[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 68 (Tuesday, April 9, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 17089]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-8381]


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DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability of the Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the 
Gila Trout (Oncorhynchus gilae)

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 the draft Revised Recovery Plan for 
the Gila trout (Oncorhynchus gilae). The Gila trout is endemic to 
mountain streams in the Gila, San Francisco, Agua Fria, and Verde river 
drainages in New Mexico and Arizona. The Service solicits review and 
comment from the public on this draft plan.

DATES: The comment period for this proposal closes on June 10, 2002. 
Comments on the draft revised recovery plan must be received by the 
closing date.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft Recovery Plan can obtain 
a copy from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, New Mexico Ecological 
Services Field Office, 2105 Osuna NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87113. 
If you wish to comment, you may submit your comments and materials 
concerning this draft revised recovery plan to the Field Supervisor at 
the address above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Field Supervisor, New Mexico 
Ecological Services Field Office, at the above address; telephone 505/
346-2525, facsimile 505/346-2542.

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, 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 conservation 
of species, establish criteria for downlisting or delisting them, and 
estimate time and cost for implementing the recovery measures needed.
    The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended (16 U.S.C. 
1531 et seq.) 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 a public comment period prior 
to approval of each new or revised Recovery Plan. The Service and other 
Federal agencies will also take these comments into account in the 
course of implementing Recovery Plans.
    The document submitted for review is the draft revised recovery 
plan for the Gila trout. The species was listed as endangered on March 
11, 1967, under the Federal Endangered Species Preservation Act of 
1966. Federal status of the fish as endangered was continued under the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973.
    The threats facing the survival and recovery of this species are 
the competition and hybridization with non-native trout species (e.g., 
Oncorhynchus mykiss), forest management practices, grazing management, 
severe drought, catastrophic wildfires, and floods. This draft Recovery 
Plan, when finalized, will supercede the Recovery Plan finalized for 
the species in 1993. The draft Recovery Plan includes new scientific 
information about the species gathered since 1993 and provides 
objectives and actions needed to downlist then delist the species. 
Recovery activities designed to achieve these objectives include 
establishing additional populations of Gila trout; protecting existing 
populations and habitat; continuing to obtain information needed to 
address conservation issues; and continuing to provide information and 
coordinating recovery of this species.
    The draft Recovery Plan is being submitted for technical and agency 
review. After consideration of comments received during the review 
period, the Recovery Plan will be submitted for final approval.

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 the Recovery Plan.

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

    Dated: March 21, 2002.
Pat Langley,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 02-8381 Filed 4-8-02; 8:45 am]
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