[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 189 (Tuesday, September 30, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51123-51124]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-25839]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Availability of Draft Recovery Plan for the Nightingale Reed-
Warbler (Acrocephalus luscinia) for Review and Comment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the 
availability for public review of a draft recovery plan for the 
nightingale reed-warbler (Acrocephalus luscinia). This species is known 
only from the Mariana Islands and is currently limited to essentially 2 
islands, with a remnant population on a third island, in this 
archipelago with a total population of approximately 6,225-6,230 
individuals.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan received by December 29, 
1997 will be considered by the Service.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft recovery plan are available for 
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the 
following locations: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Islands 
Office, 300 Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 3108, P.O. Box 50088, Honolulu, 
Hawaii 96850 (phone: 808/541-3441); the Northern Marianas College 
Library, P.O. Box 1250, Asterlaje Campus, Saipan, MP 96950 (phone: 670/
234-5498, extension 1121/2); and University of Guam, RFK Memorial 
Library, UOG Station, Mangilao, Guam 96923 (phone: 671/734-9412). 
Requests for copies of the draft recovery plan and written comments and 
materials regarding the plan should be addressed to Brooks Harper, 
Field Supervisor-Ecological Services of the Pacific Islands Office at 
the Honolulu address given above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Rosa, Assistant Field 
Supervisor-Endangered Species, at the Honolulu address given above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Restoring endangered or threatened animals and plants to the point 
where they are again secure, self-sustaining members of their ecosystem 
is a primary goal of the Service's endangered species program. To help 
guide the recovery effort, the Service is working to prepare recovery 
plans for most of the listed species native to the United States, its 
Territories and Commonwealths. Recovery plans describe actions 
considered necessary for conservation of the species, criteria for 
recognizing the recovery levels for downlisting or delisting them, and 
initial estimates of times and costs to implement the recovery measures 
needed.
    The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.) (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, as amended in 1988, 
requires that a public notice and an opportunity for public review and 
comment be provided during recovery plan development. The Service will 
consider all information presented during a public comment period prior 
to approval of each new or revised recovery plan. Substantive technical 
comments will result in changes to the plan. Substantive comments 
regarding recovery plan implementation may not necessarily result in 
changes to the recovery plan, but will be forwarded to appropriate 
Federal or other entities so that they can take these comments into 
account during the course of implementing recovery actions. 
Individualized responses to comments will not be provided.
    The species being considered in this recovery plan is the 
nightingale reed-warbler (Acrocephalus luscinia). The species is 
historically known from five islands in the Marianas archipelago: Guam, 
Aguiguan, Saipan, Alamagan, and Pagan. It is now extirpated from Guam 
and Pagan, and near extirpation on Aguiguan. Destruction of wetland 
areas and predation by the introduced brown tree snake (Boiga 
irregularis) are believed to have caused the extinction on Guam. 
Habitat destruction due to feral ungulates and, ultimately, vulcanism, 
are believed to have extirpated the Pagan population. Large areas of 
reed-warbler habitat were converted to agriculture during the German 
(1899-1917) and Japanese (1917-1944) administrations and native forest 
was further damaged during World War II battles. Although populations 
of reed-warblers flourished on Saipan with the reversion of former 
agricultural land to scrubby habitats after World War II, this trend 
has reversed recently as land has been developed for agriculture, 
homesteads, and tourist-related facilities. Hence, the amount of 
suitable habitat has been declining. Habitat on Aguiguan and Alamagan 
has been severely degraded by the continuing presence of large feral 
goat populations. All of these factors have led to reduction or 
extirpation of reed-warbler populations from most of the Mariana 
Islands. A small remnant population persists on Aguiguan, while larger 
populations persist on Saipan and

[[Page 51124]]

Alamagan. Habitat loss and exotic predators, such as the brown tree 
snake, monitor lizard (Varanus indicus), rat (Rattus spp.), and 
domestic cat (Felis catus), continue to be the greatest threats to the 
survival of the nightingale reed-warbler.
    The nightingale reed-warbler is currently represented by 
populations on three islands with a total number of individuals 
estimated to be 6,225-6,230 birds. The objective of this plan is to 
provide a framework for the recovery of this species so that protection 
by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is no longer necessary. Recommended 
recovery actions emphasize protection of the existing populations from 
introduction of the brown tree snake and from existing threats, such as 
other predators, feral ungulates, and habitat alteration. It is 
recommended that populations be established on at least three 
additional islands in the Mariana Island chain. Further research on 
population dynamics is also needed.

Public Comments Solicited

    The Service solicits written comments on the recovery plan 
described. All comments received by the data specified above will be 
considered prior to approval of this plan.

Authority

    The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered 
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).

    Dated: September 24, 1997.
Michael J. Spear,
Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 97-25839 Filed 9-29-97; 8:45 am]
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