Fish and Wildlife Service Conducts Five-year Status Reviews of Nine Southeastern Species

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced plans to conduct a five-year status review of the endangered Alabama red-bellied turtle and eight other endangered and threatened species that have Southeastern ranges including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

These five-year reviews are conducted to ensure that listing classifications under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) are accurate. Any interested party is invited to provide information and comments pertaining to these species. Written comments and information related to these five-year reviews must be received on or before
October 1, 2007.

This notice announces the Service's review of nine species including the federally listed, threatened Louisiana black bear, the endangered Alabama red-bellied turtle, two threatened fish (goldline darter and blue shiner), the endangered fat pocketbook mussel, two endangered snails (slender campeloma and armored snail), an endangered cave crayfish (Cambarus zophonastes), and an endangered plant, lyrate bladderpod.

Specifically, this review seeks information on: (1) species biology, including population trends, distribution, abundance, demographics, and genetics; (2) habitat conditions, including amount, distribution, and suitability; (3) conservation measures that have been implemented; (4) threat status and trends; and (5) other new information, data, or corrections, including taxonomic or nomenclatural changes; identification of erroneous information contained in the ESA list, and improved analytical methods. Comments and materials received will be available for public inspection by appointment.

In addition to reviewing the classification of these species, a five-year review presents an opportunity to track the species? recovery progress. It may benefit species by providing valuable information to guide future conservation efforts. Information gathered during a review can assist in making funding decisions, conducting interagency consultations, making permitting decisions, and determining whether to update recovery plans, and other actions under the ESA.

The Federal Register notice announcing the status review of these nine federally listed species is available on-line at http://www.fws.gov/policy/library/E7-15023.html

Written comments and information on the Louisiana black bear may be e-mailed to deborah_fuller@fws.gov, faxed to 337/291-3139, or sent via regular mail to Lafayette Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 646 Cajundome Blvd., Suite 400, Lafayette, Louisiana 70506.

Written comments and information on the Alabama red-bellied turtle, goldline darter, blue shiner, fat pocketbook, and lyrate bladderpod may be e-mailed to cary_norquist@fws.gov, faxed to 601/965-4900, or sent via regular mail to Jackson Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 6578 Dogwood View Parkway, Jackson, Mississippi 39216.

Written comments and information on the slender campeloma and armored snail may be e-mailed to jeff_powell@fws.gov, faxed to 251/441-6222, or sent regular mail to Daphne Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1208-B Main St., Daphne, Alabama 36526.

Written comments and information submitted on the cave crayfish may be e-mailed to david_kampwerth@fws.gov, faxed to 501/513-4480, or sent via regular mail to Conway Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 110 S. Amity Rd., Suite 300, Conway, Arkansas 72032.

Information received in response to this notice of review will be available for public inspection by appointment, during normal business hours, at the same addresses.