[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 6, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25062-25063]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-11972]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Availability of Draft Recovery Plan for the Arroyo Southwestern 
Toad 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 announces the availability 
for public review of a draft Recovery Plan for the Arroyo Southwestern 
Toad. This toad occurs in coastal montane regions from Monterey County, 
California, to Baja California.

DATE: Comments received on the draft recovery plan by August 4, 1998, 
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, 2493 Portola Road, 
Suite B, Ventura, California 93003 (phone: 805/644-1766); U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, 2730 Loker Avenue West, Carlsbad, California 92008 
(phone: 760/431-9440). Requests for copies of the draft recovery plan 
and written comments and materials regarding this plan should be 
addressed to the Field Supervisor, at the above Ventura address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Grace S. McLaughlin, 
Herpetologist, at the Ventura address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Restoring endangered or threatened animals and plants to the point 
where they are again secure, self-sustaining members of their 
ecosystems 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. Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for 
the conservation of the species, establish criteria for the recovery 
levels for downlisting or delisting them, and estimate time and cost 
for implementing the recovery measures needed.
    The Endangered Species Act, 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 
public notice and an opportunity for public review and comment be 
provided during recovery plan development. The Service will consider 
all information presented during the public comment period prior to 
approval of each new or revised Recovery Plan. Substantive technical 
comments will result in changes to the plans. Substantive comments 
regarding recovery plan implementation may not necessarily result in 
changes to the recovery plans, 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.
    This species is listed as endangered. As of 1994, the arroyo 
southwestern toad (Bufo microscaphus californicus) (referred to as 
arroyo toad) was known from 22 river basins with a total estimated 
breeding population of fewer than 3,000 individuals. The arroyo toad is 
endemic to primarily the coastal plain and mountains of central and 
southern California and northwestern Baja California. These toads breed 
in stream channels and use stream terraces and surrounding uplands for 
foraging and wintering. Direct habitat loss due to urbanization, 
agriculture, and dam construction is the main cause for the decline of 
arroyo toads. Other threats include water diversions, road building, 
livestock grazing, mining, recreational activities, loss of habitat due 
to exotic plants, and predation by introduced species. Although the 
species evolved and has survived in an environment periodically 
impacted by fire, flood, and drought, the interactions of such natural 
events with human alterations of the habitat may lead to the 
extirpation of local populations.
    The objective of this plan is to provide a framework for the 
recovery of the arroyo toad so that protection by the Act is no longer 
necessary. The recovery strategy for the arroyo toad is focused on 
providing sufficient breeding and upland habitat to maintain self-
sustaining populations of arroyo toads throughout the historic range of 
the species in California, and minimizing or eliminating impacts and 
threats to arroyo toad populations. This plan describes a five-part 
recovery strategy with specific tasks necessary to maintain healthy 
aquatic, riparian and adjacent upland ecosystems that provide habitat 
for arroyo toads. The tasks, when implemented, will stabilize and 
maintain populations throughout the range of the arroyo toad in 
California by protecting sufficient breeding and nonbreeding habitat, 
monitor the status of existing populations to ensure

[[Page 25063]]

recovery actions are successful, identify and secure additional 
suitable arroyo toad habitat and populations, conduct research to 
determine the population dynamics and ecology of the species to guide 
management efforts and determine the best methods for reducing threats, 
and develop and implement an outreach program.

Public Comments Solicited

    The Service solicits written comments on the recovery plan 
described. All comments received by the date 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).
Michael J. Spear,
Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1, Portland, 
Oregon.
[FR Doc. 98-11972 Filed 5-5-98; 8:45 am]
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