[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 185 (Friday, September 24, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57356-57357]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-21172]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the Nene or Hawaiian Goose 
(Branta sandvicensis)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability for review and comment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (we) announces the 
availability of the Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the Nene or 
Hawaiian Goose (Branta sandvicensis) for public review and comment.

DATES: Comments on the draft revised recovery plan must be received on 
or before November 23, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Hard copies of the draft revised recovery plan will be 
available for inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours 
at the following location: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific 
Islands Fish and Wildlife Office, 300 Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 3-122, 
Box 50088, Honolulu, Hawaii 96850 (telephone: 808-792-9400; facsimile: 
808-792-9580). Requests for copies of the draft revised recovery plan 
and written comments and materials regarding this plan should be 
addressed to the Field Supervisor at the above Honolulu address. This 
plan is currently available on the World Wide Web at http://endangered.fws.gov/recovery/index.html#plans.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Ann Marshall, Fish and Wildlife 
Biologist, or Dr. Eric VanderWerf, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, at the 
above address and telephone number.

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 a recovery plan for a listed 
species unless such a plan would not promote the conservation of the 
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 the 
public comment period on each new or revised recovery plan. Substantive 
technical comments may result in changes to a recovery plan. 
Substantive comments regarding recovery plan implementation may not 
necessarily result in changes to a recovery plan, but will be forwarded 
to appropriate Federal or other entities so that they can take these 
comments into account during the course of implementing recovery 
actions. Individual responses to comments will not be provided.
    The nene is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and is listed as 
endangered by the Federal government and by the State of Hawaii. 
Currently, there are wild populations on the islands of Hawaii, Maui, 
and Kauai comprised of approximately 350, 250, and 620 individuals, 
respectively. In addition, 11 captive-bred nene were released on the 
island of Molokai in December 2001 and an additional 13 nene were 
released on Molokai in 2002 as part of a Safe Harbor Agreement.
    Nene are currently found at elevations ranging from sea level to 
almost 2,500 meters (8,000 feet) in a variety of habitats including 
nonnative grasslands (such as golf courses, pastures, and rural areas); 
sparsely vegetated high elevation lava flows; cinder deserts; native 
alpine grasslands and shrublands; open native and non-native alpine 
shrubland-woodland community interfaces; mid-elevation native and non-
native shrubland; and early successional cinderfall. This distribution 
has been determined largely by the locations of release sites of 
captive-bred nene. Limiting factors affecting nene recovery include 
predation by introduced mammals, insufficient nutritional resources for 
both breeding females and goslings, limited availability of suitable 
habitat, human-caused disturbance and mortality, behavioral problems 
associated with small populations sizes and captive-bred birds, genetic 
homogeneity and expression of deleterious recessive genes, and possibly 
avian disease.
    Recovery objectives for the nene are to restore and maintain self-
sustaining populations on the islands of Hawaii,

[[Page 57357]]

Maui Nui, and Kauai. Additionally, sufficient suitable habitat must be 
identified, protected, and managed in perpetuity on each of these 
islands such that the species no longer requires protection under the 
Endangered Species Act.
    The draft revised recovery plan specifies that nene can be 
considered for downlisting to threatened status when the following 
criteria have been reached and maintained for a period of 15 years: (1) 
Self-sustaining populations exist on Hawaii, Maui Nui (Maui, Molokai, 
Lanai, Kahoolawe), and Kauai; (2) sufficient suitable habitat for 
nesting, summer flocking, and migration is identified, protected, and 
managed in perpetuity to sustain the target population levels on each 
island; and (3) population size shows a stable or increasing trend 
after attaining the specified number of populations and individuals per 
island. Self-sustaining is defined in this case as maintaining (or 
increasing) population levels without additional releases of captive-
bred nene. However, habitat manipulation, such as pasture management or 
predator control, may be necessary for populations to remain stable.
    The draft revised recovery plan further specifies that nene can be 
considered for delisting when population levels on Hawaii, Maui Nui, 
and Kauai have each shown a stable or increasing trend (from 
downlisting levels) for an additional minimum of 15 years.

Public Comments Solicited

    We will accept written comments and information during this comment 
period. If you wish to comment, you may submit your comments and 
materials concerning this draft revised recovery plan by any of these 
methods:
    1. You may submit written comments and information by mail, 
facsimile, or in person to: Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office, 300 Ala Moana 
Boulevard, Room 3-122, Box 50088, Honolulu, Hawaii 96850 (facsimile: 
808-792-9580).
    2. You may send comments by electronic mail (e-mail) to: [email protected]. If you submit comments by e-mail, please avoid the use 
of special characters and any form of encryption. Please also include 
your name and return address in your e-mail message.
    Comments and materials received, as well as supporting 
documentation used in preparation of the draft revised recovery plan, 
will be available for inspection, by appointment, during normal 
business hours at the address under (1) above.

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

    Dated: July 20, 2004.
David J. Wesley,
Acting Regional Director, Region 1, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 04-21172 Filed 9-23-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P