[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 243 (Thursday, December 18, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70528-70529]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-31189]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Draft Recovery Plan for the Blackburn's Sphinx Moth (Manduca 
blackburni)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability for review and comment.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (``we'') announces the 
availability of the Draft Recovery Plan for the Blackburn's Sphinx Moth 
(Manduca blackburni) (sphinx moth) for public review and comment. This 
insect taxon is listed as endangered (45 FR 4770; February 1, 2000), 
and is endemic to the main Hawaiian Islands. We solicit review and 
comment from local, State, and Federal agencies, and the public on this 
draft recovery plan.

DATES: Comments on this draft recovery plan must be received on or 
before February 17, 2004 to receive our consideration.

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, Pacific Islands 
Fish and Wildlife Office, 300 Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 3-122, Box 
50088, Honolulu, Hawaii 96850 (phone: 808-541-3441) and the Hawaii 
State Library 478 S. King Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813. Requests for 
copies of the draft plan and written comments and materials regarding 
this plan should be addressed to the Field Supervisor, Ecological 
Services, at the above Honolulu address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Field Supervisor at the above 
Honolulu address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Recovery of endangered or threatened animals and plants is a 
primary goal of our endangered species program and the Endangered 
Species Act (Act) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq. Recovery means

[[Page 70529]]

improvement of the status of listed species to the point at which 
listing is no longer necessary under the criteria set out in section 
4(a)(1) of the Act. Recovery plans describe actions considered 
necessary for the conservation and survival of the species, establish 
criteria for downlisting or delisting listed species, and estimate 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 requires that public 
notice, and an opportunity for public review and comment, be provided 
during recovery plan development. We will consider all information 
presented during a public comment period prior to approval of each new 
or revised recovery plan. We, along with other Federal agencies, will 
also take these comments into account in the course of implementing 
approved recovery plans. Individual responses to comments will not be 
provided.
    The sphinx moth was federally listed as endangered on February 1, 
2000 (65 FR 4770). This insect taxon is currently known to occur on 
three of the seven Hawaiian Islands where it historically occurred, 
including Hawaii, Maui, and Kahoolawe. Although some habitat is under 
public ownership and zoned for conservation purposes, no known sphinx 
moth habitat complexes are entirely protected, and the species faces 
threats throughout its range.
    The sphinx moth is currently found in association with 
topographically diverse landscapes that contain low to moderate levels 
of nonnative vegetation. Vegetation types that support the sphinx moth 
include dry to mesic shrub land and forest from sea level to mid-
elevations. Soil and climatic conditions, as well as physical factors, 
affect the suitability of habitat within the species' range. The 
primary threats to the sphinx moth include urban and agricultural 
development; invasion by non-native plant species; habitat 
fragmentation and degradation; increased wildfire frequency; impacts 
from ungulates; other human-caused disturbances that have resulted in 
substantial losses of habitat throughout the species' historic range; 
parasitoids and insect predators; and vandalism (collection). Needed 
conservation activities include protection, management, and restoration 
of suitable and restorable habitat; out-planting of native Nothocestrum 
spp. host plants; and a sphinx moth captive breeding program that would 
augment or expand the existing population within its historic range. 
This draft recovery plan identifies 3 recovery units, comprising 13 
management units, which are geographic areas recently documented to 
contain sphinx moth populations and/or sphinx moth host plant 
populations, and shall be the focus of recovery actions or tasks. The 
three recovery units and their component management units contain 
habitat considered necessary for the long-term conservation of the 
sphinx moth (e.g., networks of suitable habitat patches and connecting 
lands).
    The recovery actions described in this draft recovery plan include: 
(1) Protect habitat and control threats to the moth and its habitat; 
(2) expand existing wild Nothocestrum spp. host plant populations; (3) 
conduct additional research essential to recovery of the sphinx moth; 
(4) develop and implement a detailed monitoring plan for the sphinx 
moth; (5) reestablish wild sphinx moth populations within its historic 
range; (6) develop and provide information for the public on the sphinx 
moth; and (7) validate recovery objectives.
    The recovery objective of this draft recovery plan is to ensure the 
species' long-term survival and conservation and to conduct research 
necessary to refine recovery criteria so that the sphinx moth can be 
reclassified to threatened and eventually delisted.

Public Comments Solicited

    We solicit written comments on the draft recovery plan described. 
All comments received by the date specified above will be considered in 
developing a final sphinx moth recovery plan.

Authority

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

    Dated: October 14, 2003.
David J. Wesley,
Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 03-31189 Filed 12-17-03; 8:45 am]
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