Endangered Fish and Wildlife; Marine Mammal Protection Act; Proposed Conservation Plan for Southern Resident Killer Whales, 57565 [05-19729]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 190 (Monday, October 3, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 57565]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-19729]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 081905C]


Endangered Fish and Wildlife; Marine Mammal Protection Act; 
Proposed Conservation Plan for Southern Resident Killer Whales

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) of 1972, as amended, 
requires the Secretary of Commerce to prepare a conservation plan for 
any species or stock of marine mammals designated as depleted under the 
Act. The Southern Resident stock of killer whales (Orcinus orca) was 
designated as depleted on May 29, 2003, and a conservation plan was 
developed to promote the conservation and recovery of these whales. 
NMFS announces the availability for public review of the Proposed 
Conservation Plan for Southern Resident Killer Whales (Plan). NMFS is 
requesting review and comment on the Plan from the public and all 
interested parties.

DATES: Written comments and information must be received by January 3, 
2006.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Plan may be reviewed and/or copied at NMFS, 
Protected Resources Division, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 
98115. The Plan is available on-line on the NMFS web site 
www.nwr.noaa.gov. Comments should be submitted by mail to Chief, 
Protected Resources Division, 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 1100, 
Portland, OR 97232 or by e-mail to orca.plan@noaa.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Garth Griffin, NOAA/NMFS, 
Northwest Region, (503) 231-2005.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Southern Resident killer whales declined by almost 20 percent from 
1996-2001. The scientific information evaluated during a status review 
indicated that Southern Resident killer whales were depleted under the 
Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). NMFS published a proposed rule to 
designate the Southern Resident stock of killer whales as depleted on 
January 30, 2003 (68 FR 4747). Based on the best scientific information 
available, consultation with the Marine Mammal Commission, and 
consideration of public comments, we determined that the Southern 
Resident stock of killer whales was depleted under the MMPA (68 FR 
31980; May 29, 2003) and announced our intention to prepare a 
conservation plan.
    Conservation plans describe actions to conserve and recover a 
species or stock designated as depleted under the MMPA. Conservation 
plans are modeled on recovery plans under the Endangered Species Act 
and must include (1) site-specific management actions necessary to 
achieve the plan's goals; (2) estimates of time required and costs to 
implement actions; and (3) objective, measurable criteria which, when 
met, would result in the species or stock no longer meeting the 
definition of depleted.

The Plan

    We developed the Plan with input from a variety of stakeholders, 
including state and Federal agencies, tribes, non-profit groups, 
industries, the academic community, and concerned citizens. We held a 
series of technical workshops in 2003-2004 to receive input from 
participants on ideas for management actions to include in the plan; 
coordinated with the NMFS Northwest Fisheries Science Center research 
program, the State of Washington, and the Canadian Department of 
Fisheries and Oceans; and provided a preliminary draft document for 
public review in March 2005, meeting with agency representatives to 
discuss the preliminary plan. The Plan incorporates many of the 
comments received and includes a completed implementation schedule with 
cost estimates for conservation measures and research actions.
    The Plan provides a strategy to conserve and restore Southern 
Resident killer whales, so that they no longer meet the definition of a 
depleted stock. It provides background on the natural history of killer 
whales, population trends and the potential threats to their viability. 
The Plan lays out a conservation strategy to address the potential 
threats based on the best available science and includes conservation 
goals and criteria consistent with the MMPA. The Plan is not a 
regulatory action, but presents guidance for use by agencies and 
interested parties to assist in the recovery of killer whales. The 
conservation measures, outlined in the plan, detail an initial approach 
to address each of the manageable threats. The program also links 
management actions to an active research program to fill data gaps, as 
wells as to monitoring activities for assessing effectiveness. Feedback 
from research and monitoring will provide the information necessary to 
refine ongoing actions and develop and prioritize new actions. The Plan 
can be amended in the future as additional information becomes 
available.
    Conserving Southern Resident killer whales is a long-term effort 
and will require cooperation and coordination of Federal, state, tribal 
and local government agencies, and the community. WNMFS solicits public 
comments on the proposed conservation plan.

    Dated: September 29, 2005.
P. Michael Payne,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-19729 Filed 9-30-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S