[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 186 (Thursday, September 25, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 55411]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-24281]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Approved Recovery Plan for the Lake Erie Water Snake (Nerodia
sipedon insularum)
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the
availability of the approved recovery plan for the Lake Erie water
snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum). This species is federally listed as
threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), on the offshore islands and in the waters of
the western Lake Erie basin of Ohio. Actions needed for recovery of the
Lake Erie water snake include monitoring the population, protecting and
managing habitat on both public and private land, administering public
outreach to address intentional and accidental human-induced mortality,
and collecting important ecological data on the snake and its habitat.
ADDRESSES: This recovery plan is available from the following
addresses:
1. Fish and Wildlife Reference Service, 5430 Grosvenor Lane, Suite 110,
Bethesda, Maryland 20814 (the fee for the plan varies depending on the
number of pages).
2. Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Reynoldsburg
Ecological Services Field Office, 6950 Americana Parkway, Suite H,
Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068-4127.
3. The World Wide Web at: http://endangered.fws.gov/recovery/index.html#plans
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Megan Seymour, Reynoldsburg
Ecological Services Field Office, (see ADDRESSES section No. 2 above),
telephone (614) 469-6923 ext.16. The Fish and Wildlife Reference
Service may be reached at (301) 492-6403 or (800) 582-3421. TTY users
may contact Ms. Seymour and the Fish and Wildlife Reference Service
through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Recovery of endangered or threatened animals or plants is a primary
goal of the Service's endangered species program. A species is
considered recovered when threats to the species are removed so that
populations of the species are self-sustaining. Recovery plans describe
actions considered necessary for the conservation of the species,
establish criteria for delisting species, and provide estimates of the
time and cost for implementing the measures needed for recovery.
The 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 the opportunity for public review and
comment be provided during recovery plan development. Information
presented during the comment period has been considered in the
preparation of the approved recovery plan and is summarized in an
appendix to the recovery plan. We will forward substantive comments
regarding recovery plan implementation to appropriate Federal agencies
and other entities so that they can take these comments into account
during the course of implementing recovery actions.
Lake Erie water snakes on the offshore islands and surrounding
waters of Lake Erie were listed as threatened on August 30, 1999, under
the Act. Water snakes found on the near-shore Ohio islands and Ohio
mainland are not protected by the threatened designation due to the
likelihood that these snakes represent intergrades between the Lake
Erie water snake and northern water snake. The Lake Erie water snake
spends summers basking on the rocky shorelines of the limestone and
dolomite islands in the western Lake Erie basin. Hibernation habitat
for the snake is comprised of areas inland from the shore that
typically have soil and rock substrates and consist of natural openings
or fissures. Human-made structures such as crib docks and erosion
control protection can provide suitable summer habitat, whereas old
building foundations and drainage tiles may provide suitable
hibernation habitat. The primary threats to the snake include both
accidental and intentional human-induced mortality and loss of suitable
summer and hibernation habitat through development. There are nine U.S.
islands and seven Canadian islands that currently provide year-round
habitat for the snake, whereas two U.S. islands only provide summer
habitat. The Lake Erie water snake has been extirpated from one U.S.
island and two Canadian islands.
Recovery will be achieved and the species removed from the list of
Threatened and Endangered Wildlife (50 CFR part 17) when the following
criteria are met: (1) A minimum of 5,555 adult snakes exist on 9 U. S.
islands combined for 6 or more consecutive years, including at least
900 snakes on Kelleys Island, 850 snakes on South Bass Island, 620
snakes on Middle Bass Island, and 410 snakes on North Bass Island, with
the remaining snakes occurring on any of the islands; (2) a total of
7.4 km of shoreline habitat and 51 hectares of hibernation habitat
distributed proportionately among the 4 largest U. S. islands are
protected in perpetuity by a written agreement approved by the Service;
and (3) an objective analysis of public attitude indicates that human
persecution is no longer a threat to the continued existence of the
snake, and accidental human-induced mortality no longer poses a
significant threat to the population.
Authority: The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the
Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
Dated: August 28, 2003.
Charles M. Wooley,
Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Region 3, Fort
Snelling, Minnesota.
[FR Doc. 03-24281 Filed 9-24-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P