[Federal Register: January 18, 1995 (Volume 60, Number 11)]
[Proposed Rules]               
[Page 3613-3615]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18ja95-43]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

 
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of 90-day 
Finding on the Petition To List the Sturgeon Chub and Sicklefin Chub as 
Endangered

agency: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

action: Notice of 90-day petition finding.

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summary: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces a 90-
day finding for a petition to list the sturgeon [[Page 3614]] chub 
(Macrhybopsis gelida) and sicklefin chub (Macrhybopsis meeki) as 
endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. The 
Service finds that with the petition and additional available 
information there is substantial information provided to indicate that 
listing the two species as endangered may be warranted.

dates: The finding announced in this document was made on December 29, 
1994. To be considered in the 12-month finding for this petition, 
information and comments should be submitted to the Service by April 
18, 1995.

addresses: Data, information, comments, or questions concerning this 
petition should be submitted to the Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, 1500 East Capitol Avenue, Bismarck, North Dakota 
58501. The petition finding, supporting data, and comments are 
available for public inspection, but appointment, during normal 
business hours, at the above address.

for further information contact: Mark Dryer, biologist, at the above 
address or telephone (701) 250-4491.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Section 4(b)(3)(A) of the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as 
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), requires that the Service make a 
finding on whether a petition to list, delist, or reclassify a species 
presents substantial scientific or commercial information to 
demonstrate that the petitioned action may be warranted. This finding 
is to be based on all information available to the Service at the time 
the finding is made. To the maximum extent practicable, this finding is 
to be made within 90 days of the date the petition was received, and a 
notice regarding the finding is to be published promptly in the Federal 
Register. If the finding is that substantial information was presented, 
the Service also is required to promptly commence a review of the 
status of the species involved if one has not already been initiated 
under the Service's internal candidate assessment process.
    The Service initiated a status review for the sturgeon chub 
(Macrhybopsis gelida) and sicklefin chub (Macrhybopsis meeki) when it 
categorized the two species as category 2 candidate species in the 1991 
Animal Notice of Review (56 FR 58804). This notice meets the 
requirement that a notice be published for a 90-day finding made 
earlier for the petition discussed below.
    On August 8, 1994, the Service received a petition dated August 4, 
1994, that was submitted by the Environmental Defense Fund and was 
jointly signed by American Rivers, Mni Sose Intertribal Water Rights 
Coalition, National Audubon Society, and Nebraska Audubon Council to 
list the sturgeon chub and sicklefin chub as endangered pursuant to the 
Act. The petitioners assert that the sturgeon chub and sicklefin chub 
populations should be listed as endangered species because of the 
species' inability to adapt to human-induced alterations of the 
Missouri River. They indicate that sturgeon chub and sicklefin chub are 
physically adapted through evolution to live in a turbid, swift flowing 
river. Alterations described by the petitioner include impoundments, 
channelization, and removal of snags. The petitioners indicate that 
those alterations have detrimentally impacted the fishes' spawning and 
feeding habitat by changing the natural hydrograph and water 
temperatures, short-stopping movement of sediment which reduced 
turbidity, and reducing the amount of organic matter in the Missouri 
River (Hesse 1994).
    The sturgeon chub and sicklefin chub are both endemic to the 
mainstem and large tributaries of the Missouri River and Mississippi 
River. The sicklefin chub has historically been located in 13 States--
Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, 
Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Tennessee. 
Current populations have only been recorded in the States of Missouri, 
Nebraska, Montana, and North Dakota (USFWS 1993b). The sturgeon chub 
has historically been located in the above 13 States plus Wyoming. 
Current populations have only been recorded in States of Missouri, 
Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wyoming (USFWS 1993a).



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