Endangered and Threatened Species; Recovery Plan for the Hawaiian Monk Seal, 68801-68802 [E6-20164]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 228 / Tuesday, November 28, 2006 / Notices
Thompson], has been issued a
modification to scientific research
Permit No. 1448.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
The modification and
related documents are available for
review upon written request or by
appointment in the following office(s):
Permits, Conservation and Education
Division, Office of Protected Resources,
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room
13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone
(301)713–2289; fax (301)427–2521; and
Northeast Region, NMFS, One
Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA
01930–2298; phone (978)281–9300; fax
(978)281–9394.
ADDRESSES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Amy Hapeman or Patrick Opay,
(301)713–2289.
On
September 27, 2006, notice was
published in the Federal Register (71
FR 56478) that a modification of Permit
No. 1448, issued January 9, 2004 (69 FR
3332), had been requested by the abovenamed organization. The requested
modification has been granted under the
authority of the Endangered Species Act
of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.) and the regulations
governing the taking, importing, and
exporting of endangered and threatened
species (50 CFR 222–226).
The modification authorizes the
NEFSC to biopsy sample up to 50 of the
Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) sea
turtles greater than 25 cm total carapace
length that the holder is currently
authorized to handle and biologically
sample under the existing permit. This
research will help confirm observer
identifications of sea turtles made by
collaborating NOAA researchers for
animals that have been already
incidentally captured in legal
commercial fisheries operating in state
waters and the Exclusive Economic
Zone in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean.
Issuance of this modification, as
required by the ESA was based on a
finding that such permit modification
(1) was applied for in good faith, (2) will
not operate to the disadvantage of any
endangered or threatened species, and
(3) is consistent with the purposes and
policies set forth in section 2 of the
ESA.
ycherry on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Dated: November 21, 2006.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education
Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6–20168 Filed 11–27–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:42 Nov 27, 2006
Jkt 211001
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[I.D. 101106E]
Endangered and Threatened Species;
Recovery Plan for the Hawaiian Monk
Seal
National Marine Fisheries
Service, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration,
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of Availability; request
for comments.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces the
availability for public review of the draft
revised Recovery Plan (Plan) for the
Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus
schauinslandi). NMFS is soliciting
review and comment on the Plan from
the public and all interested parties, and
will consider and address all
substantive comments received during
the comment period.
DATES: Comments on the draft Plan
must be received by close of business on
January 29, 2007.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by either of the following methods:
• Mail: Send comments to Chris
Yates, Assistant Regional Administrator,
Protected Resources Division, Pacific
Islands Regional Office, NMFS, Attn:
Michelle Yuen, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd.,
Suite 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814.
• E-mail: hmsplan@noaa.gov. Include
in the subject line the following
document identifier: Hawaiian Monk
Seal Recovery Plan. E-mail comments,
with or without attachments, are limited
to 5 megabytes.
Interested persons may obtain the
Plan for review from the above address
or on-line from the NMFS Pacific
Islands Region Office website: https://
swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/pir/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michelle Yuen (808–944–2243), e-mail:
michelle.yuen@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Recovery plans describe actions
considered necessary for the
conservation and recovery of species
listed under the Endangered Species Act
of 1973 (ESA), as amended (16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.). The ESA requires that
recovery plans incorporate (1) objective,
measurable criteria that, when met,
would result in a determination that the
species is no longer threatened or
endangered; (2) site-specific
management actions necessary to
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
68801
achieve the plan’s goals; and (3)
estimates of the time required and costs
to implement recovery actions. The ESA
requires the development of recovery
plans for listed species unless such a
plan would not promote the recovery of
a particular species. NMFS’s goal is to
restore the endangered Hawaiian monk
seal (Monachus schauinslandi)
population to the point where they are
again secure, self-sustaining members of
their ecosystem and no longer need the
protections of the ESA. NMFS will
consider all substantive comments and
information presented during the public
comment period in the course of
finalizing this Recovery Plan.
The Hawaiian monk seal has the
distinction of being the only endangered
marine mammal species whose entire
range, historical and current, lies within
the United States of America. The
majority of the population of Hawaiian
monk seals now occupies the
northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI)
with six main breeding sub-populations.
The species is also found in lower
numbers in the main Hawaiian Islands
(MHI), where the population size and
range both appear to be expanding. The
Hawaiian monk seal was listed as a
threatened species under the ESA on
November 23, 1976 (41 FR 51612). On
April 30, 1986 (51 FR 16047), critical
habitat was designated at all beach
areas, lagoon waters, and ocean waters
out to a depth of 10 fathoms around
Kure Atoll, Midway, Pearl and Hermes
Reef, Lisianski Island, Laysan Island,
Gardner Pinnacles, French Frigate
Shoals, Necker Island and Nihoa Island;
critical habitat was extended to include
Maro Reef and waters around all habitat
out to the 20–fathom isobath on May 26,
1988. The best estimate of the total
population size in 2005 is 1,252 seals.
This current revised plan was written
by the Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery
Team at the request of the Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries to promote
the conservation of the Hawaiian monk
seal. The recovery team includes experts
on marine mammals from the private
sector, academia, and government, as
well as experts on endangered species
conservation. The goals and objectives
of the Plan can be achieved only if a
long-term commitment is made to
support the actions recommended in the
Plan.
The Recovery Plan contains: (1) a
comprehensive review of the Hawaiian
monk seal population distribution, life
history, and habitat use, (2) a threats
assessment, (3) conservation efforts, (4)
biological and recovery criteria for
downlisting and delisting, (4) actions
necessary for the recovery of the
species, and (5) an implementation
E:\FR\FM\28NON1.SGM
28NON1
ycherry on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
68802
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 228 / Tuesday, November 28, 2006 / Notices
schedule with estimates of time and cost
to recovery. The threats assessment
finds four levels of threats: (1) Crucial
(ongoing and apparent threat at most
sites in the NWHI), (2) Significant
(ongoing impacts representing the
potential for range-wide threats), (3)
Serious (potential cause of localized
threats), and (4) Moderate (localized
impacts possible but not considered a
serious or immediate threat). The
Crucial threats to Hawaiian monk seals
are: food limitation, entanglement, and
shark predation. The Significant threats
to Hawaiian monk seals are: infectious
disease and habitat loss. The Serious
threats are: fishery interaction, male
aggression, human interaction, and
biotoxin. Finally, the Moderate threats
to Hawaiian monk seals are: vessel
groundings and contaminants.
Criteria for the reclassification of the
Hawaiian monk seal are included in the
Plan. In summary, Hawaiian monk seals
may be reclassified from endangered to
threatened when all of the following
have been met: (1) aggregate numbers
exceed 2,900 total individuals in the
NWHI; (2) at least 5 of the 6 main subpopulation in the NWHI are above 100
individuals, and the MHI population is
above 500; (3) the survivorship of
females in each subpopulation in the
NWHI and in the MHI is high enough
that, in conjunction with the birth rates
in each subpopulation, the calculated
population growth rate for each
subpopulation is not negative. The
population will be considered for a
delisting if it continues to qualify for
‘‘threatened’’ classification for 20
consecutive years without new serious
risk factors being identified.
Time and cost for recovery actions are
contained in the Plan. The recovery
program will cost $52,656,000 for the
first 5 fiscal years and $436,816,000 to
full recovery assuming the best case
scenario that the population could grow
to the stipulated total population size in
the NWHI within 12 years, and that the
stipulated numbers in the MHI could be
reached within 34 years.
In accordance with the 2003 Peer
Review Policy as stated in Appendix R
of the Interim Endangered and
Threatened Species Recovery Planning
Guidance, NMFS solicited peer review
on the draft Plan concurrent with this
public comment period. Reviews were
requested from three scientists and
managers with expertise in recovery
planning, statistical analyses, fisheries,
and marine mammals. NMFS
anticipates that many of the
recommendations that will be made by
the reviewers will be addressed and
provided in detail in the final Plan.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:42 Nov 27, 2006
Jkt 211001
Public Comments Solicited
NMFS solicits written comments on
the draft Revised Recovery Plan. All
substantive comments received by the
date specified above will be considered
prior to final approval of the Plan.
NMFS is especially interested in
comments on the following areas: (1) the
threats assessment; (2) the biological
and threats criteria for removing
Hawaiian monk seals from the Federal
list of Endangered and Threatened
Wildlife and Plants; (3) the recovery
strategy and measures; and (4) the
estimates of time and cost to implement
recovery actions.
Authority
The authority for this action is section
4(f) of the Endangered Species Act (16
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: November 21, 2006.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office
of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6–20164 Filed 11–27–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[I.D. 082806C]
Endangered and Threatened Species;
Recovery Plans
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration,
Commerce.
ACTION: Extension of public comment
period.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: On September 29, 2006, the
National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) announced the availability of
the Proposed Upper Columbia Spring
Chinook Salmon, Steelhead, and Bull
Trout Recovery Plan (Plan) for public
review and comment. In this notice,
NMFS is extending the public comment
period for this proposal to January 29,
2007. NMFS is soliciting review and
comments from the public and all
interested parties on the spring Chinook
salmon and steelhead portions of the
Proposed Plan. If comments are received
on the bull trout portion of the Plan,
NMFS will pass them on to the USFWS.
DATES: NMFS will consider and address
all substantive comments received
during the comment period. Comments
must be received by January 29, 2007.
ADDRESSES: Please send written
comments and materials to Lynn
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Fmt 4703
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Hatcher, National Marine Fisheries
Service, 304 South Water Street,
Ellensburg, WA 98926. Comments may
also be submitted by e-mail to:
UpperColumbiaPlan.nwr@noaa.gov.
Include in the subject line of the e-mail
comment the following identifier:
‘‘Comments on Upper Columbia Salmon
Plan’’. Comments may be submitted via
facsimile (fax) to 503–872–2737.
Persons wishing to review the Plan
can obtain an electronic copy (i.e., CDROM) from Carol Joyce by calling 503–
230–5408 or by e-mailing a request to
carol.joyce@noaa.gov, with the subject
line ‘‘CD-ROM Request for Upper
Columbia Salmon Plan’’. Electronic
copies of the Plan are also available online on the NMFS Web site
www.nwr.noaa.gov/Salmon-RecoveryPlanning/ESA-Recovery-Plans/DraftPlans.cfm or the Upper Columbia
Salmon Recovery Board Web site:
okanogancounty.org/planning/
salmonlrecovery.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lynn Hatcher, NMFS Interior Columbia
Salmon Recovery Coordinator (509–
962–8911 x223), or Elizabeth Gaar,
NMFS Salmon Recovery Division (503–
230–5434).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Recovery plans describe actions
beneficial to the conservation and
recovery of species listed under the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA),
as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The
ESA requires that recovery plans
incorporate (1) objective, measurable
criteria which, when met, would result
in a determination that the species is no
longer threatened or endangered; (2) site
specific management actions necessary
to achieve the plan’s goals; and (3)
estimates of the time required and costs
to implement recovery actions. The ESA
requires the development of recovery
plans for listed species unless such a
plan would not promote the recovery of
a particular species.
NMFS’ goal is to restore endangered
and threatened Pacific salmon
Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs)
and steelhead Distinct Population
Segments (DPSs) to the point that they
are again self sustaining members of
their ecosystems and no longer need the
protections of the ESA. NMFS believes
it is critically important to base its
recovery plans on the many state,
regional, tribal, local, and private
conservation efforts already underway
throughout the region. Therefore, the
agency supports and participates in
locally led collaborative efforts to
develop recovery plans, involving local
E:\FR\FM\28NON1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 228 (Tuesday, November 28, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68801-68802]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-20164]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 101106E]
Endangered and Threatened Species; Recovery Plan for the Hawaiian
Monk Seal
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of Availability; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces the
availability for public review of the draft revised Recovery Plan
(Plan) for the Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi). NMFS is
soliciting review and comment on the Plan from the public and all
interested parties, and will consider and address all substantive
comments received during the comment period.
DATES: Comments on the draft Plan must be received by close of business
on January 29, 2007.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Mail: Send comments to Chris Yates, Assistant Regional
Administrator, Protected Resources Division, Pacific Islands Regional
Office, NMFS, Attn: Michelle Yuen, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1110,
Honolulu, HI 96814.
E-mail: hmsplan@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line the
following document identifier: Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery Plan. E-mail
comments, with or without attachments, are limited to 5 megabytes.
Interested persons may obtain the Plan for review from the above
address or on-line from the NMFS Pacific Islands Region Office website:
https://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/pir/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Yuen (808-944-2243), e-mail:
michelle.yuen@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for the
conservation and recovery of species listed under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (ESA), as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The ESA
requires that recovery plans incorporate (1) objective, measurable
criteria that, when met, would result in a determination that the
species is no longer threatened or endangered; (2) site-specific
management actions necessary to achieve the plan's goals; and (3)
estimates of the time required and costs to implement recovery actions.
The ESA requires the development of recovery plans for listed species
unless such a plan would not promote the recovery of a particular
species. NMFS's goal is to restore the endangered Hawaiian monk seal
(Monachus schauinslandi) population to the point where they are again
secure, self-sustaining members of their ecosystem and no longer need
the protections of the ESA. NMFS will consider all substantive comments
and information presented during the public comment period in the
course of finalizing this Recovery Plan.
The Hawaiian monk seal has the distinction of being the only
endangered marine mammal species whose entire range, historical and
current, lies within the United States of America. The majority of the
population of Hawaiian monk seals now occupies the northwestern
Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) with six main breeding sub-populations. The
species is also found in lower numbers in the main Hawaiian Islands
(MHI), where the population size and range both appear to be expanding.
The Hawaiian monk seal was listed as a threatened species under the ESA
on November 23, 1976 (41 FR 51612). On April 30, 1986 (51 FR 16047),
critical habitat was designated at all beach areas, lagoon waters, and
ocean waters out to a depth of 10 fathoms around Kure Atoll, Midway,
Pearl and Hermes Reef, Lisianski Island, Laysan Island, Gardner
Pinnacles, French Frigate Shoals, Necker Island and Nihoa Island;
critical habitat was extended to include Maro Reef and waters around
all habitat out to the 20-fathom isobath on May 26, 1988. The best
estimate of the total population size in 2005 is 1,252 seals.
This current revised plan was written by the Hawaiian Monk Seal
Recovery Team at the request of the Assistant Administrator for
Fisheries to promote the conservation of the Hawaiian monk seal. The
recovery team includes experts on marine mammals from the private
sector, academia, and government, as well as experts on endangered
species conservation. The goals and objectives of the Plan can be
achieved only if a long-term commitment is made to support the actions
recommended in the Plan.
The Recovery Plan contains: (1) a comprehensive review of the
Hawaiian monk seal population distribution, life history, and habitat
use, (2) a threats assessment, (3) conservation efforts, (4) biological
and recovery criteria for downlisting and delisting, (4) actions
necessary for the recovery of the species, and (5) an implementation
[[Page 68802]]
schedule with estimates of time and cost to recovery. The threats
assessment finds four levels of threats: (1) Crucial (ongoing and
apparent threat at most sites in the NWHI), (2) Significant (ongoing
impacts representing the potential for range-wide threats), (3) Serious
(potential cause of localized threats), and (4) Moderate (localized
impacts possible but not considered a serious or immediate threat). The
Crucial threats to Hawaiian monk seals are: food limitation,
entanglement, and shark predation. The Significant threats to Hawaiian
monk seals are: infectious disease and habitat loss. The Serious
threats are: fishery interaction, male aggression, human interaction,
and biotoxin. Finally, the Moderate threats to Hawaiian monk seals are:
vessel groundings and contaminants.
Criteria for the reclassification of the Hawaiian monk seal are
included in the Plan. In summary, Hawaiian monk seals may be
reclassified from endangered to threatened when all of the following
have been met: (1) aggregate numbers exceed 2,900 total individuals in
the NWHI; (2) at least 5 of the 6 main sub-population in the NWHI are
above 100 individuals, and the MHI population is above 500; (3) the
survivorship of females in each subpopulation in the NWHI and in the
MHI is high enough that, in conjunction with the birth rates in each
subpopulation, the calculated population growth rate for each
subpopulation is not negative. The population will be considered for a
delisting if it continues to qualify for ``threatened'' classification
for 20 consecutive years without new serious risk factors being
identified.
Time and cost for recovery actions are contained in the Plan. The
recovery program will cost $52,656,000 for the first 5 fiscal years and
$436,816,000 to full recovery assuming the best case scenario that the
population could grow to the stipulated total population size in the
NWHI within 12 years, and that the stipulated numbers in the MHI could
be reached within 34 years.
In accordance with the 2003 Peer Review Policy as stated in
Appendix R of the Interim Endangered and Threatened Species Recovery
Planning Guidance, NMFS solicited peer review on the draft Plan
concurrent with this public comment period. Reviews were requested from
three scientists and managers with expertise in recovery planning,
statistical analyses, fisheries, and marine mammals. NMFS anticipates
that many of the recommendations that will be made by the reviewers
will be addressed and provided in detail in the final Plan.
Public Comments Solicited
NMFS solicits written comments on the draft Revised Recovery Plan.
All substantive comments received by the date specified above will be
considered prior to final approval of the Plan. NMFS is especially
interested in comments on the following areas: (1) the threats
assessment; (2) the biological and threats criteria for removing
Hawaiian monk seals from the Federal list of Endangered and Threatened
Wildlife and Plants; (3) the recovery strategy and measures; and (4)
the estimates of time and cost to implement recovery actions.
Authority
The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered
Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: November 21, 2006.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-20164 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
