[Federal Register: September 3, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 170)]
[Notices]
[Page 45649-45650]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03se09-66]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R2-ES-2009-N138; 20124-1113-0000-C2]
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Apache Trout
(Oncorhynchus apache) Recovery Plan, Second Revision
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability: Revised recovery plan.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of the Apache Trout (Oncorhynchus apache) Recovery Plan,
Second Revision. This species is one of two salmonid species native to
Arizona and is currently listed as threatened. It was originally listed
as endangered in 1967, but reclassified to threatened in 1975.
ADDRESSES: An electronic copy of the recovery plan can be obtained from
our Web site at http://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/Library/. Copies of the
recovery plan are also available by request. To obtain a copy, contact
Jeremy Voeltz by U.S. mail at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, P.O. Box 39, Pinetop, AZ 85935;
by phone at (928) 338-4288 extension 23; or by e-mail at Jeremy_
Voeltz@fws.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeremy Voeltz (see ADDRESSES).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
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. Recovery plans help guide the recovery effort by
describing actions considered necessary for the conservation of the
species, and estimating time and costs for implementing the measures
needed for recovery. A recovery plan was originally completed for
Apache trout in 1979 and updated in 1983, but the recommendations
contained in those plans are outdated given the species' current
status.
Section 4(f) of the Act requires that we provide public notice and
an opportunity for public review and comment during recovery plan
development. In fulfillment of this requirement, we made the draft
second revision of the recovery plan for Apache trout available for
public comment from July 27, 2007, through September 25, 2007 (72 FR
41350). We also conducted peer review at this time. Based on this
input, we revised and finalized the recovery plan, and summarized
public comments in an appendix.
Apache trout (Oncorhynchus apache) was formerly described as Salmo
apache with the common name Arizona trout, but changed after the
American Fisheries Society Names Committee showed that the relationship
between the cutthroat and rainbow series of trout (including Apache
trout) lie with Oncorhynchus rather than Salmo. Apache trout is one of
two salmonid species native to Arizona (the other is Gila trout,
Oncorhynchus gilae), and is currently listed as threatened (July 16,
1975, 40 FR 29863). Although originally listed as endangered (March 11,
1967, 32 FR 4001), the species was downlisted in 1975 after a
reanalysis of its status successful culturing in captivity and greater
knowledge of existing populations. Its reclassification to threatened
status included a 4(d) rule under the Act, allowing the Arizona
Department of Game and Fish to regulate take of the species and to
establish sportfishing opportunities (July 16, 1975, 40 FR 29863).
Historically, Apache trout occupied streams and rivers in the upper
White, Black, and Little Colorado River drainages in the White
Mountains of east-central Arizona. Currently, 28 pure Apache trout
populations exist within historical range in Gila, Apache, and Greenlee
Counties of Arizona, on lands of the Fort Apache Indian Reservation and
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest.
Watershed alterations related primarily to forestry, livestock
grazing, reservoir construction, agriculture, road construction, and
mining were identified as causes for reduction of Apache trout habitat.
Such alterations damage riparian vegetation and streambank morphology
and stability, which increases stream erosion and can ultimately result
in higher sediment loads. These effects increase susceptibility to
habitat damage from floods, decrease quality and quantity of spawning
and rearing areas, alter stream flow volume and temperatures, and alter
stream productivity and food supply (e.g., stream dwelling insects). In
addition, introductions of non-native trout (i.e., brook and brown
trout) have led to competition for resources and predation, or
hybridization with rainbow trout or cutthroat trout. Collectively,
these factors have varied in intensity, complexity, and damage
depending on location, ultimately reducing the total occupied range and
the ability of Apache trout to effectively persist at all life stages.
Actions needed to recover the Apache trout include completing
required regulatory compliance for stream improvements and fish
stocking, implementing appropriate State and tribal fishing
regulations, maintaining existing fish barriers, enhancing habitat,
removing or minimizing undesirable fishes using piscicides or other
feasible means, maintaining existing self-sustaining populations of
pure Apache trout, establishing new self-sustaining populations, and
monitoring all populations.
The recovery plan provides delisting criteria for the species that
will indicate that the species is no longer threatened with extinction
throughout all or a significant portion of its range. Apache trout
should be considered for removal from the List of Threatened and
Endangered Species (delisting) when all of the following criteria have
been met:
(1) Habitat sufficient to provide for all life functions at all
life stages of 30 self-sustaining discrete populations of pure Apache
trout has been established and protected through plans and agreements
with responsible land and resource management entities. These plans
will address current and future threats to Apache trout habitat.
(2) Thirty discrete populations of pure Apache trout have been
established and determined to be self-sustaining. A population will be
considered self-sustaining by the presence of multiple age classes and
evidence of periodic natural reproduction. A population will be
considered established when it is capable of persisting under the range
of variation in habitat conditions that occur in the restoration
stream.
(3) Appropriate angling regulations are in place to protect Apache
trout populations while complying with Federal, State, and tribal
regulatory processes.
(4) Agreements are in place with the Service, Arizona Game and Fish
Department, and White Mountain Apache Tribe to monitor, prevent, and
control disease and/or causative agents, parasites, and pathogens that
may threaten Apache trout.
[[Page 45650]]
Authority: The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the
Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
Dated: June 30, 2009.
Benjamin N. Tuggle,
Regional Director, Region 2.
[FR Doc. E9-21292 Filed 9-2-09; 8:45 am]
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