67 FR 148 pgs. 49905-49906 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of AnadromousFish
Type: NOTICEVolume: 67Number: 148Pages: 49905 - 49906
Docket number: [I.D. 072502A]
FR document: [FR Doc. 02-19428 Filed 7-31-02; 8:45 am]
Agency: Commerce Department
Sub Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 072502A]
Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of AnadromousFish
AGENCY:
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
SUMMARY:
The Makah Indian Tribe, and the Washington Department of Fish andWildlife as the co-managing fisheries resource manager, have submitted ajoint Resource Management Plan (RMP) pursuant to the protective regulationspromulgated for the Ozette Lake Sockeye Salmon Evolutionary SignificantUnit (ESU) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The RMP specifiesartificial propagation, research, and monitoring and evaluation measurespotentially affecting listed Ozette Lake sockeye salmon. This documentserves to notify the public of the availability for comment of the proposedevaluation of the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) as to how the RMPaddresses the criteria in the ESA. NMFS also announces the availability ofa draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the pending determination.
DATES:
Written comments on the Secretary's evaluation must be received at theappropriate address or fax number (see ADDRESSES ) no laterthan 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on September 3, 2002.
ADDRESSES:
Written comments and requests for copies of the proposed evaluation anddraft environmental assessment should be addressed to Tim Tynan,Sustainable Fisheries Division, National Marine Fisheries Service, 510Desmond Drive, Suite 103, Olympia, WA 98503. Comments may also be sent viafax to 360/753-9517. The documents are also available on the Internet at http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/ , Sustainable Fisheries Division site.Comments will not be accepted if submitted via e-mail or the Internet.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Tim Tynan at phone number: 360/753-9579, or e-mail: Tim.Tynan@noaa.gov regarding the RMP.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
This notice is relevant to the Ozette Lake sockeye salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka ) ESU.
Background
The Makah Indian Tribe, and the Washington Department of Fish andWildlife as the co-managing resource management agency under the United States v. Washington fisheries managementframework, have provided a joint RMP in the form of a Hatchery and GeneticManagement Plan (HGMP) for Ozette Lake sockeye salmon. The RMP encompassesartificial propagation, research, and monitoring and evaluation activitieswithin the range of the Ozette Lake sockeye salmon ESU. The range of theESU is the Ozette River, Ozette Lake, and Ozette Lake tributariesaccessible to anadromous salmon. Performance objectives specified in theRMP include establishment of self-sustaining tributary-spawning sockeyeaggregations to increase natural spawning fish abundance levels in theOzette Lake Basin. The RMP also includes research and monitoring andevaluation actions designed to identify life history characteristics of thelisted beach spawning sockeye salmon population, and factors limiting theproductivity of the listed sockeye salmon ESU. Monitoring and evaluationprograms are also used to insure that the proposed artificial propagationmeasures are consistent with listed sockeye salmon conservationobjectives.
As required by Section 223.203 (b)(6) of the ESA 4(d) Rule, theSecretary must determine pursuant to 50 CFR 223.203 and pursuant to thegovernment-to-government processes therein whether the RMP for Ozette Lakesockeye salmon would appreciably reduce the likelihood of survival andrecovery of the Ozette Lake sockeye salmon and other affected threatenedESUs. The Secretary must take comments on how the RMP addresses thecriteria in 223.203(b)(5) in making that determination. The final NationalEnvironmental Policy Act and RMP determinations will not be completed untilafter the end of the 30-day comment period and will fully considerall public comments received during the comment period. NMFS will publisha record of its final action in the Federal Register .
Authority
Under section 4 of the ESA, NMFS, by delegated authority from theSecretary of Commerce, is required to adopt such regulations as he deemsnecessary and advisable for the conservation of the species listed asthreatened. The ESA salmon and steelhead 4(d) Rule (65 FR 42422, July 10,2000) specifies categories of activities that contribute to theconservation of listed salmonids and sets out the criteria for suchactivities. The rule further provides that the prohibitions of paragraph(a) of the rule do not apply to actions undertaken in compliance with a RMPdeveloped jointly by the Tribes and the State of Washington (joint plan)and determined by the Secretary to be in accordance with the salmon andsteelhead 4(d) Rule (65 FR 42422, July 10, 2000).
Dated: July 26, 2002.
Phil Williams,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources,National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-19428 Filed 7-31-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S