Endangered and Threatened Species; Interim Rule Governing Take of the Threatened Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) of Coho Salmon

By a rule published on May 6, 1997, NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary), determined to list as threatened the Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast (SONCC) ESU of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). Under section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the Secretary is required to adopt such regulations as he deems necessary and advisable for the conservation of species listed as threatened. Such regulations may include application of the prohibitions contained in section 9(a) of the ESA, which apply to endangered species. In this interim rule, NMFS imposes the section 9(a) prohibitions for endangered species, except with respect to certain benign and beneficial actions in Oregon and California, and specified actions taken consistent with the Oregon Coastal Salmon Restoration Initiative (OCSRI) and implemented consistent with the April 1997 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between NMFS and the Governor of Oregon. The Federal Register document containing the final listing determination describes the relevant details of the OCSRI and the implementing MOA.