would be collected in any of the state waters of
California in which a disease outbreak/fish die-off occurred. Adult and
juvenile endangered fish would be collected by hand or dip-net, as only
dead and/or moribund fish, or fish displaying clinical signs of
disease, would be collected. Moribund or clinically diseased fish would
be euthanized (i.e., intentional directed mortality). Trained CDFW
pathologists and veterinarians would assess
[[Page 45199]]
moribund or diseased fish prior to euthanasia, and only fish that would
likely die regardless of the actions proposed by CDFW would be
euthanized. Necropsies would be performed on dead and euthanized
captured fish either in the laboratory or in the field, fish would be
examined for signs of parasitic and bacterial infections, and fin and/
or internal tissues would be collected for virology, histopathology,
immunological testing and/or DNA testing.
Permit 16274
The Mendocino Redwood Company (MRC) is seeking to renew Permit
1181-Modification 1 for a period of five years. The permit would
authorize MRC to take CC Chinook salmon, SONCC coho salmon, CCC coho
salmon, NC steelhead, and CCC steelhead while conducting research and
monitoring to assess juvenile and adult populations of salmonids and
their distribution in streams within MRC's property. Research would be
conducted in several watersheds within Mendocino and northern Sonoma
counties. The data gathered would benefit listed fish by informing a
better understanding of salmonid distribution, abundance, and habitat
utilization in these areas. Juvenile salmonids would be captured by
backpack electrofishing, anesthetized, weighed, measured to fork
length, and released. A subsample of juvenile salmonids would be fin
clipped to mark and to collect tissue samples for genetic analysis.
Live adults and/or juveniles would be observed via snorkel surveys and
spawning surveys. Carcasses would be measured and then marked to ensure
duplicate measurements were not made. Outmigrant trapping would be
conducted using a rotary screw trap or weir/pipe trap; captured
outmigrants would be anesthetized, measured, and released. A subsample
of outmigrants would be marked (dye, elastomer, or fin clip) or Passive
Integrated Transponder (PIT) tagged. All anesthetized fish would be
allowed to recover in a bucket containing aerated natal water prior to
being released back into the stream from which they were taken. The
researchers are not proposing to kill any of the fish they capture, but
a small number may die as an unintended result of the activities.
Permit 17063
The United States Forest Service (USFS), Redwood Sciences
Laboratory is requesting to renew permit 1071 for a period of five
years to perform eight studies that together would take CC Chinook
salmon, SONCC coho salmon, CCC coho salmon, NC steelhead, CC steelhead,
and SC steelhead. The purposes of the eight studies are: (1) To
investigate the invasion history of non-listed speckled dace in the Van
Duzen River and the Eel River, (2) to investigate the invasion history
of non-listed California roach in the Van Duzen River and the Eel
River, (3) to develop an Individual Based Modeling (IBM) approach to
predict the effects of management practices on salmonid population in
Northern California, (4) to link abiotic factors (e.g., distance to
spawning ground) to the expression of an anadromous or resident life
history for O. mykiss in the Eel River, (5) to link the distribution
and movement of watershed products (e.g., wood, sediment, and water) in
tributaries and mainstem channels to fish diversity and abundance in
Northern California rivers, (6) to provide managers with insights into
the status and relatedness of Sacramento sucker populations in northern
California, (7) to document the speckled dace invasion of the Mad
River, and (8) to provide managers with a tool to predict the effects
of management decisions on Santa Ana suckers in the Santa Ana River.
Listed adult and juvenile salmonids would be observed via snorkel
surveys. Listed juvenile salmonids would be captured via backpack and/
or boat electrofishing for all eight studies, and also via beach seine
and/or fyke net for Study 6 (i.e., Sacramento sucker relatedness and
distribution). For most studies, listed salmonids that are captured
would be anesthetized, measured and/or weighed, and released. Captured
fishes would be held in multiple live cars to prevent overcrowding and
to maintain acceptable water quality conditions. In addition to
capturing, handling and releasing fish, Study 4 (i.e. factors affecting
the expression of an anadromous versus resident life history in O.
mykiss) would also include intentional directed mortality for otolith
microchemical analyses. A maximum of four O. mykiss would be sacrificed
from each of seventy sample streams distributed throughout the Eel
River, which would include both anadromous (listed as threatened) and
resident (non-listed) life history forms.
Permit 17077-2R
Dr. Peter Moyle, with the University of California at Davis,
Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, has applied for
a five year renewal of Permit 17077 to take listed species while
conducting research designed to develop a better understanding of how
physical habitat, flow and other factors interact to maintain
assemblages of native and non-native aquatic species in the upper SFE.
This study would provide knowledge about food web and habitat support
for native fishes, including listed anadromous fish, which are
suspected of utilizing such habitats during development. While listed
fish are not the target species for this study, the study would benefit
listed fish by improving management decisions regarding creating
additional habitat, and helping to anticipate the effects of drought
and climate change on food and habitat availability. Sampling would be
conducted in three distinct regions of the SFE: (1) The Cache-Lindsey
complex, (2) the Sherman Lake complex and (3) Suisun Marsh, and would
take juvenile and adult CVSR Chinook salmon, SRWR Chinook Salmon, CCV
steelhead, and sDPS green sturgeon. Capture methods would be similar
for each of these regions, and would include otter trawling, beach
seining and boat electrofishing, however electrofishing would be
suspended immediately upon encountering a listed species. All sampled
fish would be placed in a bucket with ambient water and an aerator,
examined for responsiveness and returned to the water as soon as
possible with a minimum of handling, after identification and length
estimates were made. Juvenile SRWR and CVSR Chinook salmon would be
identified using published size-at-date criteria. Only adult green
sturgeon captures would receive additional processing beyond
identification and measuring for length. Adult green sturgeon would be
scanned for the presence of a PIT tag, and a soft pelvic fin tissue
sample would be collected. The researchers are not proposing to kill
any of the fish they capture, but a small number may die as an
unintended result of the activities.
Permit 17219
The NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Fishery Ecology
Division (FED), requests a five-year renewal of permit 1044-
Modification 4 for research throughout California that would include
take of SRWR Chinook salmon, CVSR Chinook salmon, SONCC coho salmon,
CCC coho salmon, NC steelhead, CCC steelhead, CCV steelhead, S-CCC
steelhead, SC steelhead, and juvenile sDPS green sturgeon. The proposed
research would benefit listed fish by supporting conservation and
management of listed anadromous salmonids and green sturgeon in
California by directly addressing information needs identified by NMFS
and other agencies. FED studies address priority topics identified
[[Page 45200]]
in NMFS technical recovery team reports, NMFS recovery plans, joint
programs such as the California Coastal Monitoring Program developed by
NMFS and CDFW, and state programs such as the Fisheries Restoration
Grant Program. Research objectives of specific proposed studies
include: (1) Estimating population abundance and dynamics; (2)
evaluating factors affecting growth, survival, and life-history; (3)
assessing life-stage specific habitat use and movement; (4) collecting
data necessary to construct various types of models (e.g., population,
life-cycle, bioenergetics, and habitat-use models); (5) determining
genetic structure of populations; (6) evaluating the effects of
activities such as water management and habitat restoration on
populations; and (7) developing improved sampling and monitoring
methods.
Research and take would involve various life stages (juvenile,
smolt, adult, and carcass). Listed fish would be observed during
spawning surveys, and captured by electrofishing, beach seine, rotary
screw trap, and/or hook-and-line. The majority of captured fish would
be anesthetized, measured to fork length, and released. A subsample of
captured fish would be further sampled by collection of scales, fin
clips, gill clips or stomach contents; and/or marking or tagging
including fin tissue clips, PIT tags, elastomer tags, acoustic tags, or
radio tags. Species care after capture would include use of aerated
buckets or live cars for holding and recovery, and minimization of
handling time. The majority of fish captured would be released alive at
their point of capture following recovery from handling. However, in
limited cases some fish would be: (1) Retained in enclosures in streams
for short-term growth and survival experiments and then released, or
(2) euthanized for analysis of otoliths and/or parasitological/
pathological studies of parasites and diseases of wild juvenile
steelhead.
Permit 17272
The USFWS, Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office Fisheries Program (AFWO)
is seeking to renew permit 1068-Modification 2 for a period of five
years. The requested permit would authorize AFWO to take multiple life
stages of hatchery and wild SONCC coho salmon via monitoring and
research activities in Northwest California. Five studies are proposed,
the purposes of which are to monitor: (1) Chinook salmon fry production
and disease incidence in the Klamath River below Iron Gate dam, (2)
Chinook salmon escapement in the mainstem Klamath River below the
Shasta River confluence, (3) Chinook salmon escapement in the mainstem
Klamath River from Iron Gate dam to the Shasta River confluence, (4)
coho salmon escapement between Iron Gate Dam and the Indian Creek
confluence, and (5) long-term salmonid disease incidence in the lower
Klamath River. Trained AFWO crews would conduct redd surveys, on foot
and from rafts, which could observe/harass spawning SONCC coho salmon.
Crews would spend minimal time around redds and avoid walking on redds.
Trained AFWO crews would also capture juvenile SONCC coho salmon using
rotary-screw traps, frame nets, and beach seines. Traps would be
thoroughly cleaned at least once a day. Juvenile coho salmon would be
held in aerated holding buckets filled with fresh river water then
anesthetized, measured for fork length, weighed, and released back into
the river. There would be some intentional mortality of hatchery
juvenile coho salmon for disease analysis. Aside from these hatchery
fish, the researchers are not proposing to kill any of the fish they
capture, but a small number may die as an unintended result of the
activities. The proposed studies would benefit listed coho salmon by
informing the AFWO goal to develop conservation strategies for aquatic
resources and to evaluate the success of aquatic habitat restoration
efforts that will lead to the recovery and conservation of fish
populations and fisheries in northern California.
Permit 17351
The Green Diamond Resource Company (GDRC) has applied for a five
year renewal of research permit 1060-Modification 1 to take listed
salmonids while conducting research and monitoring under an existing
Aquatic Habitat Conservation Plan (AHCP). The AHCP, which was approved
in 2007 and is valid until 2057, identifies potential threats to three
listed fish species that may result from GDRC's timber harvest
activities and describes minimization and mitigation measures and
effectiveness monitoring to address potential threats. The requested
take limits would allow for implementation of monitoring and research
activities in several northern California watersheds including the
Winchuk River, Smith River, Lower Klamath basin tributaries, Mad River,
Little River, several Humboldt Bay tributaries, and Eel River. The
three species identified which would be taken as a direct result of
this monitoring are CC Chinook salmon, SONCC coho salmon, and NC
steelhead. Research and take would involve various life stages (fry,
juvenile, smolt, adult, and carcass). Trained GDRC crews would observe
listed salmonids during snorkel surveys and spawning surveys. Crews
would avoid walking in suitable spawning habitats (e.g., riffle
crests). Listed salmonids would be captured by various capture methods
including backpack electrofishing, kick net sampling, rotary screw
trapping, v-notch weir outmigrant trapping, and minnow trapping. Most
captured fish would be measured and released. A subsample of captured
fish would be anesthetized, then marked via dorsal fin clip, fin tissue
sampled, scale sampled, and/or PIT tagged. Anesthetized individuals
would be allowed to recover in mesh containers placed in the stream
channel prior to release. Data collected would be used to document
long-term population trends and better understand the potential impacts
on the covered species and their habitats that may result from AHCP
covered activities. The researchers are not proposing to kill any of
the fish they capture, but a small number may die as an unintended
result of the activities.
Permit 17396
The USFWS, Anadromous Fish Restoration Program (AFRP) has applied
for a five year permit to take listed fish while conducting research
designed to: (1) Provide data necessary to evaluate the effectiveness
of AFRP restoration projects, including appraisal of spawning gravel
augmentation, in-channel and floodplain habitat enhancement actions,
and water allocation/flow regime alteration actions; and (2) provide
reconnaissance-level population and biological data on contemporary
anadromous fish population patterns within the Central Valley of
California, in order to prioritize and select future restoration
projects to benefit anadromous salmonids. All AFRP restoration
monitoring projects would serve to benefit anadromous salmonids by
providing data on restoration project effectiveness, and providing
valuable information relating to adaptive management procedures. Take
of listed species including various life stages of CVSR Chinook salmon,
CCV steelhead, and sDPS green sturgeon would result from activities in
the following five proposed projects: (1) Bobcat flat restoration
effectiveness monitoring in the lower Tuolumne River; (2) adult
sturgeon acoustic telemetry in the lower San Joaquin basin; (3) San
Joaquin River sturgeon spawning habitat assessment; (4) steelhead
sampling and acoustic tracking in the lower Stanislaus, Tuolumne and
Merced Rivers; and (5) fish reconnaissance in the San Joaquin River
system. Observe/harass take
[[Page 45201]]
would result from snorkel surveys. Capture methods would include beach
seine, trammel nets, gill nets, fyke nets, hook-and-line, egg mats,
benthic d-nets, and boat and backpack electrofishing. The majority of
captured listed fish would be handled and released; a subsample of
captures would be anesthetized, scale sampled, fin clipped (to mark and
to collect fin tissue for genetic analysis), acoustic tagged, and/or
subject to intentional directed mortality. Green sturgeon eggs (n =
100) and larvae (n = 5) would be intentionally sacrificed, which would
be necessary to provide voucher tissue specimens, and would benefit the
species by providing critical information on green sturgeon spawning
habitat. To minimize physiological stress, all sturgeon would be held
in a net pen submerged in river or with flowing water through their
gills while waiting to be handled. All listed salmonids would be
immediately collected from the sampling gears, placed in five gallon
buckets filled with fresh river water from the location being sampled,
processed, held in another container filled with fresh river water for
recovery, and subsequently released in the sampled location. The new
information on these species generated by these projects would help
prioritize future restoration projects, thus benefiting listed species.
Permit 17867
The Humboldt Redwood Company (HRC) is seeking to renew permit 1074-
Modification 1 for a period of five years. The permit would authorize
HRC to take juvenile and adult CC Chinook salmon, SONCC coho salmon and
NC steelhead while conducting research and monitoring that satisfies
two objectives: (1) To comply with CDFW's Restorable Class I policy by
sampling reaches through snorkel and electrofishing methods to identify
Class I habitat within proposed timber harvest plans, and (2) to
monitor fish occupancy trends at the reach, sub basin, watershed and
HRC property level over time by repeated snorkel surveys at index and
randomly selected reaches. Adult and juvenile salmonids would be
observed during snorkel surveys, and juvenile salmonids would be
captured by backpack electrofishing. Snorkel surveys would be the
preferred method of detecting presence/absence of fish species.
Captured fish would be identified, and transported upstream of the
project area. All captured specimens would be kept in aerated buckets,
observed closely, and not released until fully recovered. The proposed
monitoring would help to achieve HRC's fisheries program's general
goal, which is to determine the occurrence, distribution, population
and habitat conditions of anadromous fishes on HRC lands as well as to
monitor, protect, restore and enhance the anadromous fishery resources
in watersheds owned by HRC. The researchers are not proposing to kill
any of the fish they capture, but a small number may die as an
unintended result of the activities.
Permit 17877
The United States Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) is requesting to
renew Permit 1072--Modification 2 for a period of five years. BOR is
applying for this permit as a contingent of the Trinity River
Restoration Program (TRRP), an inter-agency partnership of the BOR,
USFWS, Hoopa Valley Tribe, Yurok Tribe, CDFW, Trinity County, USFS,
NMFS, and the California Department of Water Resources. The TRRP
benefits listed species by conducting large-scale channel restoration
and habitat restoration activities in the Trinity River mainstem and
watershed as a means of restoring declining fishery resources. The
following six specific studies are proposed: (1) Trinity River juvenile
salmonid outmigrant monitoring, (2) juvenile Chinook salmon density
monitoring, (3) Trinity River Chinook salmon redd and carcass survey,
(4) Trinity River invasive brown trout predation on coho investigation,
(5) Trinity River juvenile coho salmon ecology study, and (6) watershed
rehabilitation/research. The requested permit would authorize BOR to
take juvenile, smolt, adult and carcasses of SONCC coho salmon via: (1)
Observation/harassment by way of snorkel surveys, hand netting that
specifically targets other species, and spawning surveys; and (2)
capture by rotary screw trap, boat electrofishing, hook-and-line, beach
seine, fyke net, or minnow trapping. Fin tissue samples would be
collected from carcasses. The majority of captured juvenile coho salmon
would be anesthetized, measured to fork length and released, but a
subsample would also be PIT tagged. Tagged fish would be held in
recovery pens post tagging to monitor and enhance post-tagging health.
The researchers are not proposing to kill any of the fish they capture,
but a small number may die as an unintended result of the activities.
Permit 17916
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Arcata Field Office, is
seeking to renew permit 1088-Modificaiton 1 for a period of five years
to monitor the effects of current management actions related to the
Northwest Forest Plan's Aquatic Conservation Strategy on anadromous
salmonids and their habitats. In order to monitor land management
actions and implement the Northwest Forest Plan in northern California,
BLM needs to obtain updated information on fish distribution and
habitat. Sampling would occur in various watersheds, including the
Mattole River, Eel River, Lost Coast region tributaries to the Pacific
Ocean, and Humboldt Bay tributaries. Take of CC Chinook salmon, SONCC
coho salmon, and NC steelhead would result from this monitoring and
research. The preponderance of requested take would result from
spawning surveys, snorkel surveys, and presence/absence surveys from
the bank, all of which would result in observe/harass take of juvenile
and/or adult salmonids. Capture methods that would take juvenile
salmonids include backpack electrofishing and beach seine. A small
number of salmonid fry may also be captured during kick net activities
intended to sample invertebrates. Electrofishing would be used only
when stream conditions prohibit less invasive sampling methods, and
electrofishing activities would follow the NMFS 2000 Electrofishing
Guidelines. Personnel handling fish would have wet hands and experience
in fish handling. After length measurements were complete, fish would
be placed in a bucket of freshwater for longer than 30 minutes to allow
for recovery prior to being released. Recovering fish would be kept in
cool, shaded, aerated water and would not be overcrowded. This research
would benefit listed fish by informing adaptive management strategies
intended to aid in the recovery of at-risk anadromous salmonids. The
researchers are not proposing to kill any of the fish they capture, but
a small number may die as an unintended result of the activities.
Permit 18012
The CDFW, Bay Delta Region (Region III), requests a five year
renewal of permit 10094 to authorize take related to two research
projects, the Watershed Restoration Project (WRP) and the Fisheries
Management Project (FMP), designed to assess and restore the
productivity of CC Chinook salmon, CCC coho salmon, NC steelhead, CCC
steelhead, and S-CCC steelhead in Sonoma, Mendocino, Napa, Marin, San
Mateo, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties in north central California.
Program staff would accomplish this goal by conducting habitat and
[[Page 45202]]
salmonid surveys to determine potential limiting factors and stock
status in order to identify the specific measures and actions needed to
protect and increase production of listed salmonids. Proposed studies
include: (1) Juvenile salmonid occurrence, distribution and habitat
monitoring; (2) adult salmonid occurrence, passage, and distribution;
(3) spawning ground surveys; (4) life cycle station monitoring; and (5)
juvenile steelhead lagoon beach seining. Listed fish would be observed/
harassed during snorkel surveys, spawning surveys, carcass surveys, and
by the use of electronic counting stations (i.e., DIDSON camera, Vaki
Riverwatcher and/or video weir). Listed salmonids would be captured
using backpack electrofishing, beach seining, rotary screw traps, fyke/
pipe traps, and potentially adults may be captured using a resistance
board weir. When electrofishing, the avoidance and impact minimization
measures outlined in the NMFS 2000 electrofishing guidelines would be
followed. The majority of juvenile captures would be handled (measured
for fork length and weighed), and released. A subset of juvenile
salmonid captures would be anesthetized, fin tissue sampled to collect
tissue for genetic analysis, scale sampled, marked with an upper caudal
fin clip, and/or PIT tagged. Only healthy fish with no signs of stress
or injury would be subjected to marking or tagging. All fish would be
allowed to recover fully and would be observed carefully for injury
prior to release. Captured adult salmonids would be handled (i.e.,
identified, measured, weighed, and scale and tissue samples taken),
tagged (bi-colored Floy tags and/or opercular-hole-punched) and
released upstream of the weir. All fish handled would be held in clean
and decontaminated containers that are supplied with cool, aerated
water and would be released back into the stream reach from which they
were collected after recovery. Implementation of these activities under
the WRP and the FMP would benefit listed species by informing
recommendations on proposed habitat restoration projects and by
determining the impacts of various management actions. The researchers
are not proposing to kill any of the fish they capture, but a small
number may die as an unintended result of the activities.
Permit 18712
H.T. Harvey & Associates has requested a permit to complete a
project that is intended to meet three Marine Protected Area (MPA)
monitoring goals set by the MPA Monitoring Enterprise: (1) To assess
trends in the condition of ecosystems inside and outside of MPA's, (2)
to evaluate the effects of specific MPA design criteria such as MPA
size and distance between MPAs, and (3) to evaluate the effect of
visitors on MPAs. The project would contribute to the goals of the
monitoring enterprise by describing the baseline biological community
in four northern California estuaries: (1) Mad River Estuary in
Humboldt County, (2) South Humboldt Bay State Marine Recreational
Management Area in Humboldt County, (3) Ten Mile Estuary State Marine
Conservation Area (SMCA) in Mendocino County, and (4) Big River Estuary
SMCA in Mendocino County. Sampling related to this project may take
juvenile and smolt CC Chinook salmon, SONCC coho salmon, CCC coho
salmon, NC steelhead, and adult sDPS eulachon. Beach seines and fyke
nets would be used to capture fish whereby take (i.e., capture/handle/
release) of listed salmonids would occur. Handling would consist of
identifying and measuring fish to fork length. To ensure that handled
fish would experience minimal adverse effects as a result of the
sampling process, fish would be allowed to recover briefly either in
live wells or in shaded, aerated buckets. The researchers are not
proposing to kill any of the fish they capture, but a small number may
die as an unintended result of the activities.
Permit 18937
The Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California,
San Diego, California Sea Grant (CSG) College Program is seeking a five
year permit to annually take listed CC Chinook salmon, CCC coho salmon,
and CCC steelhead while monitoring the status and trends of listed
salmonids in the Russian River watershed. CSG is proposing to collect
data to estimate population metrics such as abundance, survival,
growth, and spatial distribution of multiple life stages of salmonids,
and relate them to different recovery actions including hatchery
releases, habitat enhancement projects, and stream flow improvement
projects. Data collection would be designed to meet four specific study
objectives: (1) Evaluation of the Russian River Coho Salmon Captive
Broodstock Program, (2) implementation of the California Coastal
Salmonid Monitoring Plan, (3) comparing juvenile coho salmon oversummer
survival with stream flow, and (4) evaluation of habitat enhancement
projects. The four proposed studies would provide resource agencies
with valuable information that would help guide future decisions
regarding recovery actions. Fish populations would be monitored in many
tributaries of the Russian River watershed and several methods that
could observe/harass and/or capture fish would be employed, including:
Snorkel surveys, spawning surveys, redd surveys, downstream migrant
trapping (pipe/funnel trap), minnow trapping, operation of PIT tag
detection systems (i.e., PIT tag arrays and PIT tag wand surveys), and
backpack electrofishing. Handling of live fish captured in traps or
during electrofishing surveys would include anesthetization, measuring
for fork length, scanning for CWT and PIT tags, fin tissue sampling,
scale sampling, PIT tagging, and/or gastric lavage. Adult salmonid
carcasses encountered during spawning surveys would be scanned for PIT
tags, measured, fin clipped, scale sampled, and otoliths would be
extracted. All live fish would be released back into the stream
following recovery in aerated buckets of cold water. Specific measures
that would be taken to reduce the risk of injury or mortality to fish
include following the NMFS 2000 Electrofishing Guidelines, minimizing
the time that fish are handled, placing potential predators in separate
holding buckets, running aerators in buckets, avoiding overcrowding in
buckets, changing water in the anesthesia bucket frequently, placing a
thermometer in holding buckets and replacing water frequently if the
temperatures are rising, wetting measuring boards and weigh pans,
processing listed species first, checking traps at least once per day
and more frequently in high flow or windy conditions, and placing flow
deflectors inside the trap box to provide refugia for fish. The
researchers are not proposing to kill any of the fish they capture, but
a small number may die as an unintended result of the activities.
Permit 19121
The United States Geological Survey, California Water Survey has
applied for a five year permit for take associated with completing two
main objectives: (1) To examine research applications of the SmeltCam
that have been developed and coordinated with the IEP, and (2) to
provide fisheries science support for the BOR's compliance with
Biological Opinions. The studies are intended to: (1) Provide new
quantitative data addressing the potential benefits of habitat
restoration to the SFE and Delta ecosystem and its native fish
populations, and (2) determine the vertical and lateral distribution of
delta smelt, and the continued evaluation and application of SmeltCam
technology for
[[Page 45203]]
studies of delta smelt and other fishes. The results of these studies
are expected to provide net benefits to listed species by improving our
understanding of their ecology and habitat use, and by informing the
development of new research tools that can guide management decisions
and habitat restoration actions. Sampling would be conducted in Suisun
Bay, and would take multiple life stages of CVSR Chinook salmon, SRWR
Chinook salmon, CCV steelhead, and sDPS green sturgeon. Capture methods
would include beach seine, fyke trap, larval net, otter trawl, midwater
trawl, boat electrofishing, set line, and gill net. All sampling would
follow methods and protocols designed to minimize take of listed
species while conducting research and monitoring. For example, sampling
gear such as gill nets would be watched closely to monitor the status
of any fishes entangled in the net. Set times would be short
(approximately one hour), and nets would be set in habitats that listed
fish are unlikely to inhabit. Listed salmonids captured in the course
of sampling would be identified, carefully measured for length and
released. Green sturgeon would be anesthetized using MS-222, scanned
for a presence of a PIT tag, PIT tagged if no PIT tag is present,
tissue sampled, and allowed to recover prior to release. All fishes
collected in any sampling gear would be handled as gently as possible
to facilitate safe release back to the water. The researchers are not
proposing to kill any of the fish they capture, but a small number may
die as an unintended result of the activities.
Permit 19400
ICF consulting has requested a five year permit to take juvenile
CVSR Chinook salmon and SRWR Chinook salmon while conducting a study to
investigate if longfin smelt in San Pablo Bay shift their vertical
distribution under different environmental and biological conditions.
Although this study principally targets longfin smelt, ESA listed
Chinook salmon would be encountered during sampling. ICF proposes to
collect data that would be useful to local researchers on captured and/
or photographed listed Chinook salmon, including abundance, length, and
potentially tissue samples. Fish would be sampled using a midwater
trawl, however the majority of tows would be conducted with only a
video device (i.e., SmeltCam) acting as the codend. Therefore, the
majority of take would be observe/harass. The fish camera image program
would be able to determine the length, and thereby an estimate of the
race/run/listing status, of salmon that pass through the net. In order
to verify the results of the SmeltCam, some tows would be conducted
with both the video device and a traditional codend. Physically
captured juvenile salmonids would be placed in a bucket with aerated
water, handled (i.e., measured to fork length and possibly fin tissue
sampled for genetic analysis), and released. The researchers are not
proposing to kill any of the fish they capture.
This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA. NMFS
will evaluate the applications, associated documents, and comments
submitted to determine whether the applications meet the requirements
of section 10(a) of the ESA and Federal regulations. The final permit
decisions will not be made until after the end of the 30-day comment
period. NMFS will publish notice of its final action in the Federal
Register.
Dated: July 22, 2015.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-18600 Filed 7-28-15; 8:45 am]
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