[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 4 (Friday, January 6, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2155-2156]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-310]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Sacramento--San
Joaquin Delta Native Fishes for Review and Comment
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the
availability for public review of a draft recovery plan for the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta native fishes. These species are native to
Sacramento, San Joaquin, Contra Costa, and Solano Counties, California.
The Service solicits review and comment from the public on this draft
plan.
DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or
before March 7, 1995 to receive consideration by the Service.
ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft recovery plan may obtain
a copy by contacting the Field Supervisor, Ecological Services Office,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage Way Room E-1803,
Sacramento, California, 95825-1846 (telephone: 916-978-4866), or the
Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Eastside Federal Complex, 911 NE 11th Avenue,
Portland, Oregon 97232-4181 (telephone: 503-231-6241). Written comments
and materials regarding the plan should be addressed to Mr. Joel A.
Medlin, Field Supervisor, at the above Sacramento, California address.
Comments and materials received are available on request for public
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the above
Sacramento, California address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Robert Pine or Ms. Lesa Meng at the above Sacramento, California
address (telephone: 916-978-4866).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Restoring endangered or threatened animals and plants to the point
where they are again secure, self-sustaining members of their
ecosystems is a primary goal of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's
(Service) endangered species program. To help guide the recovery
effort, the Service is working to prepare recovery plans for most of
the listed species native to the United States. Recovery plans describe
actions considered necessary for the conservation of the species,
establish criteria for reclassification or delisting, and estimate time
and cost for implementing the recovery measures needed.
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended (16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.) requires the development of recovery plans for listed
species unless such a plan would not promote the conservation of a
particular species. Section 4(f) of the Act, as amended in 1988,
requires that public notice and an opportunity for public review and
comment be provided during recovery plan development. The Service will
consider all information presented during a public comment period prior
to approval of each new or revised recovery plan. The Service and other
Federal agencies will also take these comments into account in the
course of implementing approved recovery plans.
The draft recovery plan for Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta native
[[Page 2156]] fishes was developed to provide protection to all native
fishes in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) estuary in
Sacramento, San Joaquin, Contra Costa, and Solano Counties, California.
Species selected in the recovery plan included ``indicator species''
that, if protected, would provide protection to the entire Delta
estuary. The delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus) is listed as a
threatened species. The Sacramento Splittail (Pogonichthys
macrolepidotus) was proposed as a threatened species on January 6,
1994. Longfin smelt (Spirinchus thaleichthys) and green sturgeon
(Acipenser transmontanus) are category 2 species. Spring-run, late
fall-run, and San Joaquin fall-run chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus
tshawytshcha) are potential candidates for threatened or endangered
status in the future. Information is also included on Sacramento perch
(Archoplites interruptus), a species believed to be extirpated from the
Delta at this time. The reasons these species have been listed, or are
proposed for listing, are degradation and loss of estuarine habitat,
entrainment in water diversions, upstream or reverse flows of rivers
entering the Delta estuary and upstream encroachment of saline water
which limits the low salinity habitat to deep-water river channels of
the interior Delta. If the measures in draft recovery plan for
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta native fishes are implemented as proposed,
areas including the Delta estuary and Suisun Marsh will be protected.
The Service is currently soliciting comments for approval of the plan.
Public Comments Solicited
The Service solicits written comments on the recovery plan
described. All comments received by the date specified will be
considered prior to approval of the plan.
Authority
The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
Dated: December 29, 1994.
David L. McMullen,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 95-310 Filed 1-5-95; 8:45 am]
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