[Federal Register: December 31, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 251)]
[Notices]
[Page 80421-80423]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr31de08-68]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R4-R-2008-N0245; 40136-1265-0000-S3]
Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge, Hyde County, NC
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability: Final comprehensive conservation plan
and finding of no significant impact.
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SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of our final comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and
finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for Mattamuskeet National
Wildlife Refuge (NWR). In the final CCP, we describe how we will manage
this refuge for the next 15 years.
ADDRESSES: A copy of the CCP may be obtained by writing to: Mr. Bruce
Freske, Refuge Manager, Mattamuskeet NWR, 38 Mattamuskeet Road, Swan
Quarter, NC 27885. The CCP may also be accessed and downloaded from the
Service's Internet site: http://southeast.fws.gov/planning.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Bruce Freske, Refuge Manager,
Mattamuskeet NWR; Telephone: 252/926-4021; fax: 252/926-1743; e-mail:
bruce_freske@fws.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we finalize the CCP process for Mattamuskeet NWR.
We started this process through a notice in the Federal Register on
February 7, 2001 (66 FR 9353). For more about the process, see that
notice.
Mattamuskeet NWR was established in 1934, and conserves 50,180
acres of habitats around Lake Mattamuskeet, including the lake itself.
At 40,000 acres, Lake Mattamuskeet is North Carolina's largest natural
lake. The refuge supports significant wintering populations of ducks,
Canada geese, snow geese, and tundra swans. Concentrations of bald
eagles and other raptors, wading birds, and shorebirds occur
seasonally. Significant fishery resources including largemouth bass,
sunfish (bream), white perch, crappie, alewives (herring), and blue
crabs are associated with Lake Mattamuskeet and canals. Habitats
consist of open water (40,000 acres), freshwater marsh (3,640 acres),
forested wetlands (3,503 acres), managed wetlands or impoundments
(2,600 acres), croplands (400 acres), and forested uplands/
administrative lands (37 acres).
Popular recreation uses at Mattamuskeet NWR include hunting, sport
fishing, and wildlife observation and photography. Quota hunting for
white-tailed deer and waterfowl is allowed on portions of the refuge.
The Service selects hunters through a random drawing of applicants for
deer and resident goose hunting. The State of North Carolina receives
application requests for waterfowl hunting on the refuge through their
special hunts program. Hunting for white-tailed deer and resident
Canada geese is primarily conducted to control population levels.
Mattamuskeet NWR receives 18,000 anglers annually. Most people fish
along canal banks, bridges, or the Highway 94 Causeway. Boaters mostly
use the lake in the spring and fall when water depths in the shallow
lake are generally the highest. Boat fishermen generally seek
largemouth and striped bass, while bank fishermen mostly seek catfish,
white perch, and crappie. Crappie fishing is especially popular in the
spring when spawning fish move into the deeper canals attached to the
lake.
During the fall and winter, concentrations of Canada geese, tundra
swans, and ducks of many species delight both wildlife observers and
photographers. The formerly threatened bald eagle may also be observed
during the fall, winter, and early spring. During the summer months,
many species of songbirds and marsh birds are a common sight.
Occasionally, broods of
[[Page 80422]]
black and wood ducks can be observed in the canals and around the
lake's edge. Osprey, wood duck, and bald eagle nests are occasionally
visible. Year-round residents include the white-tailed deer, marsh and
cottontail rabbits, gray squirrels, and many other mammals, as well as
amphibians and reptiles. Species less observed are the bobcat and river
otter. The black bear population in northeastern North Carolina is one
of the largest on the east coast and lucky visitors to the refuge
occasionally glimpse a wild bear.
We announce our decision and the availability of the final CCP and
FONSI for Mattamuskeet NWR in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40 CFR 1506.6(b)) requirements. We
completed a thorough analysis of impacts on the human environment,
which we included in the draft comprehensive conservation plan and
environmental assessment (Draft CCP/EA).
The CCP will guide us in managing and administering Mattamuskeet
NWR for the next 15 years. Alternative B, as we described, is the
foundation for the CCP.
The compatibility determinations for (1) Animal control; (2)
bicycling, jogging, walking, walking dogs, horseback riding; (3)
boating--power boats; (4) boating--non-motorized; (5) dredge or fill;
(6) environmental education and interpretation; (7) farming; (8)
fishing--recreational and tournament; (9) fishing--guided; (10)
hunting--big game; (11) hunting--waterfowl; (12) photography; (13)
photography--commercial; (14) small public gatherings; (15) research;
(16) tree harvest--firewood--other; and (17) wildlife observation--
guiding or outfitting, are also available in the CCP.
Background
The National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (16
U.S.C. 668dd-668ee) (Improvement Act), which amended the National
Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, requires us to
develop a CCP for each national wildlife refuge. The purpose for
developing a CCP is to provide refuge managers with a 15-year plan for
achieving refuge purposes and contributing toward the mission of the
National Wildlife Refuge System, consistent with sound principles of
fish and wildlife management, conservation, legal mandates, and our
policies. In addition to outlining broad management direction on
conserving wildlife and their habitats, CCPs identify wildlife-
dependent recreational opportunities available to the public, including
opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife
photography, and environmental education and interpretation. We will
review and update the CCP at least every 15 years in accordance with
the Improvement Act.
Comments
Approximately 150 copies of the Draft CCP/EA were made available
for a 30-day public review period as announced in the Federal Register
on July 18, 2008 (73 FR 41371). Nineteen written comments were received
from private citizens, four North Carolina state agencies, and the Hyde
County Chamber of Commerce. Members of the public were broadly
supportive of the proposed plan, although several commented that they
would have preferred Alternative C, which would have expanded
management, programs, visitor services, and public use even more than
the alternative selected by the Service.
The four state agencies that commented were the North Carolina
Office of Geospatial and Technology Management; Aquifer Protection
Section, Washington Regional Office, North Carolina Department of
Environment and Natural Resources; North Carolina Department of
Environment and Natural Resources; and North Carolina Division of
Coastal Management. Representatives of the North Carolina Wildlife
Resources Commission participated in preparing the CCP but did not
provide written comments on the Draft CCP/EA.
Selected Alternative
After considering the comments we received, we have selected
Alternative B for implementation. This choice is reflected in the CCP.
While each of the alternatives offered benefits for wildlife, habitat,
and public use, Alternative B was more ambitious than Alternative A and
more feasible and realistic than Alternative C.
Alternative B provides an effective management action to meet the
purposes of Mattamuskeet NWR by optimizing habitat management and
visitor services. This long-term management plan enhances or slightly
expands various aspects of current management. For wintering waterfowl,
objectives for tundra swan and northern pintail are the same, but the
Canada goose objective is 5,000 higher and the duck objective is 40,000
to 60,000 higher than current management. The CCP replicates most
elements and expands upon other aspects of current fisheries
management.
The CCP also expands upon current management of raptors, passerine
birds, shorebirds, marsh and wading birds, mammals, and reptiles and
amphibians. It re-initiates nest counts of ospreys, ground surveys for
marsh and wading birds, and implements passerine point counts.
Furthermore, the refuge will evaluate alternative management strategies
for moist-soil units as to their benefit for spring and fall migration
of shorebirds.
The CCP expands on current management's habitat objectives. It
investigates the desirability and feasibility of restoring Salyer's
Ridge pinewoods and considers new management options for the
Conservation Reserve Program cropland. The CCP expands resource
protection by increasing control of invasive plant and animal species
such as common reed, alligatorweed, and nutria. The refuge will also
prepare and begin to implement a Cultural Resources Management Plan. To
enhance law enforcement, the refuge will add one full-time law
enforcement officer dedicated solely to Mattamuskeet NWR.
To better support public use, the refuge will prepare and implement
a Visitor Services' Plan. Existing hunts will continue and the refuge
will explore how to increase youth hunting opportunities for deer and
waterfowl and cooperate with North Carolina Wildlife Resources
Commission to conduct activities promoting hunter recruitment and
retention. Fishing opportunities will increase by adding one boat ramp
to support an additional 5,000 angler visits annually. Nature Week will
be re-instituted and the refuge will begin to host ten K-12 school
programs annually. Interpretation opportunities will be expanded by
adding kiosks, annually revised brochures, and interpretive signage
along the wildlife drive and New Holland boardwalk trail. Opening and
staffing the visitor contact station with volunteer(s) on weekends will
also promote further interpretation. The refuge will reinstall an 8-
mile canoe and kayak loop trail and construct one additional photo-
blind. As under current management, the refuge will cooperate with
partners to encourage commercial ecotours. Refuge management will also
increase outreach.
Authority: This notice is published under the authority of the
National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, Public Law
105-57.
[[Page 80423]]
Dated: September 17, 2008.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Acting Regional Director.
Editorial Note: This document was received in the Office of the
Federal Register on December 24, 2008.
[FR Doc. E8-31120 Filed 12-30-08; 8:45 am]
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