[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 86 (Tuesday, May 5, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 24821]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-11609]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Availability of Draft Management Objectives for the Endangered 
Fishes of the Upper Colorado River for Review and Comment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the 
availability for public review of Draft Interim Management Objectives 
for the Endangered Fishes of the Upper Colorado River and supporting 
draft document ``Modeling population dynamics of Colorado squawfish, 
razorback sucker, and humpback chub: for management objective 
development.'' These interim management objectives serve as the first 
step in determining recovery goals by identifying approximate minimum 
population sizes for current and restored stocks of endangered fish in 
order to achieve recovery. The Service solicits review and comment from 
the public on this draft interim management objectives and supporting 
modeling document.

DATES: Comments on the draft management objectives must be received on 
or before June 4, 1998 to ensure they receive consideration by the 
Service.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft management objectives 
may obtain a copy by contacting the Associate Manager Utah, Fish and 
Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 25486, Denver Federal Center, Denver, 
Colorado 80225. Written comments and materials regarding this plan 
should be sent to the Associate Manager Utah at the Denver address 
given above. Comments and materials received are available on request 
for public inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at 
the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Larry Shanks, Fish and Wildlife Associate Manager (see ADDRESSES 
above), at telephone (303) 236-8154.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Restoring an endangered or threatened animal or plant to the point 
where it is again a secure, self-sustaining member of its ecosystem is 
a primary goal of the Service's endangered species program. To help 
guide the recovery effort of Upper Colorado River endangered fishes, 
the Recovery Implementation Program, with the Service as a participant, 
is determining interim management objectives to guide the development 
of recovery goals. This first step is to determine the necessary 
minimum numbers in a population of endangered Upper Colorado River 
fishes to maintain quantifiable genetic integrity. The interim 
management objective documents the methods used to determine effective 
population size, sex ratios and numbers of fish that would successfully 
contribute their genetics to the next spawning population.
    Biologists have been charged with developing quantifiable recovery 
objectives that are scientifically based. Generally, there is a lack of 
sufficient information on species habitat needs, population genetics, 
and population demographics to establish sound quantifiable objectives. 
Where scientists have attempted to establish quantifiable objectives 
for recovery, they have tended to be relatively conservative. For these 
reasons, and others, quantifiable recovery objectives have never been 
established for endangered fish in the Upper Colorado River Basin.
    In the Upper Basin, four endemic fish species are federally listed 
as endangered: Colorado squawfish (Ptychocheilus lucius), humpback chub 
(Gila cypha), razorback sucker (Xyraunchen texanus), and bonytail (Gila 
elegans). The original draft recovery plan for Colorado squawfish 
written in 1978 called for the development of quantifiable recovery 
objectives. Following the establishment of the Upper Basin Recovery 
Implementation Program in 1986, the need for quantification of 
objectives for each species was reiterated. The current recovery plans 
for all four endangered Colorado River fish, however, still call for 
the establishment of quantifiable objectives. Additionally, 
quantifiable management objectives are needed by the Upper Basin 
Recovery Implementation Program to evaluate actions taken to recover 
endangered fish in the Upper Basin.
    The purpose of the draft document is to outline quantifiable 
interim management objectives for all Colorado River endangered fish 
and to describe how the interim management objectives were developed. 
Interim management objectives are based on a minimum genetic effective 
population size (Ne) and population demographic parameters 
described in the model developed by Crowl and Bouwes (1997). Their 
achievement is dependent upon a multitude of environmental conditions 
and management actions. The term ``interim'' is being used because they 
will require refinement at regular intervals as new information is 
obtained. The application of interim management objectives will be 
primarily within the Upper Basin Recovery Implementation Program to 
evaluate progress towards recovery of these endangered fish. in this 
light, the interim management objectives will provide a framework for 
prioritizing short-term actions needed for recovery and guidelines for 
obtaining the information needed to define quantifiable long-term 
recovery objectives.

Public Comments Solicited

    The Service solicits written comments on the draft interim 
management objectives described above. All comments received by the 
date specified in the DATES section above will be considered prior to 
approval of the interim management objectives.

Authority

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

    Dated: April 24, 1998.
Terry Terrel,
Regional Director, Denver, Colorado.
[FR Doc. 98-11609 Filed 5-4-98; 8:45 am]
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