[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 192 (Monday, October 5, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60125-60126]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-25203]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE212


Endangered and Threatened Species; Recovery Plans

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces the 
availability of a public draft of the Endangered Species Act Coastal 
Multispecies Recovery Plan for the California Coastal Chinook salmon 
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU), the 
Northern California steelhead (O. mykiss) Distinct Population Segment 
(DPS), and the Central California Coast steelhead (O. mykiss) DPS. 
These species spawn and rear in streams and rivers along the central 
and northern California coast, and in tributaries to San Francisco Bay. 
NMFS is soliciting review and comment from the public and all 
interested parties on the Public Draft Recovery Plan, and will consider 
all substantive comments received during the review period before 
submitting the Recovery Plan for final approval.

DATES: Comments on the Public Draft Recovery Plan must be received by 
close of business on December 4, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the Public Draft Recovery Plan by 
the following methods:
     Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public 
comments via: [email protected].
     Mail: Recovery Team, National Marine Fisheries Service, 
777 Sonoma Avenue, Room 325, Santa Rosa, CA 95404.
     Public Workshops: Written comments will be accepted.
    Instructions: Comments must be submitted by one of the above 
methods to ensure comments are received, documented, and considered by 
NMFS. Comments sent by any other method, to any other address or 
individual, or received after the end of the comment period, may not be 
considered. Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in 
Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
    Electronic copies of the Public Draft Recovery Plan are available 
online at: http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/protected_species/salmon_steelhead/recovery_planning_and_implementation/north_central_california_coast/north_central_california_coast_salmon_recovery_domain.html. A CD-ROM of 
these documents can be obtained by emailing a request to 
[email protected] or by writing to: Recovery Team, National Marine 
Fisheries Service, 777 Sonoma Avenue, Room 325, Santa Rosa, CA 95404.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Korie Schaeffer, (707) 575-6087, 
[email protected], or Erin Seghesio, (707) 578-8515, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), as amended (16 U.S.C. 
1531 et seq.) requires we develop and implement recovery plans for the 
conservation and survival of threatened and endangered species under 
our jurisdiction, unless it is determined that such plans would not 
promote the conservation of the species. The Public Draft Recovery Plan 
was developed for

[[Page 60126]]

three salmon and steelhead species: The California Coastal (CC) Chinook 
salmon ESU, and the Northern California (NC) and Central California 
Coast (CCC) steelhead DPSs. Between 1997 and 2000, NMFS listed the CCC 
steelhead DPS (62 FR 43937; August 18, 1997), the CC Chinook salmon ESU 
(64 FR 50394; September 16, 1999), and the NC steelhead DPS (65 FR 
36074; June 7, 2000), as threatened under the ESA due to the 
precipitous and ongoing declines in their populations.
    Our goal is to restore the threatened CC Chinook salmon, and NC and 
CCC steelhead to the point where they are self-sustaining populations 
within their ecosystems and no longer need the protections of the ESA.
    A series of public workshops will be held to help inform interested 
parties on the Public Draft Recovery Plan. Written comments will be 
accepted at the workshops. These include:
     UKIAH--October 14, 2015, UC Cooperative Extension 
Mendocino, 890 N. Bush Street, Ukiah, CA 95482, from 6-8 p.m.
     ARCATA--October 15, 2015, Humboldt Area Foundation, 363 
Indianola Road, Bayside, CA 95524, from 6-8 p.m.
     SANTA CRUZ--October 20, 2015, Southwest Fisheries Science 
Center, 110 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, from 3-5 p.m.
     OAKLAND--November 3, 2015 Elihu M Harris State Building, 
1515 Clay St., Oakland, CA 94612, from 1-3 p.m.
     SANTA ROSA--November 5 2015, Sonoma County Water Agency, 
404 Aviation Blvd., Santa Rosa, CA 95403 from 1-3 p.m.

The Public Draft Recovery Plan

    The ESA requires recovery plans incorporate, to the maximum extent 
practicable: (1) Objective, measurable criteria which, when met, would 
result in a determination that the species is no longer threatened or 
endangered; (2) site-specific management actions necessary to achieve 
the plan's goal for the conservation and survival of the species; and 
(3) estimates of the time required and costs to implement recovery 
actions.
    The Public Draft Recovery Plan provides background on the natural 
history, population trends and the potential threats to the viability 
of CC Chinook salmon, and NC and CCC steelhead. The Public Draft 
Recovery Plan lays out a recovery strategy to address conditions and 
threats based on the best available science and incorporates objective, 
measurable criteria for recovery. The Public Draft Recovery Plan is not 
regulatory, but presents guidance for use by agencies and interested 
parties to assist in the recovery of CC Chinook salmon, and NC and CCC 
steelhead. The Public Draft Recovery Plan identifies actions needed to 
achieve recovery by improving population and habitat conditions and 
addressing threats to the species; links management actions to a 
research and monitoring program intended to fill data gaps and assess 
effectiveness of actions; incorporates an adaptive management framework 
by which management actions and other elements may evolve as we gain 
information through research and monitoring; and describes agency 
guidance on time lines for reviews of the status of species and 
recovery plans. To address threats related to the species, the Public 
Draft Recovery Plan references many of the significant efforts already 
underway to restore salmon and steelhead access to high quality habitat 
and to improve habitat previously degraded.
    Recovery of CC Chinook salmon, and NC and CCC steelhead will 
require a long-term effort in cooperation and coordination with 
Federal, state, tribal and local government agencies, and the 
community. Consistent with the Recovery Plan, we will implement 
relevant actions for which we have authority, work cooperatively on 
implementation of other actions, and encourage other Federal and state 
agencies to implement recovery actions for which they have 
responsibility and authority.
    In compliance with the requirements of the ESA section 4(f), NMFS 
is providing public notice and an opportunity to review and comment on 
the Public Draft Recovery Plan for CC Chinook salmon, and NC and CCC 
steelhead prior to its final approval.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.

    Dated: September 30, 2015.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-25203 Filed 10-2-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P