SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

ESA-Listed Species Covered in This Notice

Lower Columbia River Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): Threatened, naturally and artificially propagated

Middle Columbia River Steelhead (O. mykiss): Threatened, naturally and artificially propagated

Lower Columbia River Steelhead (O. mykiss): Threatened, naturally and artificially propagated

Lower Columbia River Coho Salmon (O. kisutch): Threatened, naturally and artificially propagated

Columbia River Chum Salmon (O. keta): Threatened, naturally and artificially propagated

Background

Section 9 of the ESA and Federal regulations prohibit the “taking” of a species listed as endangered or threatened. The term “take” is defined under the ESA to mean harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct. NMFS may make exceptions to the take prohibitions in section 9 of the ESA for programs that are approved by NMFS under the 4(d) Rule (50 CFR 223.203(b)(6)).

The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation Oregon and the Oregon Department of Fish and Game (ODFW) have submitted HGMPs for two programs in the Hood River—spring Chinook salmon and winter steelhead—under Limit 6 of the 4(d) Rule; these programs are funded by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), and are evaluated in the PEPD. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife submitted the Touchet River Endemic Summer Steelhead HGMP under Limit 5 of the 4(d) Rule. The ODFW submitted the Umatilla River Summer Steelhead HGMP, the Round Butte Hatchery Spring Chinook Salmon, and the Round Butte Hatchery Summer Steelhead programs in the Deschutes River under Limit 5 of the 4(d) Rule. The Umatilla Hatchery program, as well as a small proportion of the Round Butte Hatchery programs, is funded by the BPA, with the remainder of these programs funded by Portland General Electric.

Prior to making a final determination on the submitted plans, NMFS must take comments on how the HGMPs address the criteria in Limit 5 or Limit 6, as applicable, of the 4(d) Rule. NMFS is also taking comments on the evaluation in the draft EA of the effects of NMFS' pending decisions.

The submitted HGMPs describe the hatchery programs along with the associated monitoring and evaluation activities. The programs integrate natural-origin adult into the broodstock to supplement natural salmon populations (the exception is the Round Butte Spring Chinook Salmon program that only uses returning hatchery adults for broodstock). The programs are intended to provide fishing opportunities for tribes and states, mitigate for fish losses caused by the construction and operation of the dams on the Lower Snake River, mainstem Columbia River and Deschutes River and contribute to the survival and recovery of Middle Columbia River and Lower Columbia River steelhead, and Lower Columbia River spring Chinook salmon.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.;16 U.S.C. 742a et seq.

85 FR 42361