[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 62 (Thursday, March 31, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18639-18642]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-07227]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R5-ES-2015-N021; FXES11130500000-167-FF05E00000]
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Recovery
Plan for the Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment of Atlantic
Salmon
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability and request for public comment.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of a draft recovery plan for the endangered Gulf of Maine
Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of Atlantic salmon. This draft plan
has been prepared jointly by the Service and the National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS). The draft recovery plan includes specific
recovery objectives and a set of criteria that, when met, would allow
us to consider reclassifying the DPS from endangered to threatened
under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), and,
ultimately, to remove the GOM DPS of Atlantic salmon from the Federal
List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. We request review of and
comment on this draft recovery plan from Federal, State, and local
agencies; Tribes; nongovernmental organizations; and the public.
DATES: Submitting Comments: In order to be considered, comments on the
draft recovery plan must be received by May 31, 2016.
Public Information Meetings: Informational meetings in Maine have
been scheduled for April 19, 2016, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in
Brewer, and for April 20, 2016, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in
Waterville (see ADDRESSES). Each meeting will include a presentation on
the draft recovery proposals and a question and answer period with
staff from the Service and NMFS.
ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: If you wish to review the draft
recovery plan or have questions, you may contact Steve Shepard, via
U.S. mail at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Maine Field Office, 17
Godfrey Drive, Suite 2, Orono, ME 04473; via telephone at 207-866-3344
x1116; or via email at steve_shepard@fws.gov; or Dan Kircheis, National
Marine Fisheries Service, 17 Godfrey Drive, Orono, ME 04473; via
telephone at 207-866-7320; or via email at dan.kircheis@noaa.gov. You
can also download a copy by visiting http://atlanticsalmonrestoration.org/resources/documents/atlantic-salmon-recovery-plan-2015.
Submitting Comments: If you wish to comment, you may submit your
comments by one of the following methods:
1. You may mail written comments and materials to Steve Shepard, at
the above address.
2. You may hand-deliver written comments to Steve Shepard at the
above address, or fax them to 207-866-3351.
3. You may send comments by email to steve_shepard@fws.gov.
4. You may submit handwritten comments at either of the two public
information meetings announced in this notice.
For additional information about submitting comments, see Request
for Public Comments.
Public Information Meetings: Meetings will be held in the following
Maine locations: at Jeff's Catering, East/West Industrial Park, 15
Littlefield Way in Brewer, and at the Best Western PLUS Motel, 375 Main
Street, Exit 130 in Waterville. See DATES above for the date and time
of each meeting.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Shepard, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service; or Dan Kircheis, National Marine Fisheries Service (see
ADDRESSES).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service), announce the availability of a draft recovery plan for the
endangered Gulf of Maine (GOM) Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of
Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). This draft plan has been prepared
jointly by the Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The draft
recovery plan includes specific recovery objectives and a set of
criteria that, when met, would allow us to consider reclassifying the
DPS from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act of
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.; Act), and, ultimately, to
remove the GOM DPS of Atlantic salmon from the Federal List of
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. The plan also includes site-
specific management actions and time and cost estimates, as required by
the Act. We request review of and comment on this draft recovery plan
from Federal, State, and local agencies; Tribes; nongovernmental
organizations; and the public.
Background
The GOM DPS of Atlantic salmon was originally listed as an
endangered species under the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) on November
17, 2000 (65 FR 69459), and a recovery plan for the DPS was approved on
December 2, 2005. Based on a second status review, the DPS listing was
revised on June 19, 2009 (74 FR 29344), to cover an expanded range that
encompassed additional large river systems in Maine found to contain
Atlantic salmon population genetically similar to those in the
previously listed coastal river populations. Critical habitat for the
GOM DPS was also designated at this time (June 19, 2009; 74 FR 29300).
The expanded DPS includes all anadromous Atlantic salmon in a
[[Page 18640]]
freshwater range covering the watersheds from the Androscoggin River
northward along the Maine coast to the Dennys River. The listing
includes all associated conservation hatchery populations used to
supplement these natural populations. The critical habitat rule divided
the DPS range into three recovery units, termed Salmon Habitat Recovery
Units, or SHRUs: (1) The Merrymeeting Bay SHRU, which covers the
Androscoggin and Kennebec basins, and extends east to include the
Sheepscot, Pemaquid, Medomak, and St. George watersheds; (2) the
Penobscot Bay SHRU, which covers the entire Penobscot basin and extends
west to and includes the Ducktrap watershed; and (3) the Downeast SHRU,
including all coastal watersheds from the Union River east to the
Dennys River.
The 2009 listing rule recognized three primary threats to Atlantic
salmon: Dams, inadequacy of regulatory mechanisms related to dams, and
marine survival. In addition, numerous secondary threats were
identified, including habitat quality and accessibility, commercial and
recreational fisheries, disease and predation, inadequacy of regulatory
mechanisms related to water withdrawal and water quality, aquaculture,
artificial propagation, climate change, competition, and depleted
diadromous fish communities. Collectively, these stressors were deemed
a fourth major threat. Since listing, our understanding of threats to
the DPS has continued to grow. New and emerging threats, all of which
are considered to constitute significant impediments to recovery,
include road stream crossings that impede fish passage, international
intercept fisheries, and the effects of climate change.
Restoring an endangered or threatened animal or plant to the point
where it is again a secure, self-sustaining member of its ecosystem is
a primary goal of our endangered species program. To help guide the
recovery effort, we prepare recovery plans for most listed species.
Under the Act, to the maximum extent practicable, recovery plans
must describe site-specific actions considered necessary for
conservation of the species, establish criteria for delisting the
species, and provide time and cost estimates for taking the actions
necessary to recover the species to the point where it can be delisted.
The Act 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 requires us to provide
public notice and an opportunity for public review and comment during
recovery plan development. We will consider all input provided during
the public comment period prior to approval of each new or revised
recovery plan. We and other Federal agencies will also take these
comments into account in the course of implementing approved recovery
plans.
Recovery of the GOM DPS of Atlantic salmon has been designated a
joint responsibility of the Service and NMFS, with lead responsibility
for this recovery plan assigned to the Service. We note that this draft
recovery plan for the GOM DPS of Atlantic salmon follows a new planning
approach endorsed by the Service and, for this plan, by NMFS. The new
approach, termed the Recovery Enhancement Vision (REV), focuses on the
three recovery plan elements required by the Act: Site-specific
management actions; objective, measurable criteria for delisting; and
the estimated time and costs needed to achieve delisting and
intermediate steps toward that goal. The recovery actions are presented
at the scale of the SHRUs. These actions address both survival and
recovery needs and are site-specific as required by section
4(f)(1)(B)(i) of the Act, taking into account both the comprehensive
nature and long timeframe needed to reach reclassification and
delisting objectives.
All relevant supporting information and analyses, as well as short-
term implementation strategies for the recovery actions in the plan,
are posted on the Atlantic Salmon Restoration Web site, at http://atlanticsalmonrestoration.org/resources/documents/atlantic-salmon-recovery-plan-2015. The draft plan contains hyperlinks that allow
readers to readily access additional supporting information, including
SHRU-level workplans, which can be updated as needed. The SHRU-level
workplans will step down from the actions in the recovery plan to
address geographically based needs in the short term. DPS-wide or
nonspatial actions (e.g., genetic research) will also be stepped down
to short-term workplans. It is important to note that while these
workplans will link back to the recovery plan, they are not considered
part of the recovery plan itself.
Although REV recovery plans focus on the Act's statutory
requirements, any given plan may include additional information deemed
necessary by the lead U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region. For the
Atlantic salmon recovery plan, we have added background information
that is highly relevant to the long-term recovery vision, as well as an
implementation table that outlines responsibilities and costs for the
actions described in the plan. The various components contained in the
draft plan document are briefly described below.
Recovery Plan Components
The draft recovery plan for GOM DPS of Atlantic salmon focuses on
the following components: The recovery strategy, recovery objectives
and criteria, recovery actions, and time and cost estimates. The long-
term recovery strategy for the endangered Atlantic salmon is based on
two premises: First, that recovery must focus on rivers and estuaries
located in the GOM DPS until we better understand threats in the marine
environment, and second, that survival of Atlantic salmon in the GOM
DPS will be dependent on conservation hatcheries throughout much of the
recovery process. In addition, the scientific foundation for the
recovery strategy includes conservation biology principles regarding
population viability, our understanding of freshwater habitat
viability, and our understanding of current and emerging extinction
risks. Other components of the recovery strategy include adaptive
management, phasing of recovery actions, a geographic framework based
upon the three SHRUs, and a collaborative approach that focuses on full
inclusion of partners in implementing recovery actions. Finally, as
previously described, short-term recovery priorities stepping down from
the recovery plan will be formulated in SHRU-level workplans; these are
found on the Web site and are not part of the plan itself.
The recovery objectives and criteria in the draft plan address
biological recovery needs, threats identified at the time of listing,
and newly emerging threats. The reclassification objectives are to
maintain sustainable, naturally reared populations with access to
sufficient suitable habitat in each SHRU, to ensure that management
options for marine survival are better understood, and to reduce or
eliminate those threats that either individually or in combination pose
a risk of imminent extinction to the DPS. The delisting objectives are
to maintain self-sustaining, wild populations with access to sufficient
suitable habitat in each SHRU, to ensure that necessary management
options for marine survival are in place, and to sufficiently reduce or
eliminate all threats that either individually or in combination pose a
risk of endangerment to the DPS.
[[Page 18641]]
The biological criteria for meeting the reclassification objectives
include:
A total annual escapement of at least 1,500 naturally
reared adults spawning in the wild, with at least 2 of the 3 SHRUs
having at least 500 naturally reared adults. Annual escapement refers
to salmon that return to the river and successfully reproduce on the
spawning grounds in a given year. For the purposes of this plan,
naturally reared adults are individuals originating from wild spawners
and hatchery eggs, fry, and parr. Egg and fry stocked salmon are not
given an external mark, so when they return as adults, it is not
possible (except with genetic testing) to differentiate them from wild
salmon;
A population growth rate in each of at least two of the
three SHRUs of greater than 1.0 in the 10-year period preceding
reclassification, with adults originating from hatchery-stocked eggs,
fry, and parr included in population growth rates; and
Sufficient spawning and rearing habitat for the offspring
of the 1,500 naturally reared adults distributed throughout designated
Atlantic salmon critical habitat, with at least 7,500 accessible and
suitable habitat units (HUs) in each of at least 2 of the 3 SHRUs,
located according to the known and potential migratory patterns of
returning salmon.
The biological criteria for meeting the delisting objectives
include:
A self-sustaining annual escapement of at least 2,000 wild
adults in each SHRU, for a DPS-wide total of at least 6,000 wild
adults. For the purposes of this plan, wild salmon are individuals that
have spent their entire life cycle in the wild and originate from
parents that were also spawned and continuously lived in the wild;
A population growth rate in each SHRU of greater than 1.0
in the 10-year period preceding delisting and, at the time of
delisting, demonstrable self-sustaining persistence; and
Sufficient suitable spawning and rearing habitat for the
offspring of the 6,000 wild adults distributed throughout the
designated Atlantic salmon critical habitat, with at least 30,000
accessible and suitable HUs in each SHRU, located according to the
known migratory patterns of returning wild adult salmon.
In addition to the biological recovery criteria, the draft plan
identifies several criteria for abating both primary and secondary
threats to the DPS. Overall, threats to the GOM DPS identified both at
the time of listing and since then must be diminished prior to
reclassification and, to a greater extent, prior to delisting. All
primary threats must be individually abated according to stated
criteria, although recognition of which threats are primary may change
over time. For secondary threats, tradeoffs may be made in terms of
which criteria are met, as long as the degree to which these threats
are collectively reduced sufficiently diminishes the likelihood of
extinction and, ultimately, endangerment. Adaptive management and
collaborative partnerships will be essential for determining to what
extent secondary threats must be resolved in association with abatement
of primary threats.
To meet the recovery criteria and achieve the recovery objectives
for the GOM DPS of Atlantic salmon, this draft recovery plan focuses on
the actions necessary to achieve long-term viability of DPS Atlantic
salmon populations. We note that these actions address both short-term
survival needs and long-term recovery needs. Geographically based
actions will be further specified in SHRU work plans, while research
and genetics management actions will be addressed in rangewide
implementation strategies. The seven categories of recovery actions for
the DPS include:
1. Habitat Connectivity: Actions for enhancing connectivity between
the ocean and freshwater habitats important for salmon recovery.
2. Genetic Diversity: Actions for maintaining the genetic diversity
of Atlantic salmon populations over time.
3. Conservation Hatchery: Actions for increasing numbers of adult
spawners through the conservation hatchery program.
4. Freshwater Conservation: Actions for increasing numbers of adult
spawners through the freshwater production of smolts.
5. Marine and Estuary: Actions for increasing Atlantic salmon
survival through increased understanding of these ecosystems and
identification of spatial and temporal constraints to salmon marine
productivity in order to identify management actions that are likely to
increase marine survival rates.
6. Federal/Tribal Coordination: Actions for consulting with all
involved Tribes on a government-to-government basis.
7. Outreach, Education, and Engagement: Actions for collaborating
with partners and engaging interested parties in recovery efforts for
the GOM DPS.
The estimated time for fully implementing all recovery actions and
achieving the goal of delisting the Gulf of Maine DPS of Atlantic
salmon is, very roughly, 75 years from the present time. This time
frame accounts for approximately 15 generations of salmon and assumes a
full investment of resources into the recovery program for the DPS.
Over the 75-year time frame, the total cost of recovery is
projected to be approximately $350 million; again, this is an extremely
speculative estimate, particularly given the uncertainties surrounding
recovery of this DPS. The estimate assumes that costs of the various
actions will accrue unevenly and that costs will diminish over time as
projects are completed and best management practices are implemented.
It is equally difficult to estimate a time and cost for
reclassification because of uncertainties associated with the current
significant threats to the species, especially marine survival, and
impacts of climate change. A best-case scenario based on the current
reclassification criteria is roughly 10 years. Under this scenario, the
estimated cost for reclassification is estimated at $140,428,000.
We emphasize that these time and cost estimates are highly subject
to change and are not intended to serve any purpose other than
addressing our obligation to provide the public with our best
understanding of the general level of effort and expense that might be
needed to meet the ultimate recovery goal of delisting. It is also
important to note the costs involved in implementing recovery actions
for the GOM DPS of Atlantic salmon will provide other vital ancillary
benefits. These include but are not limited to conservation of other
diadromous species in the Gulf of Maine, improved water quality and
flow in salmon rivers, an enhanced understanding of sustainable
management for numerous aquatic resources, and a reduction of stressors
that affect not only Atlantic salmon but general environmental quality.
Request for Public Comments
We request written comments on the draft recovery plan. We will
consider all comments we receive by the date specified in DATES prior
to final approval of the plan.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your comments, you should be
aware that your entire submission--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. Although you
can request in your comment that we withhold your personal information
from public examination, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do
so.
[[Page 18642]]
Authority
The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533 (f).
Dated: March 14, 2016.
Kenneth D. Elowe,
Acting Regional Director, Northeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2016-07227 Filed 3-30-16; 8:45 am]
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