[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 51 (Thursday, March 15, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15135-15136]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-6437]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Availability of a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement (DSEIS) To Evaluate Continued Sea Lamprey Control in Lake 
Champlain

AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior (Lead Agency); New 
York State Department of Environmental Conservation; Vermont Department 
of Fish and Wildlife (Cooperating Agencies).

ACTION: Notice of availability for public comment.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of a DSEIS on a 
proposal to continue sea lamprey control in Lake Champlain. The U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in cooperation with the Vermont 
Department of Fish and Wildlife (VTDFW) and the New York State 
Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) prepared a DSEIS to 
evaluate the proposal to continue sea lamprey control in Lake 
Champlain, to maintain reduced levels of sea lamprey and achieve 
further reductions. The DSEIS has been prepared pursuant to section 
102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, in 
accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality regulations for 
implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500 to 1508). USFWS invites other 
Federal agencies, States, Indian tribes, local governments, and the 
general public to submit comments on the document. All comments 
received, including the names and addresses, will become part of the 
administrative record and may be made available to the public.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before April 30, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Written comments regarding the DSEIS should be addressed to 
Mr. Dave Tilton, Project Leader, USFWS Lake Champlain Office, 11 
Lincoln St., Essex Junction, Vermont 05452. Written comments may also 
be sent by facsimile to 802-872-9704. Alternatively, comments may be 
submitted electronically to the following [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Dave Tilton, Project Leader, USFWS 
Lake Champlain Office, 11 Lincoln St., Essex Junction, Vermont 05452, 
802-872-0629, Ext. 12, FAX 802-872-9704. New York contact person is Mr. 
Lawrence Nashett, Supervising Aquatic Biologist, New York Department of 
Environmental Conservation, Region 5, PO Box 296, Ray Brook, New York 
12977, 518-897-1333. Vermont contact person is Mr. Brian Chipman, 
District Fisheries Biologist, Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife, 
111 West Street, Essex Junction, Vermont 05452, 802-878-1564.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Sea lamprey are primitive marine invaders to Lake Champlain. They 
are parasitic fish that feed on the body fluids of other fish resulting 
in reduced growth and often the death of host fish. A substantial body 
of information collected on Lake Champlain indicates sea lamprey have a 
profound negative impact upon the lake's fishery resources and have 
suppressed efforts to establish new and historical sportfisheries. In 
1990, the USFWS, NYSDEC, and VTDFW initiated an 8-year experimental sea 
lamprey control program for Lake Champlain. The experimental program 
treated tributaries and deltas of Lake Champlain with the chemical 
lampricides TFM and Bayluscide, which substantially reduced larval sea 
lamprey numbers in treated waters. The program included monitoring and 
assessment of the effects of sea lamprey reduction on the 
characteristics of certain fish populations, the sport fishery and the 
area's growth and economy. A set of 30 evaluation standards were 
established. Overall, the experimental sea lamprey control program met 
or exceeded the majority of the standards. In addition to this 
evaluation, the cooperating agencies assessed the effects of the 
program on nontarget organisms.
    Two rounds of treatments were planned for each significantly 
infested stream and delta. From 1990 through

[[Page 15136]]

1996, 24 TFM treatments were conducted on 14 Lake Champlain 
tributaries, and 9 Bayluscide (5 percent granular) treatments were 
conducted on 5 deltas. A cumulative total of approximately 141 stream 
miles and 1220 delta acres were treated. In summary, trap catches of 
spawning-phase sea lamprey declined by 80 to 90 percent; nest counts 
were reduced by 57 percent. Sixteen of 22 TFM treatments reduced 
ammocoetes at index stations to less than 10 percent of pre-treatment 
levels. Eight of the nine Bayluscide treatments resulted in mean 
mortality rates over 85 percent among caged ammocoetes. Relatively 
small numbers of nontarget amphibian and fish species were killed. 
Adverse effects on nontarget species were higher for Bayluscide 
treatments than TFM. Native mussels, snails and some other 
macroinvertebrates were significantly affected after the 1991 Bayer 73 
treatments of the Ausable and Little Ausable deltas in New York. 
However, they recovered to pre-treatment levels within 4 years. 
American brook lamprey also experienced substantial treatment-related 
mortality. Yet, the finding of dead American brook lamprey in second-
round treatments in each stream where they were negatively affected 
during the first round suggested their populations persisted. Wounding 
rates on lake trout and landlocked Atlantic salmon were reduced in the 
main lake basin, and catches of both species increased. A significant 
increase in survival of age 3 to 4 lake trout was noted; survival of 
older fish improved but did not change significantly. Returns of 
Atlantic salmon to tributaries increased significantly after treatment. 
Changes in wounding rates on brown and rainbow trout could not be 
evaluated, but angler catches have increased since 1990. Catch per unit 
of effort of rainbow smelt, the major forage species for salmonids, 
decreased significantly at one of two sampling stations in the main 
lake basin and in Malletts Bay, but not at other locations; length-at-
age also decreased at most sites. Evaluation of angler and general 
public responses to the program indicated a favorable, 3.5:1 economic 
benefit:cost ratio.
    A Comprehensive Evaluation of an Eight Year Program of Sea Lamprey 
Control in Lake Champlain provides a detailed description of the 
results of the project. It is available on the USFWS web-site at, 
[www.fws.gov/r5lcfwro/lamprey/lamprey.html.], or from any of the 
contacts for further information listed above.

Decision To Be Made

    The responsible officials in the USFWS, NYSDEC, and VTDFW must 
decide whether to continue sea lamprey control for Lake Champlain. In 
addition, if sea lamprey control will continue, the agencies must also 
consider the following:
    (1) Should the following list be established as the long term 
program objectives?
    (a) Achieve and maintain lamprey wounding rates at or below 25 
wounds per 100 lake trout, ideally 10 wounds per 100 lake trout; 15 
wounds per 100 landlocked salmon, ideally 5 wounds per 100 landlocked 
salmon, and; 2 wounds per 100 walleye, ideally 0 wounds per 100 
walleye.
    (b) Attain target wounding rates within 5 years of full 
implementation of the Proposed Action. Full implementation is defined 
as application of optimal sea lamprey control strategies on tributaries 
identified in Proposed Action.
    (c) Employ an integrated approach to continuing sea lamprey control 
using lampricides and nonchemical means.
    (2) What mitigation and monitoring measures are required for sound 
resource management?
    (3) Is sea lamprey control in the best interest for the resource 
and citizens of the States of New York and Vermont?
    The Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and Record of 
Decision is expected to be released by August 2001. The Responsible 
Officials will make a decision regarding this proposal after 
considering public comments, and the environmental consequences 
displayed in the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, 
applicable laws, regulations, and policies. The decision and supporting 
reason will be documented in the Record of Decision.

    Dated: February 23, 2001.
Richard O. Bennett,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 01-6437 Filed 3-14-01; 8:45 am]
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