Threatened Species; Take of Steelhead, 47359 [2016-17214]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 140 (Thursday, July 21, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 47359]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-17214]



[[Page 47359]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE732


Threatened Species; Take of Steelhead

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of receipt for one scientific enhancement permit 
application.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received an application 
from Stillwater Sciences for one U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) 
section 10(a)1(A) scientific enhancement permit (permit 20085) to 
conduct invasive species removal from a southern California watershed 
(Chorro Creek). Proposed activities within the requested permit are 
expected to affect the threatened Southern Central California Coast 
(SCCC) Distinct Population Segment of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss). 
The public is hereby notified that the application for Permit 20085 is 
available for review and comment before NMFS either approves or 
disapproves the application.

DATES: Written comments on the permit application must be received at 
the appropriate address, email mailbox, or fax number (see ADDRESSES) 
on or before August 22, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the permit application should be 
submitted by one of the following methods:
     Email: FRNpermits.lb@noaa.gov.
     Mail: Matt McGoogan, NMFS, California Coastal Area Office, 
501 W. Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, California 90802.
     Fax (562) 980-4027.
    The permit application is available for review, by appointment, at 
the foregoing address or online at the Authorizations and Permits for 
Protected Species Web site: https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/preview/preview_open_for_comment.cfm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matt McGoogan (phone: 562-980-4026 or 
email: matthew.mcgoogan@noaa.gov).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Species Covered in This Notice: Threatened 
South Central California Coast Distinct Population Segment of steelhead 
(Oncorhynchus mykiss).
    Scientific research and enhancement 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) 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.
    This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA. NMFS 
will evaluate the application, associated documents, and any comment 
submitted to determine whether the application meets 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 and consideration of any comment submitted therein. NMFS will 
publish notice of its final action in the Federal Register.
    Those individuals requesting a hearing on the application listed in 
this notice should provide the specific reasons why a hearing on the 
application would be appropriate (see ADDRESSES). Such a hearing is 
held at the discretion of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, 
NOAA. All statements and opinions contained in the permit action 
summary are those of the applicant and do not necessarily reflect the 
views of NMFS.

Permit Application Received

Permit 20085

    Stillwater Sciences (environmental consulting firm) has applied for 
a section 10(a)1(A) scientific enhancement permit (permit 20085) to 
conduct an invasive species management effort involving the removal of 
Sacramento pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus grandis) from the Chorro Creek 
watershed in San Luis Obispo County, California. The primary objectives 
of this effort involve: (1) Determining the distribution, abundance, 
size, and age structures of both pikeminnow and SCCC steelhead; (2) 
suppressing and eliminating pikeminnow from the watershed; (3) 
developing a plan for long-term pikeminnow management in the watershed; 
and (4) documenting changes in SCCC steelhead abundance and 
distribution in response to pikeminnow removal. Proposed enhancement 
activities include: (1) Conducting snorkel surveys to assess abundance 
and distribution of pikeminnow and SCCC steelhead; (2) using backpack 
electrofishing equipment, seine-nets, hook-and-line sampling, and 
spearfishing to capture pikeminnow; (3) anesthetizing any juvenile 
steelhead captured during electrofishing and seining activities prior 
to measuring weight and length; (4) returning any captured steelhead to 
Chorro Creek; and (5) humanely euthanizing and disposing of pikeminnow.
    Field activities for the proposed enhancement effort will occur 
during the summer and fall over five years between August 1, 2016, and 
December 2020. The annual take Stillwater Sciences is requesting for 
this effort is as follows: (1) Non-lethal capture and release of up to 
1,500 juvenile steelhead while electrofishing, (2) non-lethal capture 
and release of up to 150 juvenile steelhead while seining, (3) non-
lethal capture and release up to 5 juvenile steelhead while hook-and-
line fishing, and (4) non-lethal observation of up to 2000 juvenile and 
10 adult steelhead during instream snorkel surveys. The potential 
annual unintentional lethal take resulting from the proposed 
enhancement activities is up to 33 juvenile steelhead. Overall, no 
intentional lethal take of steelhead is proposed or expected as a 
result of these enhancement activities.
    The proposed scientific enhancement effort is expected to support 
steelhead recovery in the Chorro Creek watershed and is consistent with 
recommendations and objectives outlined in NMFS' South Central 
California Steelhead Recovery Plan. See the application for Permit 
20085 for more details on the scientific enhancement proposal and 
related methodology.

    Dated: July 18, 2016.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-17214 Filed 7-20-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P