80_FR_45342 80 FR 45197 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

80 FR 45197 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 145 (July 29, 2015)

Page Range45197-45203
FR Document2015-18600

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received 20 scientific research permit application requests relating to Pacific salmon, sturgeon, and eulachon. The proposed research is intended to increase knowledge of species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and to help guide management, conservation, and recovery efforts. The applications may be viewed online at: https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/ preview/preview_open_for_comment.cfm.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 145 (Wednesday, July 29, 2015)
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 145 (Wednesday, July 29, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45197-45203]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-18600]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD989


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Applications for six new scientific research permits, and 
fourteen research permit renewals.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received 20 scientific 
research permit application requests relating to Pacific salmon, 
sturgeon, and eulachon. The proposed research is intended to increase 
knowledge of species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and 
to help guide management, conservation, and recovery efforts. The 
applications may be viewed online at: https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/preview/preview_open_for_comment.cfm.

DATES: Comments or requests for a public hearing on the applications 
must be received at the appropriate address or fax number (see 
ADDRESSES) no later than 5 p.m. Pacific standard time on August 28, 
2015.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the applications should be submitted to 
the Protected Resources Division, NMFS, 777 Sonoma Avenue, Room 325, 
Santa Rosa, CA 95404. Comments may also be submitted via fax to 707-
578-3435 or by email to nmfs.swr.apps@noaa.gov (include the permit 
number in the subject line of the fax or email).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff Abrams, Santa Rosa, CA (ph.: 707-
575-6080), Fax: 707-578-3435, email: Jeff.Abrams@noaa.gov). Permit 
application instructions are available from the address above, or 
online at https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Species Covered in This Notice

    The following listed species are covered in this notice:
    Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): Threatened California 
Coastal (CC); Threatened Central Valley spring-run (CVSR); endangered 
Sacramento River winter-run (SRWR).
    Coho salmon (O. kisutch): Threatened Southern Oregon/Northern 
California Coast (SONCC); endangered Central California Coast (CCC).
    Steelhead (O. mykiss): Threatened Northern California (NC); 
threatened CCC; threatened California Central Valley (CCV); threatened 
South-Central California Coast (S-CCC); endangered Southern California 
(SC).
    North American green sturgeon (Acipenser medisrostris): Threatened 
southern distinct population segment (sDPS).
    Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus): Threatened sDPS.

Authority

    Scientific research 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) if granted and exercised, would not operate to the 
disadvantage of the listed species that are the subject of the permit; 
and (3) are consistent with the purposes and policy of section 2 of the 
ESA. The authority to take listed species is subject to conditions set 
forth in the permits.
    Anyone 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). Such hearings are held at the 
discretion of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NMFS.

Applications Received

Permit 1440-2R

    The Interagency Ecological Program (IEP), a consortium of nine 
state and federal agencies, is seeking to renew Permit 1440 for a 
period of five years. The permit would authorize IEP to take CVSR 
Chinook salmon, SRWR Chinook salmon, CCV steelhead, CCC steelhead and 
sDPS green sturgeon while conducting 11 surveys in the San Francisco 
Bay-Delta region. The studies would examine the abundance, and temporal 
and spatial distribution of various life stages of pelagic fishes of 
management concern, including listed species, and their food (e.g., 
zooplankton) resources, along with environmental conditions. These IEP 
studies are intended to monitor/inform the effectiveness of water 
operations, aquatic habitat restoration, and fish management practices, 
thereby providing a benefit to listed fish. The 11 studies included 
are: (1) Adult Striped Bass, a striped bass population study; (2) Fall 
Midwater Trawl, which monitors the relative abundance of native and 
introduced fish species; (3) Sturgeon Tagging, a white sturgeon tagging 
program; (4) Summer Townet, which targets delta smelt and young-of-the-
year striped bass; (5) Estuarine and Marine Fish, a San Francisco Bay 
trawl study; (6) 20mm Survey, a study to monitor juvenile delta smelt 
distribution and relative abundance; (7) Yolo Bypass, a research effort 
to understand fish and invertebrate use of the Yolo Bypass seasonal 
floodplain; (8) Upper Estuary Zooplankton, which targets multiple 
zooplankters; (9) Spring Kodiak Trawl, which determines the relative 
abundance and distribution of spawning delta smelt; (10) Suisun Marsh 
Survey, monitoring to determine the effects of the Suisun Marsh 
Salinity Control Gates operation on fish, including listed salmonids; 
and (11) Smelt Larva Survey, which provides distribution data for 
longfin smelt larvae in the Delta. Listed fish would be captured by 
fyke net, gill net, midwater trawl, trammel net, hoop net, otter trawl, 
larval fish net, zooplankton net, Kodiak trawl net, rotary screw trap, 
and beach seine. The majority of captured fishes would be identified to 
species, enumerated, measured for standard length, and released. 
Juvenile SRWR and CVSR Chinook salmon would be identified using the 
Delta Model Length-at-Date-of-Capture Table. Listed species would be 
processed first and released. A subsample of wild juvenile SRWR and 
CVSR Chinook salmon sized captures would be tissue sampled for genetic 
analysis, and a subsample of hatchery

[[Page 45198]]

juvenile SRWR and CVSR Chinook salmon sized captures would be 
sacrificed (i.e., intentional directed mortality) in order to collect 
coded wire tag data for management purposes and for stock confirmation. 
To reduce handling mortality, investigators would conduct water to 
water transfers, use fish-friendly nets, avoid handling when possible, 
and would not release fish from a vessel under way.

Permit 13675-2R

    The Fishery Foundation of California is seeking to renew permit 
13675 to annually take juvenile CVSR Chinook salmon, SRWR Chinook 
salmon, CCV steelhead, and sDPS green sturgeon while conducting 
research designed to monitor the use of the Fremont Landing 
Conservation Bank (FLCB) at the confluence of the Sacramento and 
Feather rivers in California's Central Valley. The requested permit 
would authorize take for a period of five years. FLCB is a restored 
area that provides mitigation for impacts to listed salmonid species in 
the Central Valley. The proposed monitoring would evaluate the use of 
the FLCB by listed fish, provide data directly related to success 
criteria described in the FLCB management plan, and benefit listed fish 
by informing adaptive management strategies being conducted at the 
FLCB. The researchers would use beach seines and fyke nets to capture 
listed fish. Once captured, all listed fish would be identified to 
species and released. A subsample would be measured for fork length. No 
anesthesia would be used, and no additional handling procedures would 
be implemented. Captured fish would remain completely wetted at all 
times to minimize stress. Any fish exhibiting signs of physiological 
stress would be immediately released. The researchers are not proposing 
to kill any of the fish they capture, but some may die as an unintended 
result of the research.

Permit 13791-2R

    The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Stockton Fish 
and Wildlife Office (SFWO), has requested to renew Permit 13791 for a 
period of four years. The permit would authorize SFWO to annually take 
juvenile and smolt CVSR Chinook salmon, SRWR Chinook salmon, CCV 
steelhead, and juvenile and larval sDPS green sturgeon while conducting 
seven research studies. The purpose of the studies is to evaluate/
monitor the: (1) Abundance, temporal and spatial distribution, and 
survival of salmonids and other fishes in the lower Sacramento and San 
Joaquin rivers and the San Francisco Estuary (SFE); (2) occurrence and 
habitat use of fishes, especially early life history stages, within the 
Liberty Island and Cache Slough Complex, (3) relative gear efficiencies 
for all IEP fish survey nets, and also the distribution of delta smelt; 
(4) littoral habitat use of juvenile Chinook salmon within the Delta; 
(5) the effect of projected water operations on delta smelt; (6) length 
at date race criteria of SRWR Chinook salmon sized juvenile Chinook 
salmon; and (7) SRWR and CVSR Chinook salmon floodplain usage in the 
Yolo bypass. These studies would result in capture/handle/release take, 
tissue sampling, and/or intentional directed mortality. Intentional 
directed mortality would apply to only juvenile hatchery adipose 
clipped salmonids and larval green sturgeon. Capture methods would 
include Kodiak trawl, midwater trawl, beach seine, zooplankton net, 
larval net, gill net, fyke net, purse seine, and boat electrofishing. 
All listed fish except adipose fin clipped SRWR and CVSR Chinook salmon 
would be immediately collected from the sampling gears, placed in 
containers filled with river water collected at the location being 
sampled, processed, held in a recovery container filled with aerated 
river water, and subsequently released at the sampled location. A fin 
tissue sample would be collected from a subset of natural origin SRWR 
and CVSR Chinook salmon for stock determination. The purpose of 
intentional mortality of hatchery origin (adipose clipped) SRWR and 
CVSR Chinook salmon would be to collect coded wire tags (CWT), and up 
ten green sturgeon larvae would be killed during larval fish 
collections in order to identify the contents of the larval trawl net, 
which can only be achieved in the lab. The data provided by these 
studies would provide natural resource managers real-time biological 
and population data on fishes to evaluate the effect of water 
operations and fish management practices within the SFE, thereby 
benefiting listed fish.

Permit 14516-2R

    Dr. Jerry Smith, Associate Professor in the Department of 
Biological Sciences at San Jose State University, is requesting to 
renew permit 14516 for a period of five years. The permit would 
authorize Dr. Smith to annually take multiple life stages of CCC coho 
salmon and CCC steelhead while conducting two studies: (1) Stream and 
lagoon surveys in Gazos Creek, Waddell Creek, and Scott Creek; and (2) 
lagoon surveys in Pescadero Creek Lagoon and San Gregorio Lagoon. The 
purpose of the studies is to: (1) Provide an annual index of relative 
abundance for juvenile listed salmonids, provide data on lagoon and 
upstream habitat utilization and growth, and provide an assessment of 
trends and year to year response to variations in habitat conditions; 
and (2) determine juvenile listed salmonid abundance and growth, and 
provide adult life history information in the lagoons. Capture methods 
would include backpack electrofishing, and beach seine. Captured 
salmonids would be measured, and a subset of juvenile captures and all 
adults would have scale samples taken, before being released at the 
capture location. A subsample of juvenile steelhead would also be 
marked via caudal fin clip to perform a mark-recapture analysis. Scale 
and fin tissue samples would be taken from adult fish carcasses. 
Captured live fish would be held in flow-through live cars, covered 
with a towel to provide shade and cover to calm fish. Adult fish would 
be processed and released first. In lagoons, live cars would be kept in 
deeper water with cooler temperatures and less turbidity to prevent 
warming above ambient temperatures or a decrease in dissolved oxygen. 
The researchers are not proposing to kill any of the fish they capture, 
but a small number may die as an unintended result of the activities.

Permit 15215

    The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Fisheries 
Branch, Fish Health Laboratory, is applying for a permit to take 
endangered SRWR Chinook salmon, CCC coho salmon and SC steelhead for a 
period of five years. The purpose of the proposed research is to 
investigate wild fish kills/disease outbreaks that could occur in 
California that involve federally listed endangered species. The 
research would benefit the listed species by providing fisheries 
managers with the necessary information to help alleviate future 
outbreaks of fish disease through proper management of fishery and 
water resources. The proposed research would only be conducted in the 
event of elevated and unexplained endangered species mortality or the 
presence of clinically diseased animals. Given such a triggering event, 
endangered fish would be collected in any of the state waters of 
California in which a disease outbreak/fish die-off occurred. Adult and 
juvenile endangered fish would be collected by hand or dip-net, as only 
dead and/or moribund fish, or fish displaying clinical signs of 
disease, would be collected. Moribund or clinically diseased fish would 
be euthanized (i.e., intentional directed mortality). Trained CDFW 
pathologists and veterinarians would assess

[[Page 45199]]

moribund or diseased fish prior to euthanasia, and only fish that would 
likely die regardless of the actions proposed by CDFW would be 
euthanized. Necropsies would be performed on dead and euthanized 
captured fish either in the laboratory or in the field, fish would be 
examined for signs of parasitic and bacterial infections, and fin and/
or internal tissues would be collected for virology, histopathology, 
immunological testing and/or DNA testing.

Permit 16274

    The Mendocino Redwood Company (MRC) is seeking to renew Permit 
1181-Modification 1 for a period of five years. The permit would 
authorize MRC to take CC Chinook salmon, SONCC coho salmon, CCC coho 
salmon, NC steelhead, and CCC steelhead while conducting research and 
monitoring to assess juvenile and adult populations of salmonids and 
their distribution in streams within MRC's property. Research would be 
conducted in several watersheds within Mendocino and northern Sonoma 
counties. The data gathered would benefit listed fish by informing a 
better understanding of salmonid distribution, abundance, and habitat 
utilization in these areas. Juvenile salmonids would be captured by 
backpack electrofishing, anesthetized, weighed, measured to fork 
length, and released. A subsample of juvenile salmonids would be fin 
clipped to mark and to collect tissue samples for genetic analysis. 
Live adults and/or juveniles would be observed via snorkel surveys and 
spawning surveys. Carcasses would be measured and then marked to ensure 
duplicate measurements were not made. Outmigrant trapping would be 
conducted using a rotary screw trap or weir/pipe trap; captured 
outmigrants would be anesthetized, measured, and released. A subsample 
of outmigrants would be marked (dye, elastomer, or fin clip) or Passive 
Integrated Transponder (PIT) tagged. All anesthetized fish would be 
allowed to recover in a bucket containing aerated natal water prior to 
being released back into the stream from which they were taken. The 
researchers are not proposing to kill any of the fish they capture, but 
a small number may die as an unintended result of the activities.

Permit 17063

    The United States Forest Service (USFS), Redwood Sciences 
Laboratory is requesting to renew permit 1071 for a period of five 
years to perform eight studies that together would take CC Chinook 
salmon, SONCC coho salmon, CCC coho salmon, NC steelhead, CC steelhead, 
and SC steelhead. The purposes of the eight studies are: (1) To 
investigate the invasion history of non-listed speckled dace in the Van 
Duzen River and the Eel River, (2) to investigate the invasion history 
of non-listed California roach in the Van Duzen River and the Eel 
River, (3) to develop an Individual Based Modeling (IBM) approach to 
predict the effects of management practices on salmonid population in 
Northern California, (4) to link abiotic factors (e.g., distance to 
spawning ground) to the expression of an anadromous or resident life 
history for O. mykiss in the Eel River, (5) to link the distribution 
and movement of watershed products (e.g., wood, sediment, and water) in 
tributaries and mainstem channels to fish diversity and abundance in 
Northern California rivers, (6) to provide managers with insights into 
the status and relatedness of Sacramento sucker populations in northern 
California, (7) to document the speckled dace invasion of the Mad 
River, and (8) to provide managers with a tool to predict the effects 
of management decisions on Santa Ana suckers in the Santa Ana River. 
Listed adult and juvenile salmonids would be observed via snorkel 
surveys. Listed juvenile salmonids would be captured via backpack and/
or boat electrofishing for all eight studies, and also via beach seine 
and/or fyke net for Study 6 (i.e., Sacramento sucker relatedness and 
distribution). For most studies, listed salmonids that are captured 
would be anesthetized, measured and/or weighed, and released. Captured 
fishes would be held in multiple live cars to prevent overcrowding and 
to maintain acceptable water quality conditions. In addition to 
capturing, handling and releasing fish, Study 4 (i.e. factors affecting 
the expression of an anadromous versus resident life history in O. 
mykiss) would also include intentional directed mortality for otolith 
microchemical analyses. A maximum of four O. mykiss would be sacrificed 
from each of seventy sample streams distributed throughout the Eel 
River, which would include both anadromous (listed as threatened) and 
resident (non-listed) life history forms.

Permit 17077-2R

    Dr. Peter Moyle, with the University of California at Davis, 
Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, has applied for 
a five year renewal of Permit 17077 to take listed species while 
conducting research designed to develop a better understanding of how 
physical habitat, flow and other factors interact to maintain 
assemblages of native and non-native aquatic species in the upper SFE. 
This study would provide knowledge about food web and habitat support 
for native fishes, including listed anadromous fish, which are 
suspected of utilizing such habitats during development. While listed 
fish are not the target species for this study, the study would benefit 
listed fish by improving management decisions regarding creating 
additional habitat, and helping to anticipate the effects of drought 
and climate change on food and habitat availability. Sampling would be 
conducted in three distinct regions of the SFE: (1) The Cache-Lindsey 
complex, (2) the Sherman Lake complex and (3) Suisun Marsh, and would 
take juvenile and adult CVSR Chinook salmon, SRWR Chinook Salmon, CCV 
steelhead, and sDPS green sturgeon. Capture methods would be similar 
for each of these regions, and would include otter trawling, beach 
seining and boat electrofishing, however electrofishing would be 
suspended immediately upon encountering a listed species. All sampled 
fish would be placed in a bucket with ambient water and an aerator, 
examined for responsiveness and returned to the water as soon as 
possible with a minimum of handling, after identification and length 
estimates were made. Juvenile SRWR and CVSR Chinook salmon would be 
identified using published size-at-date criteria. Only adult green 
sturgeon captures would receive additional processing beyond 
identification and measuring for length. Adult green sturgeon would be 
scanned for the presence of a PIT tag, and a soft pelvic fin tissue 
sample would be collected. The researchers are not proposing to kill 
any of the fish they capture, but a small number may die as an 
unintended result of the activities.

Permit 17219

    The NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Fishery Ecology 
Division (FED), requests a five-year renewal of permit 1044-
Modification 4 for research throughout California that would include 
take of SRWR Chinook salmon, CVSR Chinook salmon, SONCC coho salmon, 
CCC coho salmon, NC steelhead, CCC steelhead, CCV steelhead, S-CCC 
steelhead, SC steelhead, and juvenile sDPS green sturgeon. The proposed 
research would benefit listed fish by supporting conservation and 
management of listed anadromous salmonids and green sturgeon in 
California by directly addressing information needs identified by NMFS 
and other agencies. FED studies address priority topics identified

[[Page 45200]]

in NMFS technical recovery team reports, NMFS recovery plans, joint 
programs such as the California Coastal Monitoring Program developed by 
NMFS and CDFW, and state programs such as the Fisheries Restoration 
Grant Program. Research objectives of specific proposed studies 
include: (1) Estimating population abundance and dynamics; (2) 
evaluating factors affecting growth, survival, and life-history; (3) 
assessing life-stage specific habitat use and movement; (4) collecting 
data necessary to construct various types of models (e.g., population, 
life-cycle, bioenergetics, and habitat-use models); (5) determining 
genetic structure of populations; (6) evaluating the effects of 
activities such as water management and habitat restoration on 
populations; and (7) developing improved sampling and monitoring 
methods.
    Research and take would involve various life stages (juvenile, 
smolt, adult, and carcass). Listed fish would be observed during 
spawning surveys, and captured by electrofishing, beach seine, rotary 
screw trap, and/or hook-and-line. The majority of captured fish would 
be anesthetized, measured to fork length, and released. A subsample of 
captured fish would be further sampled by collection of scales, fin 
clips, gill clips or stomach contents; and/or marking or tagging 
including fin tissue clips, PIT tags, elastomer tags, acoustic tags, or 
radio tags. Species care after capture would include use of aerated 
buckets or live cars for holding and recovery, and minimization of 
handling time. The majority of fish captured would be released alive at 
their point of capture following recovery from handling. However, in 
limited cases some fish would be: (1) Retained in enclosures in streams 
for short-term growth and survival experiments and then released, or 
(2) euthanized for analysis of otoliths and/or parasitological/
pathological studies of parasites and diseases of wild juvenile 
steelhead.

Permit 17272

    The USFWS, Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office Fisheries Program (AFWO) 
is seeking to renew permit 1068-Modification 2 for a period of five 
years. The requested permit would authorize AFWO to take multiple life 
stages of hatchery and wild SONCC coho salmon via monitoring and 
research activities in Northwest California. Five studies are proposed, 
the purposes of which are to monitor: (1) Chinook salmon fry production 
and disease incidence in the Klamath River below Iron Gate dam, (2) 
Chinook salmon escapement in the mainstem Klamath River below the 
Shasta River confluence, (3) Chinook salmon escapement in the mainstem 
Klamath River from Iron Gate dam to the Shasta River confluence, (4) 
coho salmon escapement between Iron Gate Dam and the Indian Creek 
confluence, and (5) long-term salmonid disease incidence in the lower 
Klamath River. Trained AFWO crews would conduct redd surveys, on foot 
and from rafts, which could observe/harass spawning SONCC coho salmon. 
Crews would spend minimal time around redds and avoid walking on redds. 
Trained AFWO crews would also capture juvenile SONCC coho salmon using 
rotary-screw traps, frame nets, and beach seines. Traps would be 
thoroughly cleaned at least once a day. Juvenile coho salmon would be 
held in aerated holding buckets filled with fresh river water then 
anesthetized, measured for fork length, weighed, and released back into 
the river. There would be some intentional mortality of hatchery 
juvenile coho salmon for disease analysis. Aside from these hatchery 
fish, the researchers are not proposing to kill any of the fish they 
capture, but a small number may die as an unintended result of the 
activities. The proposed studies would benefit listed coho salmon by 
informing the AFWO goal to develop conservation strategies for aquatic 
resources and to evaluate the success of aquatic habitat restoration 
efforts that will lead to the recovery and conservation of fish 
populations and fisheries in northern California.

Permit 17351

    The Green Diamond Resource Company (GDRC) has applied for a five 
year renewal of research permit 1060-Modification 1 to take listed 
salmonids while conducting research and monitoring under an existing 
Aquatic Habitat Conservation Plan (AHCP). The AHCP, which was approved 
in 2007 and is valid until 2057, identifies potential threats to three 
listed fish species that may result from GDRC's timber harvest 
activities and describes minimization and mitigation measures and 
effectiveness monitoring to address potential threats. The requested 
take limits would allow for implementation of monitoring and research 
activities in several northern California watersheds including the 
Winchuk River, Smith River, Lower Klamath basin tributaries, Mad River, 
Little River, several Humboldt Bay tributaries, and Eel River. The 
three species identified which would be taken as a direct result of 
this monitoring are CC Chinook salmon, SONCC coho salmon, and NC 
steelhead. Research and take would involve various life stages (fry, 
juvenile, smolt, adult, and carcass). Trained GDRC crews would observe 
listed salmonids during snorkel surveys and spawning surveys. Crews 
would avoid walking in suitable spawning habitats (e.g., riffle 
crests). Listed salmonids would be captured by various capture methods 
including backpack electrofishing, kick net sampling, rotary screw 
trapping, v-notch weir outmigrant trapping, and minnow trapping. Most 
captured fish would be measured and released. A subsample of captured 
fish would be anesthetized, then marked via dorsal fin clip, fin tissue 
sampled, scale sampled, and/or PIT tagged. Anesthetized individuals 
would be allowed to recover in mesh containers placed in the stream 
channel prior to release. Data collected would be used to document 
long-term population trends and better understand the potential impacts 
on the covered species and their habitats that may result from AHCP 
covered activities. The researchers are not proposing to kill any of 
the fish they capture, but a small number may die as an unintended 
result of the activities.

Permit 17396

    The USFWS, Anadromous Fish Restoration Program (AFRP) has applied 
for a five year permit to take listed fish while conducting research 
designed to: (1) Provide data necessary to evaluate the effectiveness 
of AFRP restoration projects, including appraisal of spawning gravel 
augmentation, in-channel and floodplain habitat enhancement actions, 
and water allocation/flow regime alteration actions; and (2) provide 
reconnaissance-level population and biological data on contemporary 
anadromous fish population patterns within the Central Valley of 
California, in order to prioritize and select future restoration 
projects to benefit anadromous salmonids. All AFRP restoration 
monitoring projects would serve to benefit anadromous salmonids by 
providing data on restoration project effectiveness, and providing 
valuable information relating to adaptive management procedures. Take 
of listed species including various life stages of CVSR Chinook salmon, 
CCV steelhead, and sDPS green sturgeon would result from activities in 
the following five proposed projects: (1) Bobcat flat restoration 
effectiveness monitoring in the lower Tuolumne River; (2) adult 
sturgeon acoustic telemetry in the lower San Joaquin basin; (3) San 
Joaquin River sturgeon spawning habitat assessment; (4) steelhead 
sampling and acoustic tracking in the lower Stanislaus, Tuolumne and 
Merced Rivers; and (5) fish reconnaissance in the San Joaquin River 
system. Observe/harass take

[[Page 45201]]

would result from snorkel surveys. Capture methods would include beach 
seine, trammel nets, gill nets, fyke nets, hook-and-line, egg mats, 
benthic d-nets, and boat and backpack electrofishing. The majority of 
captured listed fish would be handled and released; a subsample of 
captures would be anesthetized, scale sampled, fin clipped (to mark and 
to collect fin tissue for genetic analysis), acoustic tagged, and/or 
subject to intentional directed mortality. Green sturgeon eggs (n = 
100) and larvae (n = 5) would be intentionally sacrificed, which would 
be necessary to provide voucher tissue specimens, and would benefit the 
species by providing critical information on green sturgeon spawning 
habitat. To minimize physiological stress, all sturgeon would be held 
in a net pen submerged in river or with flowing water through their 
gills while waiting to be handled. All listed salmonids would be 
immediately collected from the sampling gears, placed in five gallon 
buckets filled with fresh river water from the location being sampled, 
processed, held in another container filled with fresh river water for 
recovery, and subsequently released in the sampled location. The new 
information on these species generated by these projects would help 
prioritize future restoration projects, thus benefiting listed species.

Permit 17867

    The Humboldt Redwood Company (HRC) is seeking to renew permit 1074-
Modification 1 for a period of five years. The permit would authorize 
HRC to take juvenile and adult CC Chinook salmon, SONCC coho salmon and 
NC steelhead while conducting research and monitoring that satisfies 
two objectives: (1) To comply with CDFW's Restorable Class I policy by 
sampling reaches through snorkel and electrofishing methods to identify 
Class I habitat within proposed timber harvest plans, and (2) to 
monitor fish occupancy trends at the reach, sub basin, watershed and 
HRC property level over time by repeated snorkel surveys at index and 
randomly selected reaches. Adult and juvenile salmonids would be 
observed during snorkel surveys, and juvenile salmonids would be 
captured by backpack electrofishing. Snorkel surveys would be the 
preferred method of detecting presence/absence of fish species. 
Captured fish would be identified, and transported upstream of the 
project area. All captured specimens would be kept in aerated buckets, 
observed closely, and not released until fully recovered. The proposed 
monitoring would help to achieve HRC's fisheries program's general 
goal, which is to determine the occurrence, distribution, population 
and habitat conditions of anadromous fishes on HRC lands as well as to 
monitor, protect, restore and enhance the anadromous fishery resources 
in watersheds owned by HRC. The researchers are not proposing to kill 
any of the fish they capture, but a small number may die as an 
unintended result of the activities.

Permit 17877

    The United States Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) is requesting to 
renew Permit 1072--Modification 2 for a period of five years. BOR is 
applying for this permit as a contingent of the Trinity River 
Restoration Program (TRRP), an inter-agency partnership of the BOR, 
USFWS, Hoopa Valley Tribe, Yurok Tribe, CDFW, Trinity County, USFS, 
NMFS, and the California Department of Water Resources. The TRRP 
benefits listed species by conducting large-scale channel restoration 
and habitat restoration activities in the Trinity River mainstem and 
watershed as a means of restoring declining fishery resources. The 
following six specific studies are proposed: (1) Trinity River juvenile 
salmonid outmigrant monitoring, (2) juvenile Chinook salmon density 
monitoring, (3) Trinity River Chinook salmon redd and carcass survey, 
(4) Trinity River invasive brown trout predation on coho investigation, 
(5) Trinity River juvenile coho salmon ecology study, and (6) watershed 
rehabilitation/research. The requested permit would authorize BOR to 
take juvenile, smolt, adult and carcasses of SONCC coho salmon via: (1) 
Observation/harassment by way of snorkel surveys, hand netting that 
specifically targets other species, and spawning surveys; and (2) 
capture by rotary screw trap, boat electrofishing, hook-and-line, beach 
seine, fyke net, or minnow trapping. Fin tissue samples would be 
collected from carcasses. The majority of captured juvenile coho salmon 
would be anesthetized, measured to fork length and released, but a 
subsample would also be PIT tagged. Tagged fish would be held in 
recovery pens post tagging to monitor and enhance post-tagging health. 
The researchers are not proposing to kill any of the fish they capture, 
but a small number may die as an unintended result of the activities.

Permit 17916

    The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Arcata Field Office, is 
seeking to renew permit 1088-Modificaiton 1 for a period of five years 
to monitor the effects of current management actions related to the 
Northwest Forest Plan's Aquatic Conservation Strategy on anadromous 
salmonids and their habitats. In order to monitor land management 
actions and implement the Northwest Forest Plan in northern California, 
BLM needs to obtain updated information on fish distribution and 
habitat. Sampling would occur in various watersheds, including the 
Mattole River, Eel River, Lost Coast region tributaries to the Pacific 
Ocean, and Humboldt Bay tributaries. Take of CC Chinook salmon, SONCC 
coho salmon, and NC steelhead would result from this monitoring and 
research. The preponderance of requested take would result from 
spawning surveys, snorkel surveys, and presence/absence surveys from 
the bank, all of which would result in observe/harass take of juvenile 
and/or adult salmonids. Capture methods that would take juvenile 
salmonids include backpack electrofishing and beach seine. A small 
number of salmonid fry may also be captured during kick net activities 
intended to sample invertebrates. Electrofishing would be used only 
when stream conditions prohibit less invasive sampling methods, and 
electrofishing activities would follow the NMFS 2000 Electrofishing 
Guidelines. Personnel handling fish would have wet hands and experience 
in fish handling. After length measurements were complete, fish would 
be placed in a bucket of freshwater for longer than 30 minutes to allow 
for recovery prior to being released. Recovering fish would be kept in 
cool, shaded, aerated water and would not be overcrowded. This research 
would benefit listed fish by informing adaptive management strategies 
intended to aid in the recovery of at-risk anadromous salmonids. The 
researchers are not proposing to kill any of the fish they capture, but 
a small number may die as an unintended result of the activities.

Permit 18012

    The CDFW, Bay Delta Region (Region III), requests a five year 
renewal of permit 10094 to authorize take related to two research 
projects, the Watershed Restoration Project (WRP) and the Fisheries 
Management Project (FMP), designed to assess and restore the 
productivity of CC Chinook salmon, CCC coho salmon, NC steelhead, CCC 
steelhead, and S-CCC steelhead in Sonoma, Mendocino, Napa, Marin, San 
Mateo, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties in north central California. 
Program staff would accomplish this goal by conducting habitat and

[[Page 45202]]

salmonid surveys to determine potential limiting factors and stock 
status in order to identify the specific measures and actions needed to 
protect and increase production of listed salmonids. Proposed studies 
include: (1) Juvenile salmonid occurrence, distribution and habitat 
monitoring; (2) adult salmonid occurrence, passage, and distribution; 
(3) spawning ground surveys; (4) life cycle station monitoring; and (5) 
juvenile steelhead lagoon beach seining. Listed fish would be observed/
harassed during snorkel surveys, spawning surveys, carcass surveys, and 
by the use of electronic counting stations (i.e., DIDSON camera, Vaki 
Riverwatcher and/or video weir). Listed salmonids would be captured 
using backpack electrofishing, beach seining, rotary screw traps, fyke/
pipe traps, and potentially adults may be captured using a resistance 
board weir. When electrofishing, the avoidance and impact minimization 
measures outlined in the NMFS 2000 electrofishing guidelines would be 
followed. The majority of juvenile captures would be handled (measured 
for fork length and weighed), and released. A subset of juvenile 
salmonid captures would be anesthetized, fin tissue sampled to collect 
tissue for genetic analysis, scale sampled, marked with an upper caudal 
fin clip, and/or PIT tagged. Only healthy fish with no signs of stress 
or injury would be subjected to marking or tagging. All fish would be 
allowed to recover fully and would be observed carefully for injury 
prior to release. Captured adult salmonids would be handled (i.e., 
identified, measured, weighed, and scale and tissue samples taken), 
tagged (bi-colored Floy tags and/or opercular-hole-punched) and 
released upstream of the weir. All fish handled would be held in clean 
and decontaminated containers that are supplied with cool, aerated 
water and would be released back into the stream reach from which they 
were collected after recovery. Implementation of these activities under 
the WRP and the FMP would benefit listed species by informing 
recommendations on proposed habitat restoration projects and by 
determining the impacts of various management actions. The researchers 
are not proposing to kill any of the fish they capture, but a small 
number may die as an unintended result of the activities.

Permit 18712

    H.T. Harvey & Associates has requested a permit to complete a 
project that is intended to meet three Marine Protected Area (MPA) 
monitoring goals set by the MPA Monitoring Enterprise: (1) To assess 
trends in the condition of ecosystems inside and outside of MPA's, (2) 
to evaluate the effects of specific MPA design criteria such as MPA 
size and distance between MPAs, and (3) to evaluate the effect of 
visitors on MPAs. The project would contribute to the goals of the 
monitoring enterprise by describing the baseline biological community 
in four northern California estuaries: (1) Mad River Estuary in 
Humboldt County, (2) South Humboldt Bay State Marine Recreational 
Management Area in Humboldt County, (3) Ten Mile Estuary State Marine 
Conservation Area (SMCA) in Mendocino County, and (4) Big River Estuary 
SMCA in Mendocino County. Sampling related to this project may take 
juvenile and smolt CC Chinook salmon, SONCC coho salmon, CCC coho 
salmon, NC steelhead, and adult sDPS eulachon. Beach seines and fyke 
nets would be used to capture fish whereby take (i.e., capture/handle/
release) of listed salmonids would occur. Handling would consist of 
identifying and measuring fish to fork length. To ensure that handled 
fish would experience minimal adverse effects as a result of the 
sampling process, fish would be allowed to recover briefly either in 
live wells or in shaded, aerated buckets. The researchers are not 
proposing to kill any of the fish they capture, but a small number may 
die as an unintended result of the activities.

Permit 18937

    The Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, 
San Diego, California Sea Grant (CSG) College Program is seeking a five 
year permit to annually take listed CC Chinook salmon, CCC coho salmon, 
and CCC steelhead while monitoring the status and trends of listed 
salmonids in the Russian River watershed. CSG is proposing to collect 
data to estimate population metrics such as abundance, survival, 
growth, and spatial distribution of multiple life stages of salmonids, 
and relate them to different recovery actions including hatchery 
releases, habitat enhancement projects, and stream flow improvement 
projects. Data collection would be designed to meet four specific study 
objectives: (1) Evaluation of the Russian River Coho Salmon Captive 
Broodstock Program, (2) implementation of the California Coastal 
Salmonid Monitoring Plan, (3) comparing juvenile coho salmon oversummer 
survival with stream flow, and (4) evaluation of habitat enhancement 
projects. The four proposed studies would provide resource agencies 
with valuable information that would help guide future decisions 
regarding recovery actions. Fish populations would be monitored in many 
tributaries of the Russian River watershed and several methods that 
could observe/harass and/or capture fish would be employed, including: 
Snorkel surveys, spawning surveys, redd surveys, downstream migrant 
trapping (pipe/funnel trap), minnow trapping, operation of PIT tag 
detection systems (i.e., PIT tag arrays and PIT tag wand surveys), and 
backpack electrofishing. Handling of live fish captured in traps or 
during electrofishing surveys would include anesthetization, measuring 
for fork length, scanning for CWT and PIT tags, fin tissue sampling, 
scale sampling, PIT tagging, and/or gastric lavage. Adult salmonid 
carcasses encountered during spawning surveys would be scanned for PIT 
tags, measured, fin clipped, scale sampled, and otoliths would be 
extracted. All live fish would be released back into the stream 
following recovery in aerated buckets of cold water. Specific measures 
that would be taken to reduce the risk of injury or mortality to fish 
include following the NMFS 2000 Electrofishing Guidelines, minimizing 
the time that fish are handled, placing potential predators in separate 
holding buckets, running aerators in buckets, avoiding overcrowding in 
buckets, changing water in the anesthesia bucket frequently, placing a 
thermometer in holding buckets and replacing water frequently if the 
temperatures are rising, wetting measuring boards and weigh pans, 
processing listed species first, checking traps at least once per day 
and more frequently in high flow or windy conditions, and placing flow 
deflectors inside the trap box to provide refugia for fish. The 
researchers are not proposing to kill any of the fish they capture, but 
a small number may die as an unintended result of the activities.

Permit 19121

    The United States Geological Survey, California Water Survey has 
applied for a five year permit for take associated with completing two 
main objectives: (1) To examine research applications of the SmeltCam 
that have been developed and coordinated with the IEP, and (2) to 
provide fisheries science support for the BOR's compliance with 
Biological Opinions. The studies are intended to: (1) Provide new 
quantitative data addressing the potential benefits of habitat 
restoration to the SFE and Delta ecosystem and its native fish 
populations, and (2) determine the vertical and lateral distribution of 
delta smelt, and the continued evaluation and application of SmeltCam 
technology for

[[Page 45203]]

studies of delta smelt and other fishes. The results of these studies 
are expected to provide net benefits to listed species by improving our 
understanding of their ecology and habitat use, and by informing the 
development of new research tools that can guide management decisions 
and habitat restoration actions. Sampling would be conducted in Suisun 
Bay, and would take multiple life stages of CVSR Chinook salmon, SRWR 
Chinook salmon, CCV steelhead, and sDPS green sturgeon. Capture methods 
would include beach seine, fyke trap, larval net, otter trawl, midwater 
trawl, boat electrofishing, set line, and gill net. All sampling would 
follow methods and protocols designed to minimize take of listed 
species while conducting research and monitoring. For example, sampling 
gear such as gill nets would be watched closely to monitor the status 
of any fishes entangled in the net. Set times would be short 
(approximately one hour), and nets would be set in habitats that listed 
fish are unlikely to inhabit. Listed salmonids captured in the course 
of sampling would be identified, carefully measured for length and 
released. Green sturgeon would be anesthetized using MS-222, scanned 
for a presence of a PIT tag, PIT tagged if no PIT tag is present, 
tissue sampled, and allowed to recover prior to release. All fishes 
collected in any sampling gear would be handled as gently as possible 
to facilitate safe release back to the water. The researchers are not 
proposing to kill any of the fish they capture, but a small number may 
die as an unintended result of the activities.

Permit 19400

    ICF consulting has requested a five year permit to take juvenile 
CVSR Chinook salmon and SRWR Chinook salmon while conducting a study to 
investigate if longfin smelt in San Pablo Bay shift their vertical 
distribution under different environmental and biological conditions. 
Although this study principally targets longfin smelt, ESA listed 
Chinook salmon would be encountered during sampling. ICF proposes to 
collect data that would be useful to local researchers on captured and/
or photographed listed Chinook salmon, including abundance, length, and 
potentially tissue samples. Fish would be sampled using a midwater 
trawl, however the majority of tows would be conducted with only a 
video device (i.e., SmeltCam) acting as the codend. Therefore, the 
majority of take would be observe/harass. The fish camera image program 
would be able to determine the length, and thereby an estimate of the 
race/run/listing status, of salmon that pass through the net. In order 
to verify the results of the SmeltCam, some tows would be conducted 
with both the video device and a traditional codend. Physically 
captured juvenile salmonids would be placed in a bucket with aerated 
water, handled (i.e., measured to fork length and possibly fin tissue 
sampled for genetic analysis), and released. The researchers are not 
proposing to kill any of the fish they capture.
    This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA. NMFS 
will evaluate the applications, associated documents, and comments 
submitted to determine whether the applications meet 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. NMFS will publish notice of its final action in the Federal 
Register.

    Dated: July 22, 2015.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-18600 Filed 7-28-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P



                                                                           Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 145 / Wednesday, July 29, 2015 / Notices                                            45197

                                              cetaceans, and sea turtles in U.S.                       than 5 p.m. Pacific standard time on                  Applications Received
                                              territorial and international waters as                  August 28, 2015.
                                                                                                                                                             Permit 1440–2R
                                              mandated by the MMPA and ESA.                            ADDRESSES: Written comments on the
                                              These studies are conducted through                      applications should be submitted to the                  The Interagency Ecological Program
                                              ground, vessel, and aerial surveys for                   Protected Resources Division, NMFS,                   (IEP), a consortium of nine state and
                                              observation, photogrammetry, photo-                      777 Sonoma Avenue, Room 325, Santa                    federal agencies, is seeking to renew
                                              identification, biological sample                        Rosa, CA 95404. Comments may also be                  Permit 1440 for a period of five years.
                                              collection, and tagging animals.                         submitted via fax to 707–578–3435 or by               The permit would authorize IEP to take
                                              Researchers also may salvage and                         email to nmfs.swr.apps@noaa.gov                       CVSR Chinook salmon, SRWR Chinook
                                              import/export specimens and biological                   (include the permit number in the                     salmon, CCV steelhead, CCC steelhead
                                              samples of these species.                                subject line of the fax or email).                    and sDPS green sturgeon while
                                                In compliance with the National                        FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff
                                                                                                                                                             conducting 11 surveys in the San
                                              Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42                     Abrams, Santa Rosa, CA (ph.: 707–575–                 Francisco Bay-Delta region. The studies
                                              U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an initial                         6080), Fax: 707–578–3435, email:                      would examine the abundance, and
                                              determination has been made that the                     Jeff.Abrams@noaa.gov). Permit                         temporal and spatial distribution of
                                              activity proposed is categorically                       application instructions are available                various life stages of pelagic fishes of
                                              excluded from the requirement to                         from the address above, or online at                  management concern, including listed
                                              prepare an environmental assessment or                   https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov.                           species, and their food (e.g.,
                                              environmental impact statement.                                                                                zooplankton) resources, along with
                                                                                                       SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                Concurrent with the publication of                                                                           environmental conditions. These IEP
                                              this notice in the Federal Register,                     Species Covered in This Notice                        studies are intended to monitor/inform
                                              NMFS is forwarding copies of the                           The following listed species are                    the effectiveness of water operations,
                                              application to the Marine Mammal                         covered in this notice:                               aquatic habitat restoration, and fish
                                              Commission and its Committee of                            Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus                        management practices, thereby
                                              Scientific Advisors.                                     tshawytscha): Threatened California                   providing a benefit to listed fish. The 11
                                                                                                       Coastal (CC); Threatened Central Valley               studies included are: (1) Adult Striped
                                                Dated: July 23, 2015.                                                                                        Bass, a striped bass population study;
                                                                                                       spring-run (CVSR); endangered
                                              Julia Harrison,                                                                                                (2) Fall Midwater Trawl, which
                                                                                                       Sacramento River winter-run (SRWR).
                                              Chief, Permits and Conservation Division,                  Coho salmon (O. kisutch): Threatened                monitors the relative abundance of
                                              Office of Protected Resources, National                  Southern Oregon/Northern California                   native and introduced fish species; (3)
                                              Marine Fisheries Service.                                                                                      Sturgeon Tagging, a white sturgeon
                                                                                                       Coast (SONCC); endangered Central
                                              [FR Doc. 2015–18549 Filed 7–28–15; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                       California Coast (CCC).                               tagging program; (4) Summer Townet,
                                              BILLING CODE 3510–22–P                                     Steelhead (O. mykiss): Threatened                   which targets delta smelt and young-of-
                                                                                                       Northern California (NC); threatened                  the-year striped bass; (5) Estuarine and
                                                                                                       CCC; threatened California Central                    Marine Fish, a San Francisco Bay trawl
                                              DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE                                   Valley (CCV); threatened South-Central                study; (6) 20mm Survey, a study to
                                                                                                       California Coast (S–CCC); endangered                  monitor juvenile delta smelt
                                              National Oceanic and Atmospheric                                                                               distribution and relative abundance; (7)
                                                                                                       Southern California (SC).
                                              Administration                                             North American green sturgeon                       Yolo Bypass, a research effort to
                                              RIN 0648–XD989                                           (Acipenser medisrostris): Threatened                  understand fish and invertebrate use of
                                                                                                       southern distinct population segment                  the Yolo Bypass seasonal floodplain; (8)
                                              Endangered and Threatened Species;                       (sDPS).                                               Upper Estuary Zooplankton, which
                                              Take of Anadromous Fish                                    Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus):                  targets multiple zooplankters; (9) Spring
                                                                                                       Threatened sDPS.                                      Kodiak Trawl, which determines the
                                              AGENCY:   National Marine Fisheries                                                                            relative abundance and distribution of
                                              Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and                     Authority                                             spawning delta smelt; (10) Suisun
                                              Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),                          Scientific research permits are issued             Marsh Survey, monitoring to determine
                                              Commerce.                                                in accordance with section 10(a)(1)(A)                the effects of the Suisun Marsh Salinity
                                              ACTION: Applications for six new                         of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and               Control Gates operation on fish,
                                              scientific research permits, and fourteen                regulations governing listed fish and                 including listed salmonids; and (11)
                                              research permit renewals.                                wildlife permits (50 CFR parts 222–227).              Smelt Larva Survey, which provides
                                                                                                       NMFS issues permits based on findings                 distribution data for longfin smelt larvae
                                              SUMMARY:   Notice is hereby given that                   that such permits: (1) Are applied for in             in the Delta. Listed fish would be
                                              NMFS has received 20 scientific                          good faith; (2) if granted and exercised,             captured by fyke net, gill net, midwater
                                              research permit application requests                     would not operate to the disadvantage                 trawl, trammel net, hoop net, otter
                                              relating to Pacific salmon, sturgeon, and                of the listed species that are the subject            trawl, larval fish net, zooplankton net,
                                              eulachon. The proposed research is                       of the permit; and (3) are consistent                 Kodiak trawl net, rotary screw trap, and
                                              intended to increase knowledge of                        with the purposes and policy of section               beach seine. The majority of captured
                                              species listed under the Endangered                      2 of the ESA. The authority to take                   fishes would be identified to species,
                                              Species Act (ESA) and to help guide                      listed species is subject to conditions set           enumerated, measured for standard
                                              management, conservation, and                            forth in the permits.                                 length, and released. Juvenile SRWR
                                              recovery efforts. The applications may                      Anyone requesting a hearing on an                  and CVSR Chinook salmon would be
                                              be viewed online at: https://
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                       application listed in this notice should              identified using the Delta Model Length-
                                              apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/preview/preview_                      set out the specific reasons why a                    at-Date-of-Capture Table. Listed species
                                              open_for_comment.cfm.                                    hearing on that application would be                  would be processed first and released. A
                                              DATES: Comments or requests for a                        appropriate (see ADDRESSES). Such                     subsample of wild juvenile SRWR and
                                              public hearing on the applications must                  hearings are held at the discretion of the            CVSR Chinook salmon sized captures
                                              be received at the appropriate address or                Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,                would be tissue sampled for genetic
                                              fax number (see ADDRESSES) no later                      NMFS.                                                 analysis, and a subsample of hatchery


                                         VerDate Sep<11>2014   17:33 Jul 28, 2015   Jkt 235001   PO 00000   Frm 00017   Fmt 4703   Sfmt 4703   E:\FR\FM\29JYN1.SGM   29JYN1


                                              45198                        Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 145 / Wednesday, July 29, 2015 / Notices

                                              juvenile SRWR and CVSR Chinook                           Estuary (SFE); (2) occurrence and                     provide data on lagoon and upstream
                                              salmon sized captures would be                           habitat use of fishes, especially early life          habitat utilization and growth, and
                                              sacrificed (i.e., intentional directed                   history stages, within the Liberty Island             provide an assessment of trends and
                                              mortality) in order to collect coded wire                and Cache Slough Complex, (3) relative                year to year response to variations in
                                              tag data for management purposes and                     gear efficiencies for all IEP fish survey             habitat conditions; and (2) determine
                                              for stock confirmation. To reduce                        nets, and also the distribution of delta              juvenile listed salmonid abundance and
                                              handling mortality, investigators would                  smelt; (4) littoral habitat use of juvenile           growth, and provide adult life history
                                              conduct water to water transfers, use                    Chinook salmon within the Delta; (5)                  information in the lagoons. Capture
                                              fish-friendly nets, avoid handling when                  the effect of projected water operations              methods would include backpack
                                              possible, and would not release fish                     on delta smelt; (6) length at date race               electrofishing, and beach seine.
                                              from a vessel under way.                                 criteria of SRWR Chinook salmon sized                 Captured salmonids would be
                                                                                                       juvenile Chinook salmon; and (7) SRWR                 measured, and a subset of juvenile
                                              Permit 13675–2R
                                                                                                       and CVSR Chinook salmon floodplain                    captures and all adults would have scale
                                                 The Fishery Foundation of California                  usage in the Yolo bypass. These studies               samples taken, before being released at
                                              is seeking to renew permit 13675 to                      would result in capture/handle/release                the capture location. A subsample of
                                              annually take juvenile CVSR Chinook                      take, tissue sampling, and/or intentional             juvenile steelhead would also be
                                              salmon, SRWR Chinook salmon, CCV                         directed mortality. Intentional directed              marked via caudal fin clip to perform a
                                              steelhead, and sDPS green sturgeon                       mortality would apply to only juvenile                mark-recapture analysis. Scale and fin
                                              while conducting research designed to                    hatchery adipose clipped salmonids and                tissue samples would be taken from
                                              monitor the use of the Fremont Landing                   larval green sturgeon. Capture methods                adult fish carcasses. Captured live fish
                                              Conservation Bank (FLCB) at the                          would include Kodiak trawl, midwater                  would be held in flow-through live cars,
                                              confluence of the Sacramento and                         trawl, beach seine, zooplankton net,                  covered with a towel to provide shade
                                              Feather rivers in California’s Central                   larval net, gill net, fyke net, purse seine,          and cover to calm fish. Adult fish would
                                              Valley. The requested permit would                       and boat electrofishing. All listed fish              be processed and released first. In
                                              authorize take for a period of five years.               except adipose fin clipped SRWR and                   lagoons, live cars would be kept in
                                              FLCB is a restored area that provides                    CVSR Chinook salmon would be                          deeper water with cooler temperatures
                                              mitigation for impacts to listed                         immediately collected from the                        and less turbidity to prevent warming
                                              salmonid species in the Central Valley.                  sampling gears, placed in containers                  above ambient temperatures or a
                                              The proposed monitoring would                            filled with river water collected at the              decrease in dissolved oxygen. The
                                              evaluate the use of the FLCB by listed                   location being sampled, processed, held               researchers are not proposing to kill any
                                              fish, provide data directly related to                   in a recovery container filled with                   of the fish they capture, but a small
                                              success criteria described in the FLCB                   aerated river water, and subsequently                 number may die as an unintended result
                                              management plan, and benefit listed                      released at the sampled location. A fin               of the activities.
                                              fish by informing adaptive management                    tissue sample would be collected from
                                              strategies being conducted at the FLCB.                                                                        Permit 15215
                                                                                                       a subset of natural origin SRWR and
                                              The researchers would use beach seines                   CVSR Chinook salmon for stock                            The California Department of Fish
                                              and fyke nets to capture listed fish.                    determination. The purpose of                         and Wildlife (CDFW), Fisheries Branch,
                                              Once captured, all listed fish would be                  intentional mortality of hatchery origin              Fish Health Laboratory, is applying for
                                              identified to species and released. A                    (adipose clipped) SRWR and CVSR                       a permit to take endangered SRWR
                                              subsample would be measured for fork                     Chinook salmon would be to collect                    Chinook salmon, CCC coho salmon and
                                              length. No anesthesia would be used,                     coded wire tags (CWT), and up ten                     SC steelhead for a period of five years.
                                              and no additional handling procedures                    green sturgeon larvae would be killed                 The purpose of the proposed research is
                                              would be implemented. Captured fish                      during larval fish collections in order to            to investigate wild fish kills/disease
                                              would remain completely wetted at all                    identify the contents of the larval trawl             outbreaks that could occur in California
                                              times to minimize stress. Any fish                       net, which can only be achieved in the                that involve federally listed endangered
                                              exhibiting signs of physiological stress                 lab. The data provided by these studies               species. The research would benefit the
                                              would be immediately released. The                       would provide natural resource                        listed species by providing fisheries
                                              researchers are not proposing to kill any                managers real-time biological and                     managers with the necessary
                                              of the fish they capture, but some may                   population data on fishes to evaluate the             information to help alleviate future
                                              die as an unintended result of the                       effect of water operations and fish                   outbreaks of fish disease through proper
                                              research.                                                management practices within the SFE,                  management of fishery and water
                                                                                                       thereby benefiting listed fish.                       resources. The proposed research would
                                              Permit 13791–2R                                                                                                only be conducted in the event of
                                                The United States Fish and Wildlife                    Permit 14516–2R                                       elevated and unexplained endangered
                                              Service (USFWS), Stockton Fish and                          Dr. Jerry Smith, Associate Professor in            species mortality or the presence of
                                              Wildlife Office (SFWO), has requested                    the Department of Biological Sciences at              clinically diseased animals. Given such
                                              to renew Permit 13791 for a period of                    San Jose State University, is requesting              a triggering event, endangered fish
                                              four years. The permit would authorize                   to renew permit 14516 for a period of                 would be collected in any of the state
                                              SFWO to annually take juvenile and                       five years. The permit would authorize                waters of California in which a disease
                                              smolt CVSR Chinook salmon, SRWR                          Dr. Smith to annually take multiple life              outbreak/fish die-off occurred. Adult
                                              Chinook salmon, CCV steelhead, and                       stages of CCC coho salmon and CCC                     and juvenile endangered fish would be
                                              juvenile and larval sDPS green sturgeon                  steelhead while conducting two studies:               collected by hand or dip-net, as only
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                              while conducting seven research                          (1) Stream and lagoon surveys in Gazos                dead and/or moribund fish, or fish
                                              studies. The purpose of the studies is to                Creek, Waddell Creek, and Scott Creek;                displaying clinical signs of disease,
                                              evaluate/monitor the: (1) Abundance,                     and (2) lagoon surveys in Pescadero                   would be collected. Moribund or
                                              temporal and spatial distribution, and                   Creek Lagoon and San Gregorio Lagoon.                 clinically diseased fish would be
                                              survival of salmonids and other fishes                   The purpose of the studies is to: (1)                 euthanized (i.e., intentional directed
                                              in the lower Sacramento and San                          Provide an annual index of relative                   mortality). Trained CDFW pathologists
                                              Joaquin rivers and the San Francisco                     abundance for juvenile listed salmonids,              and veterinarians would assess


                                         VerDate Sep<11>2014   17:33 Jul 28, 2015   Jkt 235001   PO 00000   Frm 00018   Fmt 4703   Sfmt 4703   E:\FR\FM\29JYN1.SGM   29JYN1


                                                                           Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 145 / Wednesday, July 29, 2015 / Notices                                            45199

                                              moribund or diseased fish prior to                       CCC coho salmon, NC steelhead, CC                     maintain assemblages of native and non-
                                              euthanasia, and only fish that would                     steelhead, and SC steelhead. The                      native aquatic species in the upper SFE.
                                              likely die regardless of the actions                     purposes of the eight studies are: (1) To             This study would provide knowledge
                                              proposed by CDFW would be                                investigate the invasion history of non-              about food web and habitat support for
                                              euthanized. Necropsies would be                          listed speckled dace in the Van Duzen                 native fishes, including listed
                                              performed on dead and euthanized                         River and the Eel River, (2) to                       anadromous fish, which are suspected
                                              captured fish either in the laboratory or                investigate the invasion history of non-              of utilizing such habitats during
                                              in the field, fish would be examined for                 listed California roach in the Van Duzen              development. While listed fish are not
                                              signs of parasitic and bacterial                         River and the Eel River, (3) to develop               the target species for this study, the
                                              infections, and fin and/or internal                      an Individual Based Modeling (IBM)                    study would benefit listed fish by
                                              tissues would be collected for virology,                 approach to predict the effects of                    improving management decisions
                                              histopathology, immunological testing                    management practices on salmonid                      regarding creating additional habitat,
                                              and/or DNA testing.                                      population in Northern California, (4) to             and helping to anticipate the effects of
                                                                                                       link abiotic factors (e.g., distance to               drought and climate change on food and
                                              Permit 16274
                                                                                                       spawning ground) to the expression of                 habitat availability. Sampling would be
                                                 The Mendocino Redwood Company                         an anadromous or resident life history                conducted in three distinct regions of
                                              (MRC) is seeking to renew Permit 1181–                   for O. mykiss in the Eel River, (5) to link           the SFE: (1) The Cache-Lindsey
                                              Modification 1 for a period of five years.               the distribution and movement of                      complex, (2) the Sherman Lake complex
                                              The permit would authorize MRC to                        watershed products (e.g., wood,                       and (3) Suisun Marsh, and would take
                                              take CC Chinook salmon, SONCC coho                       sediment, and water) in tributaries and               juvenile and adult CVSR Chinook
                                              salmon, CCC coho salmon, NC                              mainstem channels to fish diversity and               salmon, SRWR Chinook Salmon, CCV
                                              steelhead, and CCC steelhead while                       abundance in Northern California rivers,              steelhead, and sDPS green sturgeon.
                                              conducting research and monitoring to                    (6) to provide managers with insights                 Capture methods would be similar for
                                              assess juvenile and adult populations of                 into the status and relatedness of                    each of these regions, and would
                                              salmonids and their distribution in                      Sacramento sucker populations in                      include otter trawling, beach seining
                                              streams within MRC’s property.                           northern California, (7) to document the              and boat electrofishing, however
                                              Research would be conducted in several                   speckled dace invasion of the Mad                     electrofishing would be suspended
                                              watersheds within Mendocino and                          River, and (8) to provide managers with               immediately upon encountering a listed
                                              northern Sonoma counties. The data                       a tool to predict the effects of                      species. All sampled fish would be
                                              gathered would benefit listed fish by                    management decisions on Santa Ana                     placed in a bucket with ambient water
                                              informing a better understanding of                      suckers in the Santa Ana River. Listed                and an aerator, examined for
                                              salmonid distribution, abundance, and                    adult and juvenile salmonids would be                 responsiveness and returned to the
                                              habitat utilization in these areas.                      observed via snorkel surveys. Listed                  water as soon as possible with a
                                              Juvenile salmonids would be captured                     juvenile salmonids would be captured                  minimum of handling, after
                                              by backpack electrofishing,                              via backpack and/or boat electrofishing               identification and length estimates were
                                              anesthetized, weighed, measured to fork                  for all eight studies, and also via beach             made. Juvenile SRWR and CVSR
                                              length, and released. A subsample of                     seine and/or fyke net for Study 6 (i.e.,              Chinook salmon would be identified
                                              juvenile salmonids would be fin clipped                  Sacramento sucker relatedness and                     using published size-at-date criteria.
                                              to mark and to collect tissue samples for                distribution). For most studies, listed               Only adult green sturgeon captures
                                              genetic analysis. Live adults and/or                     salmonids that are captured would be                  would receive additional processing
                                              juveniles would be observed via snorkel                  anesthetized, measured and/or weighed,                beyond identification and measuring for
                                              surveys and spawning surveys.                            and released. Captured fishes would be                length. Adult green sturgeon would be
                                              Carcasses would be measured and then                     held in multiple live cars to prevent                 scanned for the presence of a PIT tag,
                                              marked to ensure duplicate                               overcrowding and to maintain                          and a soft pelvic fin tissue sample
                                              measurements were not made.                              acceptable water quality conditions. In               would be collected. The researchers are
                                              Outmigrant trapping would be                             addition to capturing, handling and                   not proposing to kill any of the fish they
                                              conducted using a rotary screw trap or                   releasing fish, Study 4 (i.e. factors                 capture, but a small number may die as
                                              weir/pipe trap; captured outmigrants                     affecting the expression of an                        an unintended result of the activities.
                                              would be anesthetized, measured, and                     anadromous versus resident life history
                                              released. A subsample of outmigrants                                                                           Permit 17219
                                                                                                       in O. mykiss) would also include
                                              would be marked (dye, elastomer, or fin                  intentional directed mortality for otolith              The NMFS Southwest Fisheries
                                              clip) or Passive Integrated Transponder                  microchemical analyses. A maximum of                  Science Center, Fishery Ecology
                                              (PIT) tagged. All anesthetized fish                      four O. mykiss would be sacrificed from               Division (FED), requests a five-year
                                              would be allowed to recover in a bucket                  each of seventy sample streams                        renewal of permit 1044-Modification 4
                                              containing aerated natal water prior to                  distributed throughout the Eel River,                 for research throughout California that
                                              being released back into the stream from                 which would include both anadromous                   would include take of SRWR Chinook
                                              which they were taken. The researchers                   (listed as threatened) and resident (non-             salmon, CVSR Chinook salmon, SONCC
                                              are not proposing to kill any of the fish                listed) life history forms.                           coho salmon, CCC coho salmon, NC
                                              they capture, but a small number may                                                                           steelhead, CCC steelhead, CCV
                                                                                                       Permit 17077–2R                                       steelhead, S–CCC steelhead, SC
                                              die as an unintended result of the
                                              activities.                                                 Dr. Peter Moyle, with the University               steelhead, and juvenile sDPS green
                                                                                                       of California at Davis, Department of                 sturgeon. The proposed research would
                                              Permit 17063
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                       Wildlife, Fish and Conservation                       benefit listed fish by supporting
                                                 The United States Forest Service                      Biology, has applied for a five year                  conservation and management of listed
                                              (USFS), Redwood Sciences Laboratory                      renewal of Permit 17077 to take listed                anadromous salmonids and green
                                              is requesting to renew permit 1071 for                   species while conducting research                     sturgeon in California by directly
                                              a period of five years to perform eight                  designed to develop a better                          addressing information needs identified
                                              studies that together would take CC                      understanding of how physical habitat,                by NMFS and other agencies. FED
                                              Chinook salmon, SONCC coho salmon,                       flow and other factors interact to                    studies address priority topics identified


                                         VerDate Sep<11>2014   17:33 Jul 28, 2015   Jkt 235001   PO 00000   Frm 00019   Fmt 4703   Sfmt 4703   E:\FR\FM\29JYN1.SGM   29JYN1


                                              45200                        Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 145 / Wednesday, July 29, 2015 / Notices

                                              in NMFS technical recovery team                          salmon escapement in the mainstem                     crews would observe listed salmonids
                                              reports, NMFS recovery plans, joint                      Klamath River from Iron Gate dam to                   during snorkel surveys and spawning
                                              programs such as the California Coastal                  the Shasta River confluence, (4) coho                 surveys. Crews would avoid walking in
                                              Monitoring Program developed by                          salmon escapement between Iron Gate                   suitable spawning habitats (e.g., riffle
                                              NMFS and CDFW, and state programs                        Dam and the Indian Creek confluence,                  crests). Listed salmonids would be
                                              such as the Fisheries Restoration Grant                  and (5) long-term salmonid disease                    captured by various capture methods
                                              Program. Research objectives of specific                 incidence in the lower Klamath River.                 including backpack electrofishing, kick
                                              proposed studies include: (1) Estimating                 Trained AFWO crews would conduct                      net sampling, rotary screw trapping,
                                              population abundance and dynamics;                       redd surveys, on foot and from rafts,                 v-notch weir outmigrant trapping, and
                                              (2) evaluating factors affecting growth,                 which could observe/harass spawning                   minnow trapping. Most captured fish
                                              survival, and life-history; (3) assessing                SONCC coho salmon. Crews would                        would be measured and released. A
                                              life-stage specific habitat use and                      spend minimal time around redds and                   subsample of captured fish would be
                                              movement; (4) collecting data necessary                  avoid walking on redds. Trained AFWO                  anesthetized, then marked via dorsal fin
                                              to construct various types of models                     crews would also capture juvenile                     clip, fin tissue sampled, scale sampled,
                                              (e.g., population, life-cycle,                           SONCC coho salmon using rotary-screw                  and/or PIT tagged. Anesthetized
                                              bioenergetics, and habitat-use models);                  traps, frame nets, and beach seines.                  individuals would be allowed to recover
                                              (5) determining genetic structure of                     Traps would be thoroughly cleaned at                  in mesh containers placed in the stream
                                              populations; (6) evaluating the effects of               least once a day. Juvenile coho salmon                channel prior to release. Data collected
                                              activities such as water management                      would be held in aerated holding                      would be used to document long-term
                                              and habitat restoration on populations;                  buckets filled with fresh river water                 population trends and better understand
                                              and (7) developing improved sampling                     then anesthetized, measured for fork                  the potential impacts on the covered
                                              and monitoring methods.                                  length, weighed, and released back into               species and their habitats that may
                                                 Research and take would involve                       the river. There would be some                        result from AHCP covered activities.
                                              various life stages (juvenile, smolt,                    intentional mortality of hatchery                     The researchers are not proposing to kill
                                              adult, and carcass). Listed fish would be                juvenile coho salmon for disease                      any of the fish they capture, but a small
                                              observed during spawning surveys, and                    analysis. Aside from these hatchery fish,             number may die as an unintended result
                                              captured by electrofishing, beach seine,                 the researchers are not proposing to kill             of the activities.
                                              rotary screw trap, and/or hook-and-line.                 any of the fish they capture, but a small
                                              The majority of captured fish would be                                                                         Permit 17396
                                                                                                       number may die as an unintended result
                                              anesthetized, measured to fork length,                   of the activities. The proposed studies                  The USFWS, Anadromous Fish
                                              and released. A subsample of captured                    would benefit listed coho salmon by                   Restoration Program (AFRP) has applied
                                              fish would be further sampled by                         informing the AFWO goal to develop                    for a five year permit to take listed fish
                                              collection of scales, fin clips, gill clips              conservation strategies for aquatic                   while conducting research designed to:
                                              or stomach contents; and/or marking or                   resources and to evaluate the success of              (1) Provide data necessary to evaluate
                                              tagging including fin tissue clips, PIT                  aquatic habitat restoration efforts that              the effectiveness of AFRP restoration
                                              tags, elastomer tags, acoustic tags, or                  will lead to the recovery and                         projects, including appraisal of
                                              radio tags. Species care after capture                   conservation of fish populations and                  spawning gravel augmentation, in-
                                              would include use of aerated buckets or                  fisheries in northern California.                     channel and floodplain habitat
                                              live cars for holding and recovery, and                                                                        enhancement actions, and water
                                              minimization of handling time. The                       Permit 17351                                          allocation/flow regime alteration
                                              majority of fish captured would be                          The Green Diamond Resource                         actions; and (2) provide reconnaissance-
                                              released alive at their point of capture                 Company (GDRC) has applied for a five                 level population and biological data on
                                              following recovery from handling.                        year renewal of research permit 1060-                 contemporary anadromous fish
                                              However, in limited cases some fish                      Modification 1 to take listed salmonids               population patterns within the Central
                                              would be: (1) Retained in enclosures in                  while conducting research and                         Valley of California, in order to
                                              streams for short-term growth and                        monitoring under an existing Aquatic                  prioritize and select future restoration
                                              survival experiments and then released,                  Habitat Conservation Plan (AHCP). The                 projects to benefit anadromous
                                              or (2) euthanized for analysis of otoliths               AHCP, which was approved in 2007 and                  salmonids. All AFRP restoration
                                              and/or parasitological/pathological                      is valid until 2057, identifies potential             monitoring projects would serve to
                                              studies of parasites and diseases of wild                threats to three listed fish species that             benefit anadromous salmonids by
                                              juvenile steelhead.                                      may result from GDRC’s timber harvest                 providing data on restoration project
                                                                                                       activities and describes minimization                 effectiveness, and providing valuable
                                              Permit 17272                                             and mitigation measures and                           information relating to adaptive
                                                The USFWS, Arcata Fish and Wildlife                    effectiveness monitoring to address                   management procedures. Take of listed
                                              Office Fisheries Program (AFWO) is                       potential threats. The requested take                 species including various life stages of
                                              seeking to renew permit 1068-                            limits would allow for implementation                 CVSR Chinook salmon, CCV steelhead,
                                              Modification 2 for a period of five years.               of monitoring and research activities in              and sDPS green sturgeon would result
                                              The requested permit would authorize                     several northern California watersheds                from activities in the following five
                                              AFWO to take multiple life stages of                     including the Winchuk River, Smith                    proposed projects: (1) Bobcat flat
                                              hatchery and wild SONCC coho salmon                      River, Lower Klamath basin tributaries,               restoration effectiveness monitoring in
                                              via monitoring and research activities in                Mad River, Little River, several                      the lower Tuolumne River; (2) adult
                                              Northwest California. Five studies are                   Humboldt Bay tributaries, and Eel River.              sturgeon acoustic telemetry in the lower
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                              proposed, the purposes of which are to                   The three species identified which                    San Joaquin basin; (3) San Joaquin River
                                              monitor: (1) Chinook salmon fry                          would be taken as a direct result of this             sturgeon spawning habitat assessment;
                                              production and disease incidence in the                  monitoring are CC Chinook salmon,                     (4) steelhead sampling and acoustic
                                              Klamath River below Iron Gate dam, (2)                   SONCC coho salmon, and NC steelhead.                  tracking in the lower Stanislaus,
                                              Chinook salmon escapement in the                         Research and take would involve                       Tuolumne and Merced Rivers; and (5)
                                              mainstem Klamath River below the                         various life stages (fry, juvenile, smolt,            fish reconnaissance in the San Joaquin
                                              Shasta River confluence, (3) Chinook                     adult, and carcass). Trained GDRC                     River system. Observe/harass take


                                         VerDate Sep<11>2014   17:33 Jul 28, 2015   Jkt 235001   PO 00000   Frm 00020   Fmt 4703   Sfmt 4703   E:\FR\FM\29JYN1.SGM   29JYN1


                                                                           Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 145 / Wednesday, July 29, 2015 / Notices                                           45201

                                              would result from snorkel surveys.                       HRC’s fisheries program’s general goal,               period of five years to monitor the
                                              Capture methods would include beach                      which is to determine the occurrence,                 effects of current management actions
                                              seine, trammel nets, gill nets, fyke nets,               distribution, population and habitat                  related to the Northwest Forest Plan’s
                                              hook-and-line, egg mats, benthic d-nets,                 conditions of anadromous fishes on                    Aquatic Conservation Strategy on
                                              and boat and backpack electrofishing.                    HRC lands as well as to monitor,                      anadromous salmonids and their
                                              The majority of captured listed fish                     protect, restore and enhance the                      habitats. In order to monitor land
                                              would be handled and released; a                         anadromous fishery resources in                       management actions and implement the
                                              subsample of captures would be                           watersheds owned by HRC. The                          Northwest Forest Plan in northern
                                              anesthetized, scale sampled, fin clipped                 researchers are not proposing to kill any             California, BLM needs to obtain updated
                                              (to mark and to collect fin tissue for                   of the fish they capture, but a small                 information on fish distribution and
                                              genetic analysis), acoustic tagged, and/                 number may die as an unintended result                habitat. Sampling would occur in
                                              or subject to intentional directed                       of the activities.                                    various watersheds, including the
                                              mortality. Green sturgeon eggs (n = 100)                                                                       Mattole River, Eel River, Lost Coast
                                                                                                       Permit 17877
                                              and larvae (n = 5) would be                                                                                    region tributaries to the Pacific Ocean,
                                              intentionally sacrificed, which would be                   The United States Bureau of                         and Humboldt Bay tributaries. Take of
                                              necessary to provide voucher tissue                      Reclamation (BOR) is requesting to                    CC Chinook salmon, SONCC coho
                                              specimens, and would benefit the                         renew Permit 1072—Modification 2 for                  salmon, and NC steelhead would result
                                              species by providing critical                            a period of five years. BOR is applying               from this monitoring and research. The
                                              information on green sturgeon spawning                   for this permit as a contingent of the                preponderance of requested take would
                                              habitat. To minimize physiological                       Trinity River Restoration Program                     result from spawning surveys, snorkel
                                              stress, all sturgeon would be held in a                  (TRRP), an inter-agency partnership of                surveys, and presence/absence surveys
                                              net pen submerged in river or with                       the BOR, USFWS, Hoopa Valley Tribe,                   from the bank, all of which would result
                                              flowing water through their gills while                  Yurok Tribe, CDFW, Trinity County,                    in observe/harass take of juvenile and/
                                              waiting to be handled. All listed                        USFS, NMFS, and the California                        or adult salmonids. Capture methods
                                              salmonids would be immediately                           Department of Water Resources. The                    that would take juvenile salmonids
                                              collected from the sampling gears,                       TRRP benefits listed species by                       include backpack electrofishing and
                                              placed in five gallon buckets filled with                conducting large-scale channel                        beach seine. A small number of
                                              fresh river water from the location being                restoration and habitat restoration                   salmonid fry may also be captured
                                              sampled, processed, held in another                      activities in the Trinity River mainstem              during kick net activities intended to
                                              container filled with fresh river water                  and watershed as a means of restoring                 sample invertebrates. Electrofishing
                                              for recovery, and subsequently released                  declining fishery resources. The                      would be used only when stream
                                              in the sampled location. The new                         following six specific studies are                    conditions prohibit less invasive
                                              information on these species generated                   proposed: (1) Trinity River juvenile                  sampling methods, and electrofishing
                                              by these projects would help prioritize                  salmonid outmigrant monitoring, (2)                   activities would follow the NMFS 2000
                                              future restoration projects, thus                        juvenile Chinook salmon density                       Electrofishing Guidelines. Personnel
                                              benefiting listed species.                               monitoring, (3) Trinity River Chinook                 handling fish would have wet hands
                                                                                                       salmon redd and carcass survey, (4)                   and experience in fish handling. After
                                              Permit 17867                                             Trinity River invasive brown trout                    length measurements were complete,
                                                 The Humboldt Redwood Company                          predation on coho investigation, (5)                  fish would be placed in a bucket of
                                              (HRC) is seeking to renew permit 1074-                   Trinity River juvenile coho salmon                    freshwater for longer than 30 minutes to
                                              Modification 1 for a period of five years.               ecology study, and (6) watershed                      allow for recovery prior to being
                                              The permit would authorize HRC to take                   rehabilitation/research. The requested                released. Recovering fish would be kept
                                              juvenile and adult CC Chinook salmon,                    permit would authorize BOR to take                    in cool, shaded, aerated water and
                                              SONCC coho salmon and NC steelhead                       juvenile, smolt, adult and carcasses of               would not be overcrowded. This
                                              while conducting research and                            SONCC coho salmon via: (1)                            research would benefit listed fish by
                                              monitoring that satisfies two objectives:                Observation/harassment by way of                      informing adaptive management
                                              (1) To comply with CDFW’s Restorable                     snorkel surveys, hand netting that                    strategies intended to aid in the
                                              Class I policy by sampling reaches                       specifically targets other species, and               recovery of at-risk anadromous
                                              through snorkel and electrofishing                       spawning surveys; and (2) capture by                  salmonids. The researchers are not
                                              methods to identify Class I habitat                      rotary screw trap, boat electrofishing,               proposing to kill any of the fish they
                                              within proposed timber harvest plans,                    hook-and-line, beach seine, fyke net, or              capture, but a small number may die as
                                              and (2) to monitor fish occupancy                        minnow trapping. Fin tissue samples                   an unintended result of the activities.
                                              trends at the reach, sub basin, watershed                would be collected from carcasses. The
                                              and HRC property level over time by                      majority of captured juvenile coho                    Permit 18012
                                              repeated snorkel surveys at index and                    salmon would be anesthetized,                            The CDFW, Bay Delta Region (Region
                                              randomly selected reaches. Adult and                     measured to fork length and released,                 III), requests a five year renewal of
                                              juvenile salmonids would be observed                     but a subsample would also be PIT                     permit 10094 to authorize take related to
                                              during snorkel surveys, and juvenile                     tagged. Tagged fish would be held in                  two research projects, the Watershed
                                              salmonids would be captured by                           recovery pens post tagging to monitor                 Restoration Project (WRP) and the
                                              backpack electrofishing. Snorkel                         and enhance post-tagging health. The                  Fisheries Management Project (FMP),
                                              surveys would be the preferred method                    researchers are not proposing to kill any             designed to assess and restore the
                                              of detecting presence/absence of fish                    of the fish they capture, but a small                 productivity of CC Chinook salmon,
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                              species. Captured fish would be                          number may die as an unintended result                CCC coho salmon, NC steelhead, CCC
                                              identified, and transported upstream of                  of the activities.                                    steelhead, and S–CCC steelhead in
                                              the project area. All captured specimens                                                                       Sonoma, Mendocino, Napa, Marin, San
                                              would be kept in aerated buckets,                        Permit 17916                                          Mateo, Santa Cruz and Monterey
                                              observed closely, and not released until                   The Bureau of Land Management                       counties in north central California.
                                              fully recovered. The proposed                            (BLM), Arcata Field Office, is seeking to             Program staff would accomplish this
                                              monitoring would help to achieve                         renew permit 1088-Modificaiton 1 for a                goal by conducting habitat and


                                         VerDate Sep<11>2014   17:33 Jul 28, 2015   Jkt 235001   PO 00000   Frm 00021   Fmt 4703   Sfmt 4703   E:\FR\FM\29JYN1.SGM   29JYN1


                                              45202                        Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 145 / Wednesday, July 29, 2015 / Notices

                                              salmonid surveys to determine potential                  (1) To assess trends in the condition of              future decisions regarding recovery
                                              limiting factors and stock status in order               ecosystems inside and outside of                      actions. Fish populations would be
                                              to identify the specific measures and                    MPA’s, (2) to evaluate the effects of                 monitored in many tributaries of the
                                              actions needed to protect and increase                   specific MPA design criteria such as                  Russian River watershed and several
                                              production of listed salmonids.                          MPA size and distance between MPAs,                   methods that could observe/harass and/
                                              Proposed studies include: (1) Juvenile                   and (3) to evaluate the effect of visitors            or capture fish would be employed,
                                              salmonid occurrence, distribution and                    on MPAs. The project would contribute                 including: Snorkel surveys, spawning
                                              habitat monitoring; (2) adult salmonid                   to the goals of the monitoring enterprise             surveys, redd surveys, downstream
                                              occurrence, passage, and distribution;                   by describing the baseline biological                 migrant trapping (pipe/funnel trap),
                                              (3) spawning ground surveys; (4) life                    community in four northern California                 minnow trapping, operation of PIT tag
                                              cycle station monitoring; and (5)                        estuaries: (1) Mad River Estuary in                   detection systems (i.e., PIT tag arrays
                                              juvenile steelhead lagoon beach seining.                 Humboldt County, (2) South Humboldt                   and PIT tag wand surveys), and
                                              Listed fish would be observed/harassed                   Bay State Marine Recreational                         backpack electrofishing. Handling of
                                              during snorkel surveys, spawning                         Management Area in Humboldt County,                   live fish captured in traps or during
                                              surveys, carcass surveys, and by the use                 (3) Ten Mile Estuary State Marine                     electrofishing surveys would include
                                              of electronic counting stations (i.e.,                   Conservation Area (SMCA) in                           anesthetization, measuring for fork
                                              DIDSON camera, Vaki Riverwatcher                         Mendocino County, and (4) Big River                   length, scanning for CWT and PIT tags,
                                              and/or video weir). Listed salmonids                     Estuary SMCA in Mendocino County.                     fin tissue sampling, scale sampling, PIT
                                              would be captured using backpack                         Sampling related to this project may                  tagging, and/or gastric lavage. Adult
                                              electrofishing, beach seining, rotary                    take juvenile and smolt CC Chinook                    salmonid carcasses encountered during
                                              screw traps, fyke/pipe traps, and                        salmon, SONCC coho salmon, CCC coho                   spawning surveys would be scanned for
                                              potentially adults may be captured                       salmon, NC steelhead, and adult sDPS                  PIT tags, measured, fin clipped, scale
                                              using a resistance board weir. When                      eulachon. Beach seines and fyke nets                  sampled, and otoliths would be
                                              electrofishing, the avoidance and impact                 would be used to capture fish whereby                 extracted. All live fish would be
                                              minimization measures outlined in the                    take (i.e., capture/handle/release) of                released back into the stream following
                                              NMFS 2000 electrofishing guidelines                      listed salmonids would occur. Handling                recovery in aerated buckets of cold
                                              would be followed. The majority of                       would consist of identifying and                      water. Specific measures that would be
                                              juvenile captures would be handled                       measuring fish to fork length. To ensure              taken to reduce the risk of injury or
                                              (measured for fork length and weighed),                  that handled fish would experience                    mortality to fish include following the
                                              and released. A subset of juvenile                       minimal adverse effects as a result of the            NMFS 2000 Electrofishing Guidelines,
                                              salmonid captures would be                               sampling process, fish would be                       minimizing the time that fish are
                                              anesthetized, fin tissue sampled to                      allowed to recover briefly either in live             handled, placing potential predators in
                                              collect tissue for genetic analysis, scale               wells or in shaded, aerated buckets. The              separate holding buckets, running
                                              sampled, marked with an upper caudal                     researchers are not proposing to kill any             aerators in buckets, avoiding
                                              fin clip, and/or PIT tagged. Only healthy                of the fish they capture, but a small                 overcrowding in buckets, changing
                                              fish with no signs of stress or injury                   number may die as an unintended result                water in the anesthesia bucket
                                              would be subjected to marking or                         of the activities.                                    frequently, placing a thermometer in
                                              tagging. All fish would be allowed to                                                                          holding buckets and replacing water
                                                                                                       Permit 18937
                                              recover fully and would be observed                                                                            frequently if the temperatures are rising,
                                              carefully for injury prior to release.                     The Scripps Institution of                          wetting measuring boards and weigh
                                              Captured adult salmonids would be                        Oceanography, University of California,               pans, processing listed species first,
                                              handled (i.e., identified, measured,                     San Diego, California Sea Grant (CSG)                 checking traps at least once per day and
                                              weighed, and scale and tissue samples                    College Program is seeking a five year                more frequently in high flow or windy
                                              taken), tagged (bi-colored Floy tags and/                permit to annually take listed CC                     conditions, and placing flow deflectors
                                              or opercular-hole-punched) and                           Chinook salmon, CCC coho salmon, and                  inside the trap box to provide refugia for
                                              released upstream of the weir. All fish                  CCC steelhead while monitoring the                    fish. The researchers are not proposing
                                              handled would be held in clean and                       status and trends of listed salmonids in              to kill any of the fish they capture, but
                                              decontaminated containers that are                       the Russian River watershed. CSG is                   a small number may die as an
                                              supplied with cool, aerated water and                    proposing to collect data to estimate                 unintended result of the activities.
                                              would be released back into the stream                   population metrics such as abundance,
                                                                                                       survival, growth, and spatial                         Permit 19121
                                              reach from which they were collected
                                              after recovery. Implementation of these                  distribution of multiple life stages of                  The United States Geological Survey,
                                              activities under the WRP and the FMP                     salmonids, and relate them to different               California Water Survey has applied for
                                              would benefit listed species by                          recovery actions including hatchery                   a five year permit for take associated
                                              informing recommendations on                             releases, habitat enhancement projects,               with completing two main objectives:
                                              proposed habitat restoration projects                    and stream flow improvement projects.                 (1) To examine research applications of
                                              and by determining the impacts of                        Data collection would be designed to                  the SmeltCam that have been developed
                                              various management actions. The                          meet four specific study objectives: (1)              and coordinated with the IEP, and (2) to
                                              researchers are not proposing to kill any                Evaluation of the Russian River Coho                  provide fisheries science support for the
                                              of the fish they capture, but a small                    Salmon Captive Broodstock Program, (2)                BOR’s compliance with Biological
                                              number may die as an unintended result                   implementation of the California Coastal              Opinions. The studies are intended to:
                                              of the activities.                                       Salmonid Monitoring Plan, (3)                         (1) Provide new quantitative data
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                       comparing juvenile coho salmon                        addressing the potential benefits of
                                              Permit 18712                                             oversummer survival with stream flow,                 habitat restoration to the SFE and Delta
                                                H.T. Harvey & Associates has                           and (4) evaluation of habitat                         ecosystem and its native fish
                                              requested a permit to complete a project                 enhancement projects. The four                        populations, and (2) determine the
                                              that is intended to meet three Marine                    proposed studies would provide                        vertical and lateral distribution of delta
                                              Protected Area (MPA) monitoring goals                    resource agencies with valuable                       smelt, and the continued evaluation and
                                              set by the MPA Monitoring Enterprise:                    information that would help guide                     application of SmeltCam technology for


                                         VerDate Sep<11>2014   17:33 Jul 28, 2015   Jkt 235001   PO 00000   Frm 00022   Fmt 4703   Sfmt 4703   E:\FR\FM\29JYN1.SGM   29JYN1


                                                                           Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 145 / Wednesday, July 29, 2015 / Notices                                                  45203

                                              studies of delta smelt and other fishes.                 salmon that pass through the net. In                    These documents are also available
                                              The results of these studies are expected                order to verify the results of the                    upon written request or by appointment
                                              to provide net benefits to listed species                SmeltCam, some tows would be                          in the Permits and Conservation
                                              by improving our understanding of their                  conducted with both the video device                  Division, Office of Protected Resources,
                                              ecology and habitat use, and by                          and a traditional codend. Physically                  NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room
                                              informing the development of new                         captured juvenile salmonids would be                  13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone
                                              research tools that can guide                            placed in a bucket with aerated water,                (301) 427–8401; fax (301) 713–0376.
                                              management decisions and habitat                         handled (i.e., measured to fork length
                                              restoration actions. Sampling would be                   and possibly fin tissue sampled for                     Written comments on this application
                                              conducted in Suisun Bay, and would                       genetic analysis), and released. The                  should be submitted to the Chief,
                                              take multiple life stages of CVSR                        researchers are not proposing to kill any             Permits and Conservation Division, at
                                              Chinook salmon, SRWR Chinook                             of the fish they capture.                             the address listed above. Comments may
                                              salmon, CCV steelhead, and sDPS green                       This notice is provided pursuant to                also be submitted by facsimile to (301)
                                              sturgeon. Capture methods would                          section 10(c) of the ESA. NMFS will                   713–0376, or by email to
                                              include beach seine, fyke trap, larval                   evaluate the applications, associated                 NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Please
                                              net, otter trawl, midwater trawl, boat                   documents, and comments submitted to                  include the File No. in the subject line
                                              electrofishing, set line, and gill net. All              determine whether the applications                    of the email comment.
                                              sampling would follow methods and                        meet the requirements of section 10(a)                  Those individuals requesting a public
                                              protocols designed to minimize take of                   of the ESA and Federal regulations. The               hearing should submit a written request
                                              listed species while conducting research                 final permit decisions will not be made               to the Chief, Permits and Conservation
                                              and monitoring. For example, sampling                    until after the end of the 30-day                     Division at the address listed above. The
                                              gear such as gill nets would be watched                  comment period. NMFS will publish
                                                                                                                                                             request should set forth the specific
                                              closely to monitor the status of any                     notice of its final action in the Federal
                                                                                                                                                             reasons why a hearing on this
                                              fishes entangled in the net. Set times                   Register.
                                                                                                                                                             application would be appropriate.
                                              would be short (approximately one                           Dated: July 22, 2015.
                                              hour), and nets would be set in habitats                 Angela Somma,                                         FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                              that listed fish are unlikely to inhabit.                Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office            Amy Hapeman or Brendan Hurley, (301)
                                              Listed salmonids captured in the course                  of Protected Resources, National Marine               427–8401.
                                              of sampling would be identified,                         Fisheries Service.
                                              carefully measured for length and                                                                              SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:     The
                                                                                                       [FR Doc. 2015–18600 Filed 7–28–15; 8:45 am]           subject permit is requested under the
                                              released. Green sturgeon would be                        BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
                                              anesthetized using MS–222, scanned for                                                                         authority of the Endangered Species Act
                                              a presence of a PIT tag, PIT tagged if no                                                                      of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C.
                                              PIT tag is present, tissue sampled, and                                                                        1531 et seq.) and the regulations
                                                                                                       DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
                                              allowed to recover prior to release. All                                                                       governing the taking, importing, and
                                              fishes collected in any sampling gear                    National Oceanic and Atmospheric                      exporting of endangered and threatened
                                              would be handled as gently as possible                   Administration                                        species (50 CFR parts 222–226).
                                              to facilitate safe release back to the                                                                            The SWFSC requests a five-year
                                                                                                       RIN 0648–XE042
                                              water. The researchers are not proposing                                                                       research permit proposes to continue
                                              to kill any of the fish they capture, but                Endangered Species; File No. 18238                    long-term monitoring of resident green
                                              a small number may die as an                                                                                   sea turtles in southern California to
                                              unintended result of the activities.                     AGENCY:  National Marine Fisheries
                                                                                                       Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and                  characterize population structure,
                                              Permit 19400                                             Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),                    foraging ecology, and migration
                                                 ICF consulting has requested a five                   Commerce.                                             patterns. Up to 60 green, five olive
                                              year permit to take juvenile CVSR                                                                              ridley, and five loggerhead sea turtles
                                                                                                       ACTION: Notice; receipt of application.
                                              Chinook salmon and SRWR Chinook                                                                                would be captured annually using
                                              salmon while conducting a study to                       SUMMARY:    Notice is hereby given that               entanglement, seine, or dip net and have
                                              investigate if longfin smelt in San Pablo                NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science                      the following procedures performed
                                              Bay shift their vertical distribution                    Center (SWFSC), 8901 La Jolla Shore                   before release: photography/video;
                                              under different environmental and                        Dr., La Jolla, CA 92037, [Responsible                 temporary marking the carapace; flipper
                                              biological conditions. Although this                     Party: Lisa Ballance, Ph.D.], has applied             tagging and passive integrated
                                              study principally targets longfin smelt,                 in due form for a permit to take green                transponder tagging; ultrasound;
                                              ESA listed Chinook salmon would be                       (Chelonia mydas), loggerhead (Caretta                 morphometrics; tetracycline injection;
                                              encountered during sampling. ICF                         caretta), and olive ridley (Lepidochelys              biological sampling; cloacal and oral
                                              proposes to collect data that would be                   olivacea) sea turtles for purposes of                 swabbing; lavage; and up two
                                              useful to local researchers on captured                  scientific research.                                  transmitter attachments. Animals with
                                              and/or photographed listed Chinook                       DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email                   transmitters may be surveyed and
                                              salmon, including abundance, length,                     comments must be received on or before                tracked by vessel after release. The
                                              and potentially tissue samples. Fish                     August 28, 2015.                                      permit would be valid for five years
                                              would be sampled using a midwater                        ADDRESSES: The application and related                from the date of issuance.
                                              trawl, however the majority of tows                      documents are available for review by
                                                                                                                                                               Dated: July 23, 2015.
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                              would be conducted with only a video                     selecting ‘‘Records Open for Public
                                              device (i.e., SmeltCam) acting as the                    Comment’’ from the Features box on the                Julia Harrison,
                                              codend. Therefore, the majority of take                  Applications and Permits for Protected                Chief, Permits and Conservation Division,
                                              would be observe/harass. The fish                        Species (APPS) home page, https://                    Office of Protected Resources, National
                                              camera image program would be able to                    apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting                Marine Fisheries Service.
                                              determine the length, and thereby an                     File No. 18238 from the list of available             [FR Doc. 2015–18551 Filed 7–28–15; 8:45 am]
                                              estimate of the race/run/listing status, of              applications.                                         BILLING CODE 3510–22–P




                                         VerDate Sep<11>2014   17:33 Jul 28, 2015   Jkt 235001   PO 00000   Frm 00023   Fmt 4703   Sfmt 9990   E:\FR\FM\29JYN1.SGM   29JYN1



Document Created: 2015-12-15 13:05:28
Document Modified: 2015-12-15 13:05:28
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionApplications for six new scientific research permits, and fourteen research permit renewals.
DatesComments or requests for a public hearing on the applications
ContactJeff Abrams, Santa Rosa, CA (ph.: 707- 575-6080), Fax: 707-578-3435, email: [email protected]). Permit
FR Citation80 FR 45197 
RIN Number0648-XD98

2024 Federal Register | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy
USC | CFR | eCFR