[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 175 (Friday, September 10, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54797-54798]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-20517]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Revised Recovery Plan for the Paiute Cutthroat Trout 
(Oncorhynchus clarki seleniris)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

[[Page 54798]]


ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (we) announces the 
availability of the Revised Recovery Plan for the Paiute Cutthroat 
Trout (Oncorhynchus clarki seleniris). This recovery plan includes 
specific recovery criteria and measures to be taken in order to recover 
and delist the Paiute cutthroat trout.

ADDRESSES: Copies of this revised recovery plan are available by 
request from: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Nevada Fish and Wildlife 
Office, 1340 Financial Boulevard, Suite 234, Reno, Nevada (telephone: 
775-861-6300). An electronic copy of the revised recovery plan is also 
available at: http://endangered.fws.gov/recovery/index.html#plans.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chad Mellison, Fish and Wildlife 
Biologist, at the above Reno 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 improvement 
of the status of listed species to the point at which listing is no 
longer appropriate under the criteria set out in section 4(a)(1) of the 
Act. Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for the 
conservation 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. The Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the 
Paiute Cutthroat Trout was available for public comment from January 
26, 2004, through March 26, 2004 (69 FR 3598). Information presented 
during the public comment period has been considered in the preparation 
of this final revised recovery plan, and is summarized in an appendix 
to the recovery plan. We will forward substantive comments regarding 
recovery plan implementation to appropriate Federal or other entities 
so that they can take these comments into account during the course of 
implementing recovery actions.
    The Paiute cutthroat trout is native to the Silver King Creek in 
the East Fork Carson River drainage of Humboldt-Toiyabe National 
Forest, Alpine County, California. Hybridization with non-native 
salmonids is the primary threat to the species.
    The original recovery plan for the Paiute cutthroat trout was 
published in 1985. This revised recovery plan incorporates recent 
research data and addresses the species' current status, threats, 
distribution, and recovery needs. It also addresses the effects of 
recovery actions on the mountain yellow-legged frog (Rana muscosa) and 
the Yosemite toad (Bufo canorus), which occur within the Silver King 
Creek drainage as well as in the vicinity of the out-of-basin 
population sites. This plan identifies actions to maintain ecosystem 
integrity as well as recover the Paiute cutthroat trout.
    The revised recovery plan includes conservation measures designed 
to ensure that self-sustaining populations of Paiute cutthroat trout 
will once again occupy its historic range. Specific recovery actions 
focus on removing non-native salmonids and establishing a viable 
population in its historic range. The plan also identifies the need to 
protect pure populations which exist outside of the historic range. The 
ultimate goal of this revised recovery plan is to delist the Paiute 
cutthroat trout by implementing a variety of measures to attain the 
following criteria: (1) All non-native salmonids are removed from 
Silver King Creek and its tributaries downstream of Llewellyn Falls to 
fish barriers in Silver King Canyon; (2) a viable population of Paiute 
cutthroat trout occupies all historic habitat in Silver King Creek and 
its tributaries downstream of Llewellyn Falls to fish barriers in 
Silver King Canyon; (3) Paiute cutthroat trout habitat is maintained in 
all occupied streams; (4) the refuge populations in Corral and Coyote 
Creeks, Silver King Creek and tributaries above Llewellyn Falls, as 
well as out-of-basin populations are maintained as refugia and are 
secured from the introduction of other salmonid species; and (5) a 
long-term conservation plan and conservation agreement are developed, 
which will be the guiding management documents once Paiute cutthroat 
trout are delisted.

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

    Dated: August 10, 2004.
Steve Thompson,
Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service.
[FR Doc. 04-20517 Filed 9-9-04; 8:45 am]
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