[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 207 (Thursday, October 27, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61988-61989]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-21430]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Draft Recovery Plan for the Short-Tailed Albatross (Phoebastria 
albatrus)

AGENCY: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability for review and comment.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the 
availability of the Draft Recovery Plan for the Short-tailed Albatross 
(Phoebastria albatrus) for public review and comment.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or 
before December 27, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft recovery plan are available for 
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the 
following location: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage Fish and 
Wildlife Field Office, 605 W. 4th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99501 
(telephone: 907-271-2888). Requests for copies of the draft recovery 
plan should be addressed to the Field Supervisor, at the above Service 
address. An electronic copy of the draft recovery plan is also 
available at http://endangered.fws.gov/recovery/index.html#plans.
    If you wish to comment, you may submit your comments and materials 
by any one of the following methods:
    1. You may submit written comments and information by mail to: 
Short-tailed Albatross Draft Recovery Plan Comments, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, 605 W. 4th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99501.

[[Page 61989]]

    2. You may hand-deliver written comments and information to our 
Anchorage Fish and Wildlife Field Office, 605 W. 4th Avenue, Room G-62.
    3. You may fax your comments to 907-271-2786.
    4. You may send your comments by electronic mail (e-mail) to 
[email protected]. Please include ``Attn: Short-tailed 
Albatross'' in the beginning of your message, and do not use special 
characters or any form of encryption. Electronic attachments in 
standard formats (such as .pdf or .doc) are acceptable, but please name 
the software necessary to open any attachments in formats other than 
those given above. Also, please include your name and return address in 
your e-mail message (anonymous comments will not be considered). If you 
do not receive a confirmation from the system that we have received 
your e-mail message, please submit your comments in writing using one 
of the alternate methods described above. In the event that our 
internet connection is not functional, please submit your comments by 
the alternate methods mentioned above.
    All comments and materials received will be available for public 
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at our 
Anchorage Fish and Wildlife Field Office at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Judy Jacobs, U. S. Fish and Wildlife 
Biologist, at the above Service address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Restoring endangered or threatened animals and plants to the point 
where they are again secure, self-sustaining members of their 
ecosystems is a primary goal of our endangered species program. 
Recovery planning is an integral component of endangered species 
conservation. Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for 
the conservation and recovery of the species, establish criteria for 
downlisting or delisting them, and estimate time and costs for 
implementing the recovery measures needed.
    Section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act, (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.) requires that public notice, and an opportunity for public review 
and comment, be provided during recovery plan development. We will 
consider all information received 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 
the recovery plans, but will be forwarded to the appropriate Federal 
agency 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 short-tailed albatross, the largest of the three North Pacific 
albatross species, is federally listed as endangered. Prior to its 
exploitation, the short-tailed albatross was likely the most abundant 
of the three albatross species in the North Pacific. Millions of these 
birds were harvested by feather hunters prior to and following the turn 
of the 20th century, resulting in the near-extirpation of the species 
by the mid-20th century. Presently, fewer than 2000 short-tailed 
albatrosses are known to exist.
    The short-tailed albatross is known to breed on two remote islands 
in the western Pacific. Torishima, Japan, where the majority of short-
tailed albatrosses breed, is an active volcano. The natural colony site 
on this island is also susceptible to mud slides and erosion. A smaller 
colony exists in the Senkaku Islands, southwest of Torishima, where 
volcanic eruption is not a threat; however, political uncertainty and 
the potential for habitat alteration exist. Short-tailed albatrosses 
apparently require remote islands for breeding habitat. They nest in 
open, treeless areas with low, or no, vegetation. The species also 
requires nutrient-rich areas of ocean upwelling for their foraging 
habitat.
    The major threat of over-exploitation that led to the species' 
original endangered status no longer occurs. The Short-tailed Albatross 
Recovery Team considers small population size, limited number of 
breeding sites, and potential volcanic eruptions to be the current 
major threats to the species. Other threats include incidental catch in 
commercial fisheries, ingestion of plastics, contamination by oil and 
other pollutants, the potential for competition, predation, or habitat 
alteration associated with non-native species, and adverse effects 
related to global climate change.
    The international group of experts comprising the Short-tailed 
Albatross Recovery Team has unanimously agreed that establishment of 
additional colonies on safe (i.e. not subject to volcanic activity and 
protected) sites will be a recovery prerequisite. Downlisting to 
threatened may be considered when: (1) The total breeding population of 
short-tailed albatrosses reaches a minimum of 750 pairs; and (2) the 3-
year running average growth rate of the population as a whole is >=6 
percent for >=7 years; and (3) at least three successful breeding 
colonies (>5 breeding pairs each) exist, at least two of which occupy 
non-volcanic (or extinct volcanic) islands.
    Delisting of the short-tailed albatross may be considered when: (1) 
The total breeding population reaches a minimum of 1000 pairs; and (2) 
the 3-year running average growth rate of the population as a whole is 
>=6 percent for >=7 years; and (3) a total of at least 250 breeding 
pairs exist on at least 2 non-volcanic islands; and (4) a minimum of 10 
percent of these (i.e. >=25 pairs) occur on a site or sites other than 
the Senkaku Islands. In addition, a post-delisting monitoring plan and 
agreement to continue post-delisting monitoring must be in place and 
ready for implementation at the time of delisting. Monitoring 
populations following delisting will verify the ongoing recovery and 
conservation of the species and provide a means of assessing the 
continuing effectiveness of management actions.

Public Comments Solicited

    Our practice is to make comments, including names and home 
addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular 
business hours. Individual respondents may request that we withhold 
their home address, which we will honor to the extent allowable by law. 
If you wish us to withhold your name or address, you must state this 
request prominently at the beginning of your comments. However, we will 
not consider anonymous comments. To the extent consistent with 
applicable law, we will make all submissions from organizations or 
businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as 
representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, available 
for public inspection in their entirety.

Authority

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

    Dated: October 19, 2005.
Rowan Gould,
Regional Director, Region 7, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 05-21430 Filed 10-26-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P