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United States Department of the Interior U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Idaho Fish and Wildlife Office 1387 S. Vinnell Way, Room 368 Boise, Idaho 83709 Telephone (208) 378-5243 http://www.fws.gov/idaho Allyson Purcell, Acting Chief National Marine Fisheries Service Northwest Region Salmon Management Division 1201 NE Lloyd Boulevard, Suite 1100 Portland, Oregon 97232 Subject: National Marine Fisheries Service Issuance of two Section 10(a)(1)(A) Permits for the Continued Operation of the Snake River Sockeye Salmon Hatchery Program—Idaho (Ada, Custer, and Bingham Counties),Washington (Kitsap and Garfield Counties), and Oregon (Hood River County)—Biological Opinion In Reply Refer to: 01EIFW00-2017-F-0819 Dear Ms. Purcell: Enclosed is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) Biological Opinion (Opinion) on the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS’) and Bonneville Power Administration’s (BPA’s) actions and determinations of effect on species listed under the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended, including: (1) NMFS’ issuance of two section 10(a)(1)(A) permits for continued operation and maintenance (O&M) and research, monitoring, and evaluation (RM&E) of the Snake River Sockeye Salmon Hatchery Program (Program), and (2) BPA’s continued funding of O&M and RM&E of the Program, including funding of O&M at various facilities in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. This consultation addresses all aspects of the Program as described in the 2017 Biological Assessment (Assessment), the 2017 Addendum to the Assessment, and related Hatchery and Genetic Management Plans, and is intended to document compliance with the Act for the Federal action agencies who authorize, fund, or carry out various components of the program, and for associated partners/operators, including the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), and the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes (SBT). In a letter dated March 31, 2017 and received by the Service on April 3, 2017, NMFS and BPA requested formal consultation on the determination under section 7 of the Act that NMFS’ issuance of the permits, and BPA’s continued funding of the Program O&M and RM&E (and facility O&M), may affect, and is likely to adversely affect, bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) and bull trout critical habitat. NMFS and BPA also determined that the proposed action will have no effect on the following listed species: Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus), northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina), Banbury Springs limpet (Lanx sp.), Bliss Rapids snail (Taylorconcha serpenticola), Snake River Physa snail (Physa natricina), yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus), and Ute ladies'-tresses Allyson Purcell, Acting Chief 01EIFW00-2017-F-0819 NMFS, West Coast Region Section 10(a)(1)(A) Permits for Snake River Sockeye Hatchery Program (Spiranthes diluvialis), slickspot peppergrass (Lepidium papilliferum), fisher (Martes pennanti), and designated critical habitat for lynx, murrelet, and spotted owl. The Service acknowledges these no effect determinations. The enclosed Opinion is based primarily on our review of the proposed action, as described in your 2017 Assessment1, and the anticipated effects of the action on listed species and critical habitat, and was prepared in accordance with Section 7 of the Act. Our Opinion concludes that the proposed issuance of the permits and continued funding of the Program O&M and RM&E (and facility O&M), are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of bull trout or result in the destruction or adverse modification of bull trout critical habitat. A complete record of this consultation is on file at this office. Thank you for your continued interest in the conservation of threatened and endangered species. Please contact Clay Fletcher at 971-701-1497 or Russ Holder at 208-378-5384 if you have questions concerning this Opinion. Sincerely, For Gregory M. Hughes State Supervisor Enclosure cc: NMFS, Portland (Meyers-Cherry) BPA, Portland (Shull, Lord, Grange) IDFG, Eagle (Kozfkay) SBT, Fort Hall (Tardy) 1 The 2017 Assessment was prepared by BPA and submitted to the Service by the NMFS in 2013 and again in 2017 after revision. 2 BIOLOGICAL OPINION FOR THE ISSUANCE OF TWO SECTION 10(a)(1)(A) PERMITS, AND CONTINUED FUNDING, OPERATION, MAINTENANCE, MONITORING, AND EVALUATION OF THE SNAKE RIVER SOCKEYE SALMON HATCHERY PROGRAM AND OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF ITS ASSOCIATED FACILITIES 01EIFW00-2017-F-0819 U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE IDAHO FISH AND WILDLIFE OFFICE BOISE, IDAHO Supervisor ___________________________________ Date ________________________________________ Allyson Purcell, Acting Chief 01EIFW00-2017-F-0819 NMFS, West Coast Region Section 10(a)(1)(A) Permits for Snake River Sockeye Hatchery Program Table of Contents 1. BACKGROUND ....................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Consultation History .............................................................................................................. 2 2. BIOLOGICAL OPINION .......................................................................................................... 5 2.1 Description of the Ongoing Action ....................................................................................... 5 2.1.1 Background ...................................................................................................................... 5 2.1.2 Action Area ...................................................................................................................... 8 2.1.3 Ongoing Action .............................................................................................................. 12 2.1.3.1 Operation of the Program ..................................................................................... 14 2.1.3.2 Operation and Maintenance of Program Facilities .............................................. 23 2.1.3.3 Conservation Measures ........................................................................................ 32 2.2 Analytical Framework for the Jeopardy and Adverse Modification Determinations ......... 41 2.2.1 Jeopardy Determination ................................................................................................. 41 2.2.2 Adverse Modification Determination ............................................................................ 42 2.3 Status of the Species and Critical Habitat ........................................................................... 43 2.3.1 Bull Trout ....................................................................................................................... 43 2.3.1.1 Listing Status ....................................................................................................... 43 2.3.1.2 Reasons for Listing and Emerging Threats .......................................................... 44 2.3.1.3 Species Description .............................................................................................. 45 2.3.1.4 Life History .......................................................................................................... 46 2.3.1.5 Population Dynamics ........................................................................................... 47 2.3.1.6 Status and Distribution ......................................................................................... 50 2.3.1.7 Conservation Needs ............................................................................................. 55 2.3.1.8 Federal, State, and Tribal Conservation Actions Since Listing ........................... 57 2.3.1.9 Consulted on Effects ............................................................................................ 58 2.3.2 Bull Trout Critical Habitat ............................................................................................. 59 2.3.2.1 Legal Status .......................................................................................................... 59 2.3.2.2 Conservation Role and Description of Critical Habitat ....................................... 60 2.3.2.3 Current Rangewide Condition of Bull Trout Critical Habitat ............................. 62 2.4 Environmental Baseline of the Action Area ........................................................................ 63 2.4.1 Bull Trout ....................................................................................................................... 63 i Allyson Purcell, Acting Chief 01EIFW00-2017-F-0819 NMFS, West Coast Region Section 10(a)(1)(A) Permits for Snake River Sockeye Hatchery Program 2.4.1.1 Status of the Bull Trout in the Action Area ......................................................... 63 2.4.1.2 Factors Affecting the Bull Trout in the Action Area ........................................... 68 2.4.2 Bull Trout Critical Habitat ............................................................................................. 77 2.4.2.1 Status of Bull Trout Critical Habitat in the Action Area ..................................... 77 2.4.2.2 Factors Affecting Bull Trout Critical Habitat in the Action Area ....................... 80 2.5 Effects of the Proposed Action ............................................................................................ 80 2.5.1 Bull Trout ......................................................................................................................
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