Notice2026-07034
Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish
Primary source
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Published
April 13, 2026
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received a Hatchery and Genetics Management Plan (HGMP) for seven hatchery programs rearing and releasing fall Chinook salmon, spring Chinook salmon, fall chum salmon, sockeye salmon, coho salmon and steelhead in the Skokomish River basin. The plan describes a hatchery program operated by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) in collaboration with the Skokomish Indian Tribe as co-managers, and Tacoma Power Utility. This document serves to notify the public of the availability and opportunity to comment on a Proposed Evaluation and Pending Determination Documents (PEPD) on implementing the proposed hatchery program and enforcing the associated HGMP, which concludes that it will not appreciably reduce the likelihood of survival and recovery nor modify or destroy critical habitat of Hood Canal-Strait of Juan de Fuca summer chum salmon, Puget Sound Chinook salmon, or Puget Sound steelhead. This notice was previously posted for public comment, but since the PEPD document was not available during the comment period, we are reopening the related documents for public comment with this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 70 (Monday, April 13, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 70 (Monday, April 13, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18830-18831]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-07034]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[0648-XF618]
Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notification; availability of a proposed evaluation and pending
determination for public comment.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received a Hatchery and
Genetics Management Plan (HGMP) for seven hatchery programs rearing and
releasing fall Chinook salmon, spring Chinook salmon, fall chum salmon,
sockeye salmon, coho salmon and steelhead in the Skokomish River basin.
The plan describes a hatchery program operated by Washington Department
of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) in collaboration with the Skokomish Indian
Tribe as co-managers, and Tacoma Power Utility. This document serves to
notify the public of the availability and opportunity to comment on a
Proposed Evaluation and Pending Determination Documents (PEPD) on
implementing the proposed hatchery program and enforcing the associated
HGMP, which concludes that it will not appreciably reduce the
likelihood of survival and recovery nor modify or destroy critical
habitat of Hood Canal-Strait of Juan de Fuca summer chum salmon, Puget
Sound Chinook salmon, or Puget Sound steelhead. This notice was
previously posted for public comment, but since the PEPD document was
not available during the comment period, we are reopening the related
documents for public comment with this notice.
DATES: Comments must be received no later than 5 p.m. Pacific time on
May 13, 2026. Comments received after this date may not be considered.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by
NOAA-NMFS-2026-0925, by the following method:
<bullet> Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Visit <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> and type NOAA-NMFS-2026-0925 in the Search box.
Click on the ``Comment'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter
or attach your comments.
Also:
<bullet> The HGMP is available online at: Hatchery production,
HGMPs and the ESA [verbar] Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife.
<a href="https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/management/hatcheries/hgmp#comment">https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/management/hatcheries/hgmp#comment</a>.
<bullet> The PEPD is available online at:<a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/seven-hatchery-programs-skokomish-basin">https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/seven-hatchery-programs-skokomish-basin</a>
Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period,
may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on
<a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily
by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain
anonymous).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chante Davis at (503)321-2307 or
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#dbb8b3bab5afbef5bfbaadb2a89bb5b4babaf5bcb4ad"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="600308010e14054e0401160913200e0f01014e070f16">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Endangered Species Act (ESA)-Listed Species Covered in This Notice
<bullet> Hood Canal-Strait of Juan de Fuca summer chum salmon
(Oncorhynchus keta): threatened, naturally and artificially propagated;
<bullet> Puget Sound Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha):
threatened, naturally and artificially propagated;
<bullet> Puget Sound Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss): threatened,
naturally and artificially propagated.
Background
The term ``take'' is defined under the ESA to mean harass, harm,
pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to
attempt to engage in any such conduct. The ESA prohibits the take of
endangered salmonids and, pursuant to ESA section 4(d), ESA regulations
can be extended to prohibit the take of threatened salmonids. However,
NMFS may make exceptions to the take prohibitions for hatchery programs
that are approved by NMFS under the limits on the prohibitions outlined
in 50 CFR 223.203(b). The operators, WDFW collaborating with tribal co-
manager Skokomish Indian Tribe, have submitted an HGMP to NMFS pursuant
to NMFS' Limit 6 of the 4(d) Rule of the ESA for hatchery activities in
the Skokomish River basin, Washington. The PEPD is NMFS' initial
determination for how the HGMP addresses the criteria in 50 CFR
223.203(b)(5).
The hatchery program under review is designed to contribute to the
reintroduction and recovery of Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and
steelhead in the Skokomish River basin. These fish contribute to the
stability of Pacific salmon fish stocks in order to maintain
sustainable U.S. fisheries and strengthen the national seafood supply
chain. The hatchery programs are intended to contribute to fulfilling
federal trust responsibilities toward Tribes with rights guaranteed
through treaties, as affirmed in United States v. Washington (1974), by
contributing to the recovery of ESA-listed salmon. Additionally, the
programs are intended to contribute to the survival and recovery of
Puget Sound Chinook Salmon and Puget Sound Steelhead, provide
information on exploitation rates, and support returns of coho salmon,
Chinook salmon, and sockeye salmon to the Skokomish River basin.
Classification
Under section 4 of the ESA, the Secretary of Commerce is required
to
[[Page 18831]]
adopt such regulations as deemed necessary and advisable for the
conservation of species listed as threatened. The ESA salmon and
steelhead 4(d) rule regulations (50 CFR 223.203(b)) specifies
categories of activities that contribute to the conservation of listed
salmonids and sets out the criteria for such activities. The rule
further provides that the prohibitions of paragraph (a) of the
regulations do not apply to actions undertaken in compliance with a
plan developed jointly by a state and a tribe and determined by NMFS to
be in accordance with the salmon and steelhead 4(d) rule (65 FR 42422,
July 10, 2000).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 742a et seq.
Dated: April 7, 2026.
Jennifer Leigh Quan,
Regional Administrator, West Coast Region, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-07034 Filed 4-10-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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