FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: ESA Section 10(a)(1)(A) Enhancement Permit To The United States Fish And Wildlife Service For Hatchery and Monitoring Activities Associated with the San Joaquin River Restoration Program

Issuance Of An Endangered Species Act Section 10(a)(1)(A) Enhancement Permit To The United States Fish And Wildlife Service For Hatchery and Monitoring Activities Associated with the San Joaquin River Restoration Program: Hatchery and monitoring activities associated with the San Joaquin River Restoration Program, including the Salmon Conservation and Research Facility Program. The Federal action considered in this environmental assessment is the National Marine Fisheries Service’s proposed issuance of a Section 10(a)(1)(A) enhancement permit for these hatchery and monitoring activities. The recipient of the permit is the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The permit would authorize the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to collect Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon from Butte Creek to use as broodstock. In addition to the NMFS listed species that occur in the action area (CV spring-run Chinook salmon and CCV steelhead), the broodstock collection and in-river monitoring components of the project could affect other non-target fish (a whole suite of non-target native and introduced species), and predator species downstream (e.g. Southern Resident killer whales), however all effects are likely to be minor.

Ideally the permit should be issued by 1/1/2018, but that deadline is not totally critical as existing permits will remain in effect.