[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 229 (Tuesday, November 26, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 60073-60074]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-30123]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of 
Initiation of 12-month Status Review for Petition to List the Santa Ana 
Sucker as Endangered

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of status review.

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SUMMARY: On July 9, 1996, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) 
announced its 90-day finding on a petition to list three fish as 
endangered, pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. 
The Service found the petition did not present substantial scientific 
or commercial information indicating the petitioned action may be 
warranted for two of the three fish, but the Service determined that 
substantial information exists to support a decision that listing may 
be warranted for the Santa Ana sucker. Though the Service was compelled 
by the United States District Court for the Northern District of 
California to issue the 90-day finding, the Service indicated that a 
status review of the Santa Ana sucker would be commenced in accordance 
with the final listing priority guidance (61 FR 36021). Because the 
processing of petitions is a tier 3 listing action according to the 
existing listing priority guidance (61 FR 24722) and proposed extended 
guidance (61 FR 48962), the status review and 12-month finding 
typically should be delayed until other higher priority or tier 2 
actions (i.e., final rules) are completed. However, the district court 
ordered the Service on October 10, 1996, to complete its review of the 
petition by March 28, 1997. With the commencement of the status review, 
the Service is taking the first step to comply with the court order.

DATES: Any comments and materials received by December 26, 1996 will be 
considered in the 12-month finding.

ADDRESSES: Data, information, comments, or questions concerning the 
status review should be submitted to the Field Supervisor, Carlsbad 
Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2730 Loker Avenue West, 
Carlsbad, California 92008. The petition, 90-day finding, and 
supporting data are available for public inspection, by appointment, 
during normal business hours at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul J. Barrett, at the address listed 
above (telephone 619/431-9440, facsimile 619/431-9618).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Section 4(b)(3)(A) of the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as 
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) requires that the Service make a 
finding on whether a petition to list, delist, or reclassify a species 
presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating 
that the petitioned action may be warranted. To the maximum extent 
practicable, this finding is to be made within 90 days of the receipt 
of the petition, and the finding is to be published promptly in the 
Federal Register. If the Service determines that substantial scientific 
or commercial information indicating that the petitioned action may be 
warranted exists, the Service will commence a review of the status of 
the species. However, because of a shortfall in funds needed to 
eliminate the existing backlog of proposed listings and other listing 
actions required by the Act in FY 1997, the Service proposed to extend 
the existing listing priority guidance on September 17, 1996 (61 FR 
48962). According to the existing guidance and proposed guidance, the 
processing of petitions (tier 3 listing action), including the 
initiation of status reviews, would be delayed until other higher 
priority (tier 2 actions or final rules) are completed.
    On September 6, 1994, the Service received a petition dated 
September 2, 1994, to list the Santa Ana speckled dace (Rhinichthys 
osculus ssp.), Santa Ana sucker (Catostomus santaanae), and the Shay 
Creek threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus ssp.) as 
endangered species. The petition was submitted by the Sierra Club Legal 
Defense Fund, Inc., on behalf of seven groups. The seven groups are the 
California-Nevada Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, The Nature 
School, The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, Friends of the 
River, Izaak Walton League of America, California Trout, and Trout 
Unlimited. The Service found the petition did not present substantial 
scientific or commercial information indicating the petitioned action 
may be warranted for two of the speckled dace and threespine 
stickleback, but the Service determined that substantial information 
exists to support a decision that listing may be

[[Page 60074]]

warranted for the Santa Ana sucker. Though the Service was compelled by 
the United States District Court for the Northern District of 
California to issue the 90-day finding, the Service indicated that a 
status review of the Santa Ana sucker would be commenced in accordance 
with the final listing priority guidance (61 FR 24722). Because the 
processing of petitions is a tier 3 listing action according to the 
recently extended guidance (61 FR 48962), the status review and 12-
month finding typically should be delayed until other higher priority 
or tier 2 actions (i.e., final rules) are completed. However, the 
district court ordered the Service on October 10, 1996, to complete its 
review of the petition by March 28, 1997. As a result, the Service is 
initiating a status review of the Santa Ana sucker as the first step to 
comply with the court order.
    The Santa Ana sucker (Catostomus santaanae) is a member of the 
sucker family (Catostomidae). The Santa Ana sucker was originally 
described as Pantosteus santa-anae by Snyder (1908, as in Moyle 1976). 
The genus Pantosteus was reduced to a subgenus of Catostomus and the 
hyphen omitted from the specific name in a subsequent revision of the 
nomenclature (Smith 1966). The American Fisheries Society recognizes 
the Santa Ana sucker as a full species, C. santaanae (Robins et al. 
1991).
    The historical range of the Santa Ana sucker includes the Los 
Angeles, San Gabriel, and Santa Ana River drainage systems located in 
southern California (Smith 1966). An introduced population also occurs 
in the Santa Clara River drainage system in southern California (Moyle 
1976). Moyle and Yoshiyama (1992) stated that only the San Gabriel 
River population can be considered relatively viable and self-
sustaining within the native range.
    Although the Santa Ana sucker was described as common in the 1970s 
(Moyle 1976), the species has experienced dramatic declines throughout 
most of its range (Moyle and Yoshiyama 1992). Santa Ana suckers have 
adaptations such as short generation time, high fecundity, and a 
relatively prolonged spawning period that presumably allows them to 
rapidly repopulate streams after severe flooding events (Greenfield et 
al. 1970). Nevertheless, they are intolerant of polluted or highly 
modified streams (Moyle and Yoshiyama 1992). Urbanization, water 
diversions, dams, pollution, heavy recreational use, gold mining 
wastes, gravel extraction, and introduced competitors and or predators 
may have contributed in the decline of the species (Moyle and Yoshiyama 
1992, Swift et al, 1993).
    Swift (in Moyle and Yoshiyama 1992) summarized the status and 
threats facing each of the populations in their native range.
     Los Angeles River (Big Tujunga Creek below Big Tujunga 
Dam)-- Fluctuations in water quality pose problems for all fishes in 
this reach. The Santa Ana sucker is rare and may already be lost here.
     San Gabriel River (contiguous West, North, and East forks 
about 40 km below Cogswell Dam)--The West Fork is threatened by 
accidental high flows from Cogswell Reservoir that have devastated this 
reach in the past. The Cattle Canyon tributary of the East Fork is 
impacted by increased gold mining (suction dredging) and the population 
has been much reduced or may be absent in Cattle Canyon.
     Santa Ana River--Several hundred fish were observed below 
Prado Dam in 1986 and 1987, although sampling above the dam in 1987 
yielded only five Santa Ana suckers. Water quality is threatened by 
many and various local inputs, such as runoffs from light industry and 
surrounding farmed lands (T. Haglund, in Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund 
1994).
    Subsequent to the receipt of the petition, a general fish survey of 
the Santa Ana River below Prado Dam yielded only 5 suckers from a total 
of approximately 150 fishes captured (Mike Guisti, California Game and 
Fish Department, pers. comm.). A survey of the East Fork of the San 
Gabriel River above the confluence with Cattle Canyon found the sucker 
to be relatively common, 198 of 553 fish captured (R. Ally, California 
Department of Fish and Game, pers. Comm.). The present status of the 
Santa Ana sucker in the Los Angeles River is unknown.
    Written comments and materials submitted to the Service office in 
the ADDRESSES section and received by December 26, 1996 will be 
considered in the 12-month finding.

Reference Cited

Greenfield, D. W., S. T. Ross, and G. D. Deckert. 1970. Some aspects 
of the life history of the Santa Ana sucker, Catostomus (Pantosteus) 
santaanae (Snyder). California Fish and Game 56:166-179.
Moyle, P. B. 1976. Inland Fishes of California. University of 
California Press, 405 pp.
Moyle, P. B. and R. M. Yoshiyama. 1992. Fishes, aquatic diversity 
management areas, and endangered species: Plan to protect 
California's native aquatic biota. The California Policy Seminar, 
University of California.
Robins, C. R., R. M. Baily, C. E. Bond, J. R. Brooker, E. A. 
Lachner, R. N. Lea, and W. B. Scott. 1991. Common and scientific 
names of fishes of the United States and Canada. American Fisheries 
Society Special Publication 20. Bethesda, Maryland.
Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund. 1994. Petition to designate the 
Santa Ana sucker, Santa Ana speckled dace, and Shay Creek threespine 
stickleback as endangered species pursuant to the Endangered Species 
Act of 1973, as amended.
Smith, G. R. 1966. Distribution and evolution of the North American 
Pantosteus, genus Catostomus. Miscellaneous Publication Museum 
Zoology, University of Michigan, No. 129:1-132.
Swift, C. C., T. R. Haglund, M. Ruiz, and R. N. Fisher. 1993. The 
status and distribution of the freshwater fishes of southern 
California. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 
92:1-67.

Authority

    The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act, as 
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531-1544).

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 17

    Endangered and threatened species, Exports, Imports, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Transportation.

    Dated: November 19, 1996.
Thomas Dwyer,
Acting Regional Director, Region 1, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 96-30123 Filed 11-25-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P