82 FR 13436 - Threatened Species: Take of Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 47 (March 13, 2017)

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has issued Stillwater Sciences one section 10(a)1(A) scientific enhancement permit (permit 20085) for conducting invasive species removal from a south-central California watershed (Chorro Creek). Authorized activities within the permit are expected to affect the threatened South Central California Coast (SCCC) Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 47 (Monday, March 13, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13436-13437]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-04870]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF261


Threatened Species: Take of Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

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

ACTION: Issuance of one U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 
10(a)1(A) scientific enhancement permit (permit 20085).

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has issued Stillwater 
Sciences one section 10(a)1(A) scientific enhancement permit (permit 
20085) for conducting invasive species removal from a south-central 
California watershed (Chorro Creek). Authorized activities within the 
permit are expected to affect the threatened South Central California 
Coast (SCCC) Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of steelhead 
(Oncorhynchus mykiss).

ADDRESSES: The permit application, the permit, and other related 
documents are available for review, by appointment, at the foregoing 
address: California Coastal Office, 501 West Ocean Boulevard, Suite 
4200, Long Beach, California 90802 (phone: 562-980-4026, fax: 562-980-
4027, email at: [email protected]

[[Page 13437]]

noaa.gov. The permit application is also available for review at the 
Authorizations and Permits for Protected Species Web site: https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/search/search.cfm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matt McGoogan at 562-980-4026, or 
email: noaa.gov">[email protected]noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Species Covered in This Notice

    Threatened SCCC steelhead.

Authority

    Scientific research and enhancement permits are issued in 
accordance with section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 et. 
seq.) and regulations governing listed fish and wildlife permits (50 
CFR 222-227). NMFS issues a section 10(a)1(A) permit based on findings 
that the permit is (1) applied for in good faith, (2) would not operate 
to the disadvantage of the listed species which is the subject of the 
permit, and (3) consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in 
section 2 of the ESA. Authority to take listed species is subject to 
conditions set forth in the permit.

Permit Issued

    A receipt of application notice for Permit 20085 was published in 
the Federal Register on July 21, 2016 (81 FR 47359), providing 30 days 
for public comment prior to permit processing. No comments were 
received. Permit 20085 was issued to Stillwater Sciences on October 31, 
2016.
    Permit 20085 authorizes take of threatened SCCC steelhead in 
association with enhancement activities involving the removal of 
Sacramento pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus grandis) from the Chorro Creek 
watershed in San Luis Obispo County, California. The primary objectives 
of the enhancement effort involve: (1) Determining the distribution, 
abundance, size, and age structures of both pikeminnow and steelhead in 
the watershed; (2) eliminating pikeminnow from the watershed; (3) 
developing a plan for long-term pikeminnow management in the watershed; 
and (4) documenting changes in steelhead abundance and distribution in 
response to pikeminnow removal. Proposed enhancement activities 
include: (1) Conducting snorkel surveys to assess abundance and 
distribution of pikeminnow and steelhead; (2) using backpack 
electrofishing equipment, seines, hook-and-line sampling, and 
spearfishing to capture pikeminnow; (3) measuring the weight and length 
of juvenile steelhead collected during sampling activities; (4) 
returning the collected steelhead alive and unharmed to Chorro Creek; 
and (5) humanely euthanizing and disposing pikeminnow.
    Permit 20085 authorized field activities associated with the 
enhancement effort to begin on October 31, 2016 (the date the permit 
was issued), and ceases authorization of the subject activities when 
the permit expires on December 31, 2020. The annual take of threatened 
SCCC steelhead that permit 20085 authorizes Stillwater Sciences for the 
subject enhancement effort is as follows: (1) Non-lethal capture and 
release of up to 1,500 juvenile steelhead while electrofishing, (2) 
non-lethal capture and release of up to 150 juvenile steelhead while 
seining, (3) non-lethal capture and release up to 5 juvenile steelhead 
while hook-and-line fishing, and (4) non-lethal observation of up to 
2,000 juvenile and 10 adult steelhead during instream snorkel surveys. 
The potential annual unintentional lethal take permit 20085 authorizes 
is up to 33 juvenile steelhead. Overall, no intentional lethal take of 
steelhead is authorized or expected as a result of these enhancement 
activities.
    The subject scientific enhancement activities that permit 20085 
authorize are expected to support steelhead recovery in the Chorro 
Creek watershed and are consistent with recommendations and objectives 
outlined in NMFS' South Central California Steelhead Recovery Plan. See 
the application for and issued permit 20085 for greater details on the 
associated scientific enhancement activities and related methodology 
authorized with this permit.

    Dated: March 8, 2017.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-04870 Filed 3-10-17; 8:45 am]
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