[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 42 (Monday, March 6, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12632-12633]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-04279]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R4-ES-2016-N112; FXES11130400000C2-167-FF04E00000]
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Technical/Agency
Draft Recovery Plan for the Yellowcheek Darter
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability and request for public comment.
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SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of the technical/agency draft recovery plan for the
endangered yellowcheek darter, a fish. The draft recovery plan includes
specific recovery objectives and criteria that must be met in order for
us to reclassify this species to threatened status and ultimately
delist it under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act).
We request review and comment on this draft recovery plan from local,
State, and Federal agencies, and the public.
DATES: In order to be considered, comments on the draft recovery plan
must be received on or before May 5, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Reviewing documents: If you wish to review this technical/
agency draft recovery plan, you may obtain a copy by contacting Melvin
Tobin, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arkansas Ecological Services
Field Office, 110 S. Amity Road, Suite 300, Conway, AR 72032; tel. 501-
513-4473; or by visiting the Service's Arkansas Field Office Web site
at http://www.fws.gov/arkansas-es.
Submitting comments: If you wish to comment, you may submit your
comments by one of the following methods:
1. You may submit written comments and materials to us, at the
above address.
2. You may hand-deliver written comments to our Arkansas Field
Office, at the above address, or fax them to 501-513-4480.
3. You may send comments by email to Melvin_Tobin@fws.gov. Please
include ``Yellowcheek Darter Draft Recovery Plan Comments'' on the
subject line.
For additional information about submitting comments, see Request
for Public Comments below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melvin Tobin (see ADDRESSES).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Act requires the development of recovery plans for listed
species, unless such a plan would not promote the conservation of a
particular species. Recovery plans describe actions considered
necessary for conservation of the species, establish criteria for
reclassification to threatened or delisting, and estimate time and cost
for implementing recovery measures. 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
information presented during a public comment period prior to approval
of each new or revised recovery plan. We and other Federal agencies
will take these comments into account in the course of implementing
approved recovery plans.
About the Species
We listed the yellowcheek darter (Etheostoma moorei) as endangered
under the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) on August 9, 2011 (76 FR 48722).
A total of 102 river miles (164 rkm) in four streams (Middle, South,
Archey, and Devils forks of the Little Red River) in Cleburne, Searcy,
Stone, and Van Buren Counties, Arkansas was designated as critical
habitat on October 16, 2012 (77 FR 63604).
The yellowcheek darter grows to 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) total length
and is endemic to the Devils, Middle, South, and Archey forks of the
Little Red River and the mainstem Little Red River in Arkansas. The
species inhabits high-gradient headwater tributaries with clear water,
permanent flow, moderate to strong riffles, and gravel, cobble, and
boulder substrates (Robison and Buchanan 1988). Prey items consumed by
the yellowcheek darter include blackfly larvae, stoneflies, mayflies,
and other aquatic insects.
Threats
The yellowcheek darter is threatened primarily by factors
associated with the present destruction, modification, or curtailment
of its habitat or range. Threats include impoundment, sedimentation,
poor livestock grazing practices, improper timber harvest practices,
nutrient enrichment, gravel mining, channelization/channel instability,
and natural gas development. Climate change is also likely to have
adverse effects on the species due to alteration of hydrologic cycles
of headwater streams that support the yellowcheek darter, but the
extent or magnitude of this threat has not been quantified at this
time.
We have assigned the yellowcheek darter a recovery priority number
of 2C (48 FR 43098), which reflects a high degree of threat, and a high
recovery potential.
Recovery Plan Components
The ultimate goal of this recovery plan is to ensure the long-term
viability of the yellowcheek darter in the wild to the point that it
can be delisted from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened
Wildlife (50 CFR 17.11). Initially, the goal is to reclassify the
yellowcheek darter from endangered to threatened status based upon its
improved status due to the implementation of recovery actions in this
plan.
Recovery Criteria
Reclassification from endangered to threatened status: The
yellowcheek darter will be considered for reclassification to
threatened when (1) water quality and quantity in the Middle, South,
and either Archey or Devils Forks, as defined by the best available
science (to be refined by recovery actions), supports the long-term
survival of yellowcheek darter in its natural environment (based on
Safe Harbor enrollment and private landowner conservation efforts); (2)
streams where the yellowcheek darter occurs contain sufficient
geomorphically stable channels with relatively silt-free, moderate to
strong velocity riffles with gravel cobble and boulder substrates that
support adequate macroinvertebrate prey items; (3) healthy, self-
sustaining (evident by multiple age classes of individuals, including
naturally recruited juveniles and recruitment rates exceeding mortality
rates) natural populations of yellowcheek darter are maintained in
three of four tributaries (Middle, South, and either Archey or Devils
Forks) at stable or increasing levels for 15 years
[[Page 12633]]
(based on surveys conducted every three years via standard protocol);
and (4) a captive breeding propagation, augmentation and reintroduction
plan has been established, and a contingency plan is in place to ensure
the survival of the species should a catastrophic event affect portions
of a wild population.
Delisting: The yellowcheek darter will be considered for removal
from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife when (1) the
reclassification criteria have been realized and demonstrated as being
effective via monitoring efforts; (2) yellowcheek darter populations in
the Middle, South, and either Archey or Devils Forks continue to be
self-sustaining, stable or increasing, as defined by the best available
science (to be refined by recovery actions), for an additional 15 years
beyond reclassification to threatened status; and (3) commitments are
in place to maintain conservation measures and recovered status.
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 comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Authority
The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533 (f).
Dated: January 24, 2017.
Mike Oetker,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2017-04279 Filed 3-3-17; 8:45 am]
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