[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 244 (Wednesday, December 21, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-31369]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: December 21, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Notice of Availability of Draft Guidance for Candidate Species
Under the Endangered Species Act for Review and Comment
AGENCIES: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior, and National Marine
Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of document availability; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries
Service (Services) announce the availability of their draft guidance
for candidate species for public review. This draft document would
provide internal guidance for the assessment, monitoring, and
conservation of species that are candidates for listing under the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Its purpose would be
to provide policy and guidance to promote efficiency and nationwide
consistency within the Services in identifying species as candidates
for listing, assessing and monitoring their status, and seeking
opportunities to stabilize and recover them before listing becomes a
high priority. The Services seek public comment on this draft guidance
document.
DATES: Comments on the draft guidance must be received on or before
February 21, 1995 to be considered during preparation of a final
guidance document.
ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft guidance may obtain a
copy by contacting the Division of Endangered Species, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Room 452, Arlington,
Virginia 22203 (telephone 703/358-2105). Written comments and materials
regarding the draft guidance should be directed to the same address.
Comments and materials received will be available for public
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the above
address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jamie Rappaport Clark, Chief, Division of Endangered Species, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, at the above address (703-358-2171), or Russell
Bellmer, Chief, Endangered Species Division, National Marine Fisheries
Service, 1335 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 (301-
713-2322).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Endangered Species Act requires the Services to identify
species of wildlife and plants that are endangered or threatened based
on the best available scientific and commercial data. To fulfill this
responsibility, the Services must have an effective program to identify
species as candidates for listing and to assess and monitor their
status.
A credible, up-to-date list of candidate species provides a
foundation for the Services' candidate conservation efforts. Regular
assessment to determine and monitor trends in species' status helps to
ensure that conservation efforts, as well as species listings, are
appropriately directed and in accordance with established priorities.
An emphasis on early conservation efforts for candidate species
allows the Services to seek opportunities for Federal and non-Federal
entities to stabilize and recover these species and their ecosystems
before listing becomes a high priority. By addressing the conversation
of candidate species, the Services and other Federal and non-Federal
entities can retain management flexibility, reduce conflict with
development, minimize the costs of recovery if listing is pursued, and
sometimes alleviate the potential need for restrictive land use
policies in the future.
Principal components of the draft guidance include:
1. Standard procedures for addressing taxonomic questions regarding
candidates;
2. Standards for acceptance of candidates to administrative
categories and documenting changes in the status of candidates;
3. An explanation of monitoring requirements and means for carrying
them out, as well as a sample format for a monitoring plan;
4. An explanation of comprehensive notices of review;
5. A description of the overall purposes of candidate conservation
actions and a discussion of the authorities and opportunities available
to carry out candidate conservation;
6. Principles upon which to set priorities among species and
projects;
7. General rules for the development and implementation of
Conservation Agreements intended to promote conservation of candidate
species; and
8. An explanation of how implementation of Conservation Agreements
might serve to eliminate or reduce the need to list some candidate
species.
The draft guidance being made available through publication of this
notice would supersede the Fish and Wildlife Service's 1983 policy
entitled ``Conservation Agreements for Candidate Species--Final Policy
and Guidelines.'' The 1983 policy has a much narrower scope than the
draft guidance. The draft guidance expands upon the 1983 policy by:
1. Providing information on how to identify species as candidates
for listing, and
2. Providing direction to ensure that the Service complies with the
1988 amendments to the Act, which require that the status of petitioned
candidates be monitored to ensure that they do not become extinct while
awaiting listing.
Although the procedures and definitions in the Handbook are
supported by both Services, not all are applicable to the National
Marine Fisheries Service due to organizational differences between the
two Services, as well as differences in the special character of
species under the jurisdiction of each Service. Further guidance
clarifying National Marine Fisheries Service specific organizational
requirements will be included in the final guidance.
Public Comments Solicited
The Services intend that a final decision on the draft guidance for
candidate species take advantage of information and recommendations
from all interested parties. Therefore, comments or suggestions from
the public, other concerned governmental agencies, the scientific
community, industry, or any other interested party concerning this
draft guidance are hereby solicited. All comments and materials
received will be considered prior to the approval of a final document.
Author/Editor: The editors of this document are Sandra L.
MacPherson and Uvetta Dozier, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Division of Endangered Species (see ADDRESSES section).
Authority
The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: September 20, 1994.
Bruce Blanchard,
Acting Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
Dated: November 9, 1994.
Charles Karnella,
Acting Program Management Officer, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 94-31369 Filed 12-20-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M
