Notice2022-17580
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
August 16, 2022
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
Notice is hereby given that NMFS received an application from California Department of Fish and Wildlife in Santa Rosa, California for an U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) section 10(a)(1)(A) scientific enhancement permit (permit 26568). 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), threatened Northern California (NC) Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of steelhead (O. mykiss), and threatened CCC DPS of steelhead (O. mykiss) in coastal streams of Mendocino, Sonoma, and Marin counties through rescue and relocation of these species from drying streams. The public is hereby notified that the application for Permit 26568 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 157 (Tuesday, August 16, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 157 (Tuesday, August 16, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50317-50319]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-17580]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XC269]
Endangered Species; Take of Anadromous Fish
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U. S. 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
California Department of Fish and Wildlife in Santa Rosa, California
for an U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) section 10(a)(1)(A) scientific
enhancement permit (permit 26568). 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), threatened Northern California (NC) Distinct Population
Segment (DPS) of steelhead (O. mykiss), and threatened CCC DPS of
steelhead (O. mykiss) in coastal streams of Mendocino, Sonoma, and
Marin counties through rescue and relocation of these species from
drying streams. The public is hereby notified that the application for
Permit 26568 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 September
15, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the permit application should be
submitted to Erin Seghesio via email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9affe8f3f4b4e9fffdf2ffe9f3f5daf4f5fbfbb4fdf5ec"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1673647f78386573717e73657f79567879777738717960">[email protected]</span></a> with
``permit 26568'' referenced in the subject line. The permit application
is available for review online at the Authorizations and Permits for
Protected Species website: <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: Erin Seghesio (phone: 707-578-8515 or
email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#99fcebf0f7b7eafcfef1fceaf0f6d9f7f6f8f8b7fef6ef"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="fa9f889394d4899f9d929f899395ba94959b9bd49d958c">[email protected]</span></a>).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Species Covered in This Notice
Central California Coast (CCC) Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU)
of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), threatened Northern California
(NC) Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of
[[Page 50318]]
steelhead (O. mykiss), and threatened CCC 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. The 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 26568
California Department of Fish and Wildlife in Santa Rosa,
California applied for a section 10(a)(1)(A) scientific enhancement
permit (permit 26568). This application involves enhancing the survival
of endangered CCC coho salmon ESU, threatened NC steelhead DPS, and CCC
steelhead DPS in Mendocino, Sonoma and Marin coastal streams 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). Activities associated with rescue and relocation could occur
anywhere within the Mendocino, Sonoma and Marin coastal watersheds
within CCC coho salmon's ESU boundaries. This includes streams from
Punta Gorda, CA through, Redwood Creek (Marin County, CA). 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 dewatering during the dry
season or prolonged periods of below average rainfall. Specific staff
listed on the application from both California Department of Fish and
Wildlife and co-investigators will follow a predetermined communication
and documentation protocol outlined in the application and permit 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 September 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
20,000 juvenile natural origin coho salmon, 9,000 hatchery origin
juvenile coho salmon, 6,000 natural origin juvenile NC steelhead and
10,000 natural origin juvenile CCC steelhead, while electrofishing,
seining, or dip-netting, (2) non-lethal capture and release of up to
1500 juvenile natural origin coho salmon for the purpose of applying
Passive Integrated Transponder-tags (PIT-tags) and collecting tissue
samples, (3) non-lethal capture and release of up to 200 adult natural
origin coho salmon, 200 adult hatchery origin coho salmon, 300 adult
natural origin NC steelhead, and 300 CCC steelhead by beach seine, (4)
tissue collection from up to 1000 adult natural origin coho salmon,
1000 hatchery origin coho salmon, 500 adult natural origin NC
steelhead, and 500 adult natural origin CCC steelhead carcasses. The
potential annual unintentional lethal coho salmon and steelhead take
expected to result from the proposed enhancement activities is up to
2,000 juvenile natural origin coho salmon, 900 juvenile hatchery origin
coho salmon, 600 juvenile natural origin NC steelhead, 1000 juvenile
natural origin CCC steelhead, 20 adult natural origin coho salmon, 20
adult hatchery origin coho salmon, 30 adult natural origin NC
steelhead, and 30 adult natural origin CCC steelhead. These estimates
assume up to 10 percent indirect mortality rate. For research and
monitoring, indirect 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 indirect
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
coho salmon ESU, NC steelhead DPS, and CCC steelhead DPS 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 26568 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.
[[Page 50319]]
Dated: August 11, 2022.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-17580 Filed 8-15-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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