[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 246 (Tuesday, December 22, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 83609-83610]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-28172]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[Docket No. FWS-R3-ES-2019-0101; FXES11130300000-190-FF03E00000]
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Recovery
Plan for the Ozark Hellbender
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, announce the
availability of the draft recovery plan for the Ozark hellbender, a
salamander species. We request review and comment on this draft
recovery plan from local, State, and Federal agencies, and the public.
DATES: We must receive comments by January 21, 2021.
ADDRESSES:
Document availability: The draft recovery plan, along with any
comments and other materials that we receive, will be available for
public inspection at http://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. FWS-R3-
ES-2019-0101.
Submitting Comments: You may submit comments by one of the
following methods:
Internet: http://www.regulations.gov. Search for and
submit comments on Docket No. FWS-R3-ES-2019-0101.
U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing,
Attn: Docket No. FWS-R3-ES-2019-0101; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Headquarters, MS: JAO/1N; 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-
3803.
For more information, see Availability of Public Comments under
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Herrington, by phone at 573-234-
2132, via email at karen_herrington@fws.gov, or via the Federal Relay
Service at 800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service), announce the availability of the draft recovery plan for the
endangered Ozark hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi) for
public review and comment. The Ozark hellbender is a large, strictly
aquatic salamander found only in southern Missouri and northern
Arkansas. The draft recovery plan includes objective, measurable
criteria and management actions as may be necessary for removal of the
species from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. We
request review and comment on this draft recovery plan from local,
State, and Federal agencies, and the public.
Recovery Planning
Section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended
(Act; 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. Also pursuant to section 4(f) of
the Act, a recovery plan must, to the maximum extent practicable,
include (1) a description of site-specific management actions as may be
necessary to achieve the plan's goals for the conservation and survival
of the species; (2) objective, measurable criteria that, when met,
would support a determination under section 4(a)(1) that the species
should be removed from the List of Endangered and Threatened Species;
and (3) estimates of the time and costs required to carry out those
measures needed to achieve the plan's goal and to achieve intermediate
steps toward that goal.
Species Background
The Ozark hellbender is endemic to the White River drainage in
northern Arkansas and southern Missouri (Johnson 2000), historically
occurring in portions of the Spring, White, Black, Eleven Point, and
Current Rivers and some of their tributaries (Bryant Creek, the North
Fork White River, and Jacks Fork) (LaClaire 1993). Currently,
populations of Ozark hellbenders are known to occur in Bryant Creek,
the North Fork White River, the Eleven Point River, and the Current
River, with
[[Page 83610]]
some individuals possibly still present in the main stem of the White
River, Spring River, and Jacks Fork (Briggler 2013, pers. comm.; Irwin
2013, pers. comm.).
The primary reason for Ozark hellbender population declines remains
unclear. However, several potential factors have been identified and
include degraded water quality, habitat loss resulting from
impoundments and sedimentation, disease, illegal and/or scientific
collection, and potential increased predation from some native and non-
native species of stocked fish (Service 2011). Population declines have
necessitated the use of captive propagation efforts to ensure the long-
term survival of the species until threats are better understood and
abated.
Under the Act, the Service added the Ozark hellbender to the
Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife as an endangered
species on October 6, 2011 (76 FR 61956). This final rule took effect
on November 7, 2011.
Recovery Criteria
The draft recovery criteria are summarized below. For the recovery
strategy, management actions, and estimated time and costs associated
with recovery, refer to the Draft Recovery Plan for the Ozark
hellbender (see ADDRESSES for document availability).
The ultimate recovery goal is to remove the Ozark hellbender from
the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife (``delist'') by
ensuring the long-term viability of the species in the wild. In the
recovery plan, we define the following criteria for reclassification
(``downlisting'' from endangered to threatened) and delisting based on
the best available information on the species.
Downlisting Criteria
Because each of the three extant Ozark hellbender populations is
genetically unique, all three populations are necessary to maintain the
evolutionary potential of the species. Given the small range of each
population, the persistence of all three populations is also necessary
to guard against extinction from catastrophic events such as extreme
flooding, drought, and chemical spills. Therefore, to downlist the
Ozark hellbender, the following criteria should be achieved for each of
three Ozark hellbender populations (the North Fork White River, Eleven
Point River, and Current River):
1. There is a positive population trend for a 15 year period.\1\
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\1\ Because the Ozark hellbender is a long-lived species,
population trends take a longer amount of time to be realized. Thus,
a longer period of time is needed to monitor population trends.
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2. There is evidence of successful recruitment to maintain a
sustaining population, with recruitment defined as attainment of sexual
maturity by young.
3. Habitat quantity and quality are sufficient to support all life
stages.
4. Within each watershed the number and distribution of occupied
habitat patches and abundance of individuals within these patches is
such that (1) the population is resilient to stochastic and
catastrophic events and (2) connectivity and gene flow is sufficient to
maintain genetic diversity and provide for natural re-establishment if
a patch is extirpated.
5. Causes of population declines have been identified, and it is
clear what actions are needed to address these threats.
Delisting Criteria
To delist the Ozark hellbender, the following criteria should be
achieved for each of three Ozark hellbender populations (the North Fork
White River, Eleven Point River, and Current River):
1. Downlisting criteria have been met.
2. Threats and causes of decline have been reduced or eliminated
such that delisting criterion 1 will continue to be met into the
foreseeable future.
Availability of Public 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).
Lori Nordstrom,
Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Midwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2020-28172 Filed 12-21-20; 8:45 am]
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