Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish, 7879-7880 [E9-3686]
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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 33 / Friday, February 20, 2009 / Notices
any other law, the analytical
requirements of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) are
inapplicable. Therefore, a regulatory
flexibility analysis has not been
prepared.
Dated: February 12, 2009.
Mitchell J. Ross,
Director, NOAA Acquisition and Grants
Office.
[FR Doc. E9–3605 Filed 2–19–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XN39
Endangered and Threatened Species;
Take of Anadromous Fish
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Receipt of application for a
scientific permit; request for comments.
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that
NMFS has received a revised
application for scientific research from
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
USFWS- Red Bluff (RBFWO), in Red
Bluff, CA, and USFWS-Sacramento
(SFWO), in Sacramento, CA (1415). The
permit would affect the federally
endangered Sacramento River winterrun Chinook salmon and threatened
Central Valley spring-run Chinook
salmon Evolutionarily Significant Units
(ESUs), the federally threatened Central
Valley steelhead Distinct Population
Segment (DPS), and the federally
threatened southern Distinct Population
of North American green sturgeon
(southern DPS of green sturgeon). This
document serves to notify the public of
the availability of the permit application
for review and comment.
DATES: Written comments on the permit
applications must be received no later
than 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on
March 23, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Comments submitted by email must be sent to the following
address FRNpermits.SAC@noaa.gov.
The application and related documents
are available for review by appointment,
for permit 1415: Protected Resources
Division, NMFS, 650 Capitol Mall,
Room 8–300, Sacramento, CA 95814–
4706 (ph: 916–930–3601, fax: 916–930–
3629).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Shirley Witalis at phone number 916–
VerDate Nov<24>2008
17:55 Feb 19, 2009
Jkt 217001
930–3601, or e-mail:
Shirley.Witalis@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority
Issuance of permits and permit
modifications, as required by the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16
U.S.C. 1531–1543) (ESA), is based on a
finding that such permits/modifications:
(1) are applied for in good faith; (2)
would not operate to the disadvantage
of the listed species which are the
subject of the permits; and (3) are
consistent with the purposes and
policies set forth in section 2 of the
ESA. Authority to take listed species is
subject to conditions set forth in the
permits. Permits and modifications are
issued in accordance with and are
subject to the ESA and NMFS
regulations governing listed fish and
wildlife permits (50 CFR parts 222–226).
Those individuals requesting a
hearing on an application listed in this
notice should set out the specific
reasons why a hearing on that
application would be appropriate (see
ADDRESSES). The holding of such a
hearing is at the discretion of the
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,
NOAA. All statements and opinions
contained in the permit action
summaries are those of the applicant
and do not necessarily reflect the views
of NMFS.
Species Covered in This Notice
This notice is relevant to federallylisted Sacramento River winter-run
Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus
tshawytscha) ESU, threatened Central
Valley spring-run Chinook salmon (O.
tshawytscha) ESU, threatened Central
Valley steelhead (O. mykiss) DPS, and
threatened southern DPS of North
American green sturgeon (Acipenser
medirostris).
Applications Received
USFWS requests a 5–year permit
(1415) for take of adult and juvenile
Sacramento River winter-run Chinook
salmon, Central Valley spring-run
Chinook salmon, Central Valley
steelhead; and juvenile larvae and eggs
of North American green sturgeon
associated with monitoring and research
activities conducted in the SacramentoSan Joaquin river basins, Central Valley,
CA.
RBFWO requests authorization for
estimated annual take of adult and
juvenile Sacramento River winter-run
Chinook salmon, adult and juvenile
Central Valley spring-run Chinook
salmon, adult and juvenile California
Valley steelhead, and the juvenile larvae
and eggs of Southern DPS of North
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
7879
American green sturgeon for five
consecutive years, resulting from
research and monitoring activities
involving the capture (by trawl, seine,
fyke-net trap, hook and line,
electrofishing, weir trap, egg trap, rotary
screw trap or by hand), handling, fin
clipping, tissue sampling, coded-wire
tag extraction, otolith extraction,
marking/tagging, release of fish, and
conducting redd and carcass surveys, in
associated with following nine projects.
Project 1 is an annual survey of the
fish community structure in the Battle
Creek watershed (a tributary to the
Sacramento River) in Shasta County,
California. This project will estimate
changes in fish community distribution
and abundance which may affect the
success of the Battle Creek Salmon and
Steelhead Restoration Project or which
may occur as a result of the restoration
project. Research activities associated
with Project 1 involves direct
observation of fish, observation by
snorkel surveys; seining and
electrofishing.
Project 2 monitors the annual
production of juvenile Chinook salmon
and steelhead in Battle Creek for
purposes of (1) generating production
indices for all runs of Chinook salmon
and steelhead for evaluation of
compliance with the Anadromous Fish
Restoration Program (AFRP) production
targets, assessing restoration activities
toward meeting AFRP production goals,
and obtaining important life history,
condition and behavioral information.
Research activities associated with
Project 2 includes the collection and
holding of salmonids through rotary
screw traps, mark/recapture, and the
application of anesthesia.
Project 3 monitors the annual adult
salmonid escapement (species, number,
timing, age, size, gender, timing and
location of spawning, and potential
limiting factors at various life stages) in
Battle Creek. Monitoring is carried out
at the Coleman National Fish Hatchery
barrier weir, and through redd and
carcass surveys in Battle Creek, to
provide information for adaptive
management of the Battle Creek Salmon
and Steelhead Restoration Project.
Project 4 monitors juvenile salmonids
out-migration and condition as a means
of assess the effectiveness of restoration
activities in Clear Creek (a tributary to
Sacramento River) in Shasta County,
CA. Research activities associated with
Project 4 involves the collection and
holding of juvenile salmonids through
rotary screw traps, mark/recapture, and
the application of anesthesia.
Project 5 monitors fish response to
restoration actions (stream channel
restoration, gravel enhancement,
E:\FR\FM\20FEN1.SGM
20FEN1
7880
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 33 / Friday, February 20, 2009 / Notices
increase of minimum stream flows)
implemented in Clear Creek, for
purposes of evaluation and adaptive
management of the Clear Creek
Restoration Program. Research activities
associated with Project 5 may include
the collection, transport and holding of
fish; fish observation by stream survey,
walking or wading; seining and
electrofishing; fish rescues; application
of anesthesia; conducting fish weight
and length measurements, collection of
fish scales for life history analysis; and
retention of (carcass) fish heads for
coded-wire extraction and/otolith
analyses.
Project 6 monitors adult salmon
escapement at the Red Bluff Diversion
Dam fish ladder for purposes of
identifying fall, late-fall, winter, and
spring Chinook salmon run components
of adult return migration. Research
activities associated with Project 6
include the trapping, collecting,
holding, and handling of fish, and
examination of fish for condition
assessment and identification of marks.
Project 7 monitors the seasonal,
temporal, diel and spatial patterns of
abundance of juvenile winter, spring,
fall, and late-fall Chinook salmon and
steelhead and green sturgeon passing
RBDD in the upper Sacramento River
basin; and allows for refining (model)
the accuracy and precision of juvenile
passage estimates. Research activities
associated with Project 7 includes fish
sampling by rotary screw trap, holding,
and handling of juvenile salmon and
steelhead for application of anesthesia,
species identification, enumeration,
forklength measurements, genetic
analysis, marking/tagging, and release.
Project 8 conducts a carcass survey on
winter-run Chinook salmon from the
Clear Creek confluence area to the
Keswick Dam in the upper Sacramento
River watershed, for purposes providing
annual adult escapement estimates on
winter-run Chinook salmon. Research
activities associated with Project 8
include recording carcass location,
collecting forklength measurements,
identifying gender and origin (hatchery
[absence of adipose fin] or natural),
evaluation of spawning success; and
water quality (temperature and clarity)
measurements.
Project 9 conducts research on the
spawning habitat and larval drift
characteristics of Southern Distinct
Population Segment green sturgeon
from Ord Ferry Bridge to Keswick Dam
in the upper Sacramento River
watershed for purposes of providing
basic life history information. Research
activities associated with Project 9
include determining spawning sites by
sampling eggs with egg mats, and
VerDate Nov<24>2008
17:55 Feb 19, 2009
Jkt 217001
sampling larval green sturgeon using a
benthic D-net, fyke net, push nets, or
seines, to determine temporal and
spatial drift characteristics of migrating
larvae.
SFWO requests authorization for
estimated annual take of juvenile
Central Valley spring-run Chinook
salmon and juvenile California Valley
steelhead associated with Project 10 for
five consecutive years, associated with
research and monitoring activities
involving visual observations
(underwater observations on estimated
fish numbers and forklengths, and fish
utilization of riverine habitat) and
physical habitat measurements (taking
measurements of water depths and
velocities, surveying water surface
elevations and bed elevations).
Project 10 conducts monitoring and
research activities to assess the status of
streamflows in Central Valley streams
prioritized by AFRP for doubling
anadromous fish production over the
base period of 1967 to 1991. Project 10
will assess instream flows in Clear
Creek, South Cow Creek, and Old Cow
Creek in the Sacramento River
watershed, and the Tuolumne River in
the San Joaquin River watershed, and
determine the need for
recommendations on
streamflowrequirements necessary to
support populations of anadromous
salmonids species and other game fish
in said sampled streams.
Dated: February 13, 2009.
Angela Somma,
Division Chief, Endangered Species Division,
Office of Protected Resources, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9–3686 Filed 2–19–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–AX70
Fisheries of the Northeastern United
States; Monkfish Fishery; Scoping
Process
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement (EIS)
and notice of initiation of scoping
process; request for comments.
SUMMARY: The New England and MidAtlantic Fishery Management Councils
(Councils) announce their intent to
prepare an amendment (Amendment 5)
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP)
for Monkfish (Lophius americanus) and
to prepare an EIS to analyze the impacts
of any proposed management measures.
In general, the goals of the amendment
are to bring the FMP into compliance
with the new requirements of the
reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson Stevens Act), specifically to
establish annual catch limits (ACLs) and
accountability measures (AMs), and to
manage the fishery at long-term
sustainable levels. The Councils are
initiating a public process to determine
the scope of alternatives to be addressed
in the amendment and EIS. The purpose
of this notification is to alert the
interested public of the commencement
of the scoping process and to provide
for public participation in compliance
with environmental documentation
requirements.
DATES: Written and electronic scoping
comments must be received on or before
5 pm., local time, March 31, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on
Amendment 5 may be sent by any of the
following methods:
• E-mail to the following address:
monkfish.five@noaa.gov;
• Mail to Patricia A. Kurkul, Regional
Administrator, NMFS, Northeast
Regional Office, 55 Great Republic
Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the
outside of the envelope ‘‘Scoping
Comments on Monkfish Amendment 5;’’
or
• Fax to Patricia A. Kurkul, 978–281–
9135.
Requests for copies of the scoping
document and other information should
be directed to Paul J. Howard, Executive
Director, New England Fishery
Management Council, 50 Water Street,
Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950,
telephone 978–465–0492. The scoping
document is accessible electronically
via the Internet at https://
www.nefmc.org.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul
J. Howard, Executive Director, New
England Fishery Management Council,
978–465–0492.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The U.S. monkfish fishery is jointly
managed by both Councils, with the
NEFMC having the administrative lead.
The Councils manage monkfish under a
two-area program (northern and
southern), primarily due to differences
in the characteristics of the fisheries in
the two areas, and no conclusive
evidence exists supporting the idea that
there are two biological stocks. The
Councils first adopted management
E:\FR\FM\20FEN1.SGM
20FEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 33 (Friday, February 20, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7879-7880]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-3686]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XN39
Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Receipt of application for a scientific permit; request for
comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received a revised
application for scientific research from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service USFWS- Red Bluff (RBFWO), in Red Bluff, CA, and USFWS-
Sacramento (SFWO), in Sacramento, CA (1415). The permit would affect
the federally endangered Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon and
threatened Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon Evolutionarily
Significant Units (ESUs), the federally threatened Central Valley
steelhead Distinct Population Segment (DPS), and the federally
threatened southern Distinct Population of North American green
sturgeon (southern DPS of green sturgeon). This document serves to
notify the public of the availability of the permit application for
review and comment.
DATES: Written comments on the permit applications must be received no
later than 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on March 23, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Comments submitted by e-mail must be sent to the following
address FRNpermits.SAC@noaa.gov. The application and related documents
are available for review by appointment, for permit 1415: Protected
Resources Division, NMFS, 650 Capitol Mall, Room 8-300, Sacramento, CA
95814-4706 (ph: 916-930-3601, fax: 916-930-3629).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shirley Witalis at phone number 916-
930-3601, or e-mail: Shirley.Witalis@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority
Issuance of permits and permit modifications, as required by the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) (ESA), is based on
a finding that such permits/modifications: (1) are applied for in good
faith; (2) would not operate to the disadvantage of the listed species
which are the subject of the permits; and (3) are consistent with the
purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA. Authority to
take listed species is subject to conditions set forth in the permits.
Permits and modifications are issued in accordance with and are subject
to the ESA and NMFS regulations governing listed fish and wildlife
permits (50 CFR parts 222-226).
Those individuals requesting a hearing on an application listed in
this notice should set out the specific reasons why a hearing on that
application would be appropriate (see ADDRESSES). The holding of such a
hearing is at the discretion of the Assistant Administrator for
Fisheries, NOAA. All statements and opinions contained in the permit
action summaries are those of the applicant and do not necessarily
reflect the views of NMFS.
Species Covered in This Notice
This notice is relevant to federally-listed Sacramento River
winter-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) ESU, threatened
Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) ESU,
threatened Central Valley steelhead (O. mykiss) DPS, and threatened
southern DPS of North American green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris).
Applications Received
USFWS requests a 5-year permit (1415) for take of adult and
juvenile Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon, Central Valley
spring-run Chinook salmon, Central Valley steelhead; and juvenile
larvae and eggs of North American green sturgeon associated with
monitoring and research activities conducted in the Sacramento-San
Joaquin river basins, Central Valley, CA.
RBFWO requests authorization for estimated annual take of adult and
juvenile Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon, adult and juvenile
Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon, adult and juvenile California
Valley steelhead, and the juvenile larvae and eggs of Southern DPS of
North American green sturgeon for five consecutive years, resulting
from research and monitoring activities involving the capture (by
trawl, seine, fyke-net trap, hook and line, electrofishing, weir trap,
egg trap, rotary screw trap or by hand), handling, fin clipping, tissue
sampling, coded-wire tag extraction, otolith extraction, marking/
tagging, release of fish, and conducting redd and carcass surveys, in
associated with following nine projects.
Project 1 is an annual survey of the fish community structure in
the Battle Creek watershed (a tributary to the Sacramento River) in
Shasta County, California. This project will estimate changes in fish
community distribution and abundance which may affect the success of
the Battle Creek Salmon and Steelhead Restoration Project or which may
occur as a result of the restoration project. Research activities
associated with Project 1 involves direct observation of fish,
observation by snorkel surveys; seining and electrofishing.
Project 2 monitors the annual production of juvenile Chinook salmon
and steelhead in Battle Creek for purposes of (1) generating production
indices for all runs of Chinook salmon and steelhead for evaluation of
compliance with the Anadromous Fish Restoration Program (AFRP)
production targets, assessing restoration activities toward meeting
AFRP production goals, and obtaining important life history, condition
and behavioral information. Research activities associated with Project
2 includes the collection and holding of salmonids through rotary screw
traps, mark/recapture, and the application of anesthesia.
Project 3 monitors the annual adult salmonid escapement (species,
number, timing, age, size, gender, timing and location of spawning, and
potential limiting factors at various life stages) in Battle Creek.
Monitoring is carried out at the Coleman National Fish Hatchery barrier
weir, and through redd and carcass surveys in Battle Creek, to provide
information for adaptive management of the Battle Creek Salmon and
Steelhead Restoration Project.
Project 4 monitors juvenile salmonids out-migration and condition
as a means of assess the effectiveness of restoration activities in
Clear Creek (a tributary to Sacramento River) in Shasta County, CA.
Research activities associated with Project 4 involves the collection
and holding of juvenile salmonids through rotary screw traps, mark/
recapture, and the application of anesthesia.
Project 5 monitors fish response to restoration actions (stream
channel restoration, gravel enhancement,
[[Page 7880]]
increase of minimum stream flows) implemented in Clear Creek, for
purposes of evaluation and adaptive management of the Clear Creek
Restoration Program. Research activities associated with Project 5 may
include the collection, transport and holding of fish; fish observation
by stream survey, walking or wading; seining and electrofishing; fish
rescues; application of anesthesia; conducting fish weight and length
measurements, collection of fish scales for life history analysis; and
retention of (carcass) fish heads for coded-wire extraction and/otolith
analyses.
Project 6 monitors adult salmon escapement at the Red Bluff
Diversion Dam fish ladder for purposes of identifying fall, late-fall,
winter, and spring Chinook salmon run components of adult return
migration. Research activities associated with Project 6 include the
trapping, collecting, holding, and handling of fish, and examination of
fish for condition assessment and identification of marks.
Project 7 monitors the seasonal, temporal, diel and spatial
patterns of abundance of juvenile winter, spring, fall, and late-fall
Chinook salmon and steelhead and green sturgeon passing RBDD in the
upper Sacramento River basin; and allows for refining (model) the
accuracy and precision of juvenile passage estimates. Research
activities associated with Project 7 includes fish sampling by rotary
screw trap, holding, and handling of juvenile salmon and steelhead for
application of anesthesia, species identification, enumeration,
forklength measurements, genetic analysis, marking/tagging, and
release.
Project 8 conducts a carcass survey on winter-run Chinook salmon
from the Clear Creek confluence area to the Keswick Dam in the upper
Sacramento River watershed, for purposes providing annual adult
escapement estimates on winter-run Chinook salmon. Research activities
associated with Project 8 include recording carcass location,
collecting forklength measurements, identifying gender and origin
(hatchery [absence of adipose fin] or natural), evaluation of spawning
success; and water quality (temperature and clarity) measurements.
Project 9 conducts research on the spawning habitat and larval
drift characteristics of Southern Distinct Population Segment green
sturgeon from Ord Ferry Bridge to Keswick Dam in the upper Sacramento
River watershed for purposes of providing basic life history
information. Research activities associated with Project 9 include
determining spawning sites by sampling eggs with egg mats, and sampling
larval green sturgeon using a benthic D-net, fyke net, push nets, or
seines, to determine temporal and spatial drift characteristics of
migrating larvae.
SFWO requests authorization for estimated annual take of juvenile
Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon and juvenile California Valley
steelhead associated with Project 10 for five consecutive years,
associated with research and monitoring activities involving visual
observations (underwater observations on estimated fish numbers and
forklengths, and fish utilization of riverine habitat) and physical
habitat measurements (taking measurements of water depths and
velocities, surveying water surface elevations and bed elevations).
Project 10 conducts monitoring and research activities to assess
the status of streamflows in Central Valley streams prioritized by AFRP
for doubling anadromous fish production over the base period of 1967 to
1991. Project 10 will assess instream flows in Clear Creek, South Cow
Creek, and Old Cow Creek in the Sacramento River watershed, and the
Tuolumne River in the San Joaquin River watershed, and determine the
need for recommendations on streamflowrequirements necessary to support
populations of anadromous salmonids species and other game fish in said
sampled streams.
Dated: February 13, 2009.
Angela Somma,
Division Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-3686 Filed 2-19-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S