Notice2022-11749
Endangered Species; Take of Anadromous Fish
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
June 1, 2022
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
Notice is hereby given that NMFS received an application from NMFS' California Coastal Office in Santa Rosa, California for an U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 10(a)(1)(A) scientific enhancement permit (permit 26495). The purpose of this permit is to enhance the survival of the endangered Central California Coast (CCC) Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU) of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and threatened CCC Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of steelhead (O. mykiss) in coastal streams of California's Santa Cruz Mountains through rescue and relocation of these species from drying streams. The public is hereby notified that the application for Permit 26495 is available for review and comment before NMFS either approves or disapproves the application.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 105 (Wednesday, June 1, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 105 (Wednesday, June 1, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33130-33131]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-11749]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XC061]
Endangered Species; Take of Anadromous Fish
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of receipt; one application for a scientific enhancement
permit.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS received an application from
NMFS' California Coastal Office in Santa Rosa, California for an U.S.
Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 10(a)(1)(A) scientific enhancement
permit (permit 26495). The purpose of this permit is to enhance the
survival of the endangered Central California Coast (CCC) Evolutionary
Significant Unit (ESU) of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and
threatened CCC Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of steelhead (O.
mykiss) in coastal streams of California's Santa Cruz Mountains through
rescue and relocation of these species from drying streams. The public
is hereby notified that the application for Permit 26495 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 email address (see ADDRESSES) on or before July 1,
2022.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the permit application should be
submitted to Joel Casagrande via email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#640e0b01084a070517050316050a0001240a0b05054a030b12"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7f15101a13511c1e0c1e180d1e111b1a3f11101e1e51181009">[email protected]</span></a> with
``permit 26495'' referenced in the subject line. The permit application
is available for review online at the Authorizations and Permits for
Protected Species web site: <a href="https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/preview/preview_open_for_comment.cfm">https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/preview/preview_open_for_comment.cfm</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joel Casagrande (phone: 707-575-6016
or email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b9d3d6dcd597dad8cad8decbd8d7dddcf9d7d6d8d897ded6cf"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e882878d84c68b899b898f9a89868c8da886878989c68f879e">[email protected]</span></a>).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Species Covered in This Notice
Central California Coast (CCC) Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU)
of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and threatened CCC Distinct
Population Segment (DPS) of steelhead (O. mykiss).
Authority
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 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 NOAA
Fisheries.
Permit Application Received
Permit 26495
NMFS' California Coastal Office in Santa Rosa, California applied
for a Section 10(a)(1)(A) scientific enhancement permit (permit 26495).
This application involves enhancing the survival of endangered Central
California Coast (CCC) Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU) of coho
salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and threatened CCC Distinct Population
Segment (DPS) of steelhead (O. mykiss) in coastal streams of
California's Santa Cruz Mountains through rescue and relocation of
these species from drying streams. This application also includes
research and monitoring elements. To assess the efficacy of these
rescue activities, a subset of the juvenile salmonids may receive a
Passive Integrated Transponder tag (PIT-tag) prior to release. The
tagged fish will be tracked by fixed antennas positioned in multiple
regional watersheds which will provide information on their movements
and survival in the freshwater environment. Otoliths and tissue samples
will be collected opportunistically from spawned adult carcasses
encountered to learn about the individual's life history. Tissue
samples (fin clips and scales) will be collected from carcasses and a
subset of live fish for genetic information (fin clips) and age-
structure and growth patterns (scales). In the event that adult, pre-
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spawned coho salmon are rescued, these fish may receive a floy tag for
identification purposes in subsequent spawning ground surveys.
Activities associated with rescue and relocation could occur anywhere
within the coastal watersheds of the Santa Cruz Mountains including San
Gregorio, Pescadero, Gazos, Waddell, Scott, San Vicente, Laguna,
Liddell, Majors, San Lorenzo, Soquel, and Aptos watersheds. A summary
of these components is provided as follows.
Rescue-Relocation and Research-Monitoring
This component involves rescuing and relocating coho salmon and
steelhead from stream sections experiencing natural dewatering during
the dry season or prolonged periods of below average rainfall. Specific
staff listed on the application from both NMFS and the California
Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will follow a predetermined
communication and documentation protocol while implementing these
relocation efforts. Standard scientific methods and equipment (e.g.,
backpack-electrofishing, nets, seines, portable air pumps, transport
containers, water chillers, etc.) will be used during the capture and
relocation of coho salmon and steelhead. Captured coho salmon and
steelhead will be transported for release into habitats within the same
watershed (when possible) that are likely to maintain adequate water
and habitat quality through the remainder of the dry season. Because
these are endangered and threatened populations with low abundance,
relocating coho salmon and steelhead from sections of stream where they
will likely perish is expected to benefit the survival of these
individual fish and enhance the population. The proposed tagging and
tissue collection are intended to provide information on the survival
and early life history of rescued fish, contributions of rescued fish
to subsequent adult returns, and information on the genetic diversity
within basins, particularly where natural origin fish are present.
Field activities for the various proposed enhancement components
can occur year-round starting in June 2022 through December 31, 2032.
The annual sum of take requested across the various components of this
effort is as follows: (1) Non-lethal capture and release of up to 1,000
juvenile natural origin coho salmon and 3,000 juvenile steelhead while
electrofishing, seining, or dip-netting; (2) non-lethal capture and
release of up to 1000 juvenile hatchery origin coho salmon, 500
juvenile natural origin coho salmon, and 1000 juvenile steelhead for
the purpose of applying Passive Integrated Transponder-tags (PIT-tags)
and collecting tissue samples; (3) non-lethal capture and release of up
to 40 adult natural origin coho salmon and 60 adult hatchery origin
coho salmon by beach seine for the purpose of applying PIT-tags, floy
tags, and collecting tissue samples; (4) non-lethal capture and release
of up to 150 adult steelhead by beach seine for the purpose of applying
PIT-tags and collecting tissue samples; and (5) tissue collection from
up to 250 adult natural origin coho salmon carcasses and 150 adult
steelhead. The potential annual unintentional lethal coho salmon and
steelhead take expected to result from the proposed enhancement
activities is up to 75 juvenile natural origin coho salmon, 50 juvenile
hatchery origin coho salmon, 200 juvenile steelhead, 2 adult natural
origin coho salmon, 3 adult hatchery origin coho salmon, and 7 adult
steelhead. These estimates assume up to 5 percent incidental mortality
rate. For research and monitoring, incidental mortality rates for
capture and handling are generally less than or equal to 2 percent.
However, in many cases fish targeted for rescue and relocation are
located in isolated habitats and declining habitats with stressful
environmental conditions, and therefore it is reasonable to assume a
higher potential incidental mortality rate from capture and handling.
Absent these rescue efforts, salmonids left in these declining
environmental conditions are expected to die.
This proposed scientific enhancement effort is expected to enhance
survival and support coho salmon and steelhead recovery within the CCC
ESU of coho salmon and CCC DPS of steelhead and is consistent with
recommendations and objectives outlined in NMFS' Central California
Coast ESU Coho Salmon Recovery Plan and Coastal Multispecies Recovery
Plan. See the Permit 26495 application for greater details on the
various components of this scientific enhancement effort including the
specific scientific methods proposed and take allotments requested for
each.
Dated: May 26, 2022.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-11749 Filed 5-31-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on June 1, 2022.
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