[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 203 (Thursday, October 20, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72572-72573]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-25399]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC744


Endangered and Threatened Species; Recovery Plans

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

ACTION: Notice of Availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces the 
availability of the Southern Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of 
Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus) Draft Recovery Plan (Plan) for public 
review. NMFS is soliciting review and comment from the public and all 
interested parties on the draft Plan, and will consider all substantive 
comments received during the review period before submitting the Plan 
for final approval.

DATES: Comments and information on the draft Plan must be received by 
close of business on December 19, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by 
NOAA-NMFS-2016-0136 by either of the following methods:
     Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail; D=NOAA-NMFS-2016-0136. Click the 
`Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach 
your comments.
     Mail: Submit written comments to Robert Anderson, National 
Marine Fisheries Service, 1201 NE. Lloyd Boulevard, Suite 1100, 
Portland, OR 97232.
    Instructions: You must submit comments by one of the above methods 
to ensure that we receive, document, and consider them. 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. All 
comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be 
posted for public viewing on http://www.regulations.gov without change. 
All personal identifying information (e.g., name, address, etc.), 
confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information 
submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible. We 
will accept anonymous comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if 
you wish to remain anonymous).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Anderson, NMFS Eulachon 
Recovery Coordinator, at (503) 231-2226, or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On March 18, 2010, we listed the southern DPS of eulachon as a 
threatened species under the ESA (75 FR 13012). The listing of the DPS 
of eulachon was informed by the best available scientific and 
commercial data and the status review conducted by a Biological Review 
Team (BRT) (Gustafson et al., 2010). The final critical habitat rule 
for the listed DPS of eulachon was published in the Federal Register on 
October 20, 2011 (76 FR 65324). In 2013, we appointed a recovery team 
and initiated recovery planning for eulachon to assist the West Coast 
Region with the development of research and recovery actions for the 
recovery plan. In 2015 we announced a 5-year review (80 FR 6695; 
February 6, 2015) for eulachon. Based on the 5-year review, the 
southern DPS of eulachon shall remain threatened under the ESA. The 5-
year review was completed April 1, 2016 (NMFS 2016) and is available 
at: http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa. gov/publications/
status_reviews/other_species/
other_marine_species_esa_status_reviews.html.

Draft Recovery Plan

    Recovery plans describe actions beneficial to the conservation and 
recovery of species listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 
(ESA), as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Section 4(f)(1) of the ESA 
requires that 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 goals; and (3) estimates of the time required and costs to 
implement recovery actions. The ESA requires the development of 
recovery plans for each listed species unless such a plan would not 
promote its recovery.
    The Plan for eulachon was developed by NMFS in cooperation with a 
recovery team made up of experts from the Washington Department of Fish 
and

[[Page 72573]]

Wildlife, the Northwest Fisheries Science Center, and the Southwest 
Fisheries Science Center. Additionally, individuals from the Eulachon 
Stakeholder Group also provided input to the development of the Plan.
    NMFS's goal is to restore the threatened eulachon DPS to the point 
where they are again secure, self-sustaining members of their 
ecosystems and no longer need the protections of the ESA. The Plan 
provides background on the natural history of eulachon, population 
trends, and the potential threats to their viability. The Plan lays out 
a recovery strategy to address the potential threats based on the best 
available science, identifies site-specific actions with time lines and 
costs, and includes recovery goals and criteria. NMFS concludes that 
the Plan meets the requirements of the ESA. The primary factors 
responsible for the decline of eulachon are climate change impacts on 
ocean conditions, eulachon bycatch in shrimp trawl fisheries, climate 
change impacts on freshwater habitats, dams/water diversions, and 
predation. The Plan assesses these factors and other threats using the 
best available scientific and commercial data, provides current 
information and conservation measures to assess, rank, and prioritize, 
and provides guidance to address the threats. In some cases, more 
information is needed to understand the extent of a threat or whether 
the threat is limiting recovery, and in those cases research to address 
these data gaps is outlined.
    The Plan is not regulatory, but presents guidance for use by 
agencies and interested parties to assist in the recovery of eulachon. 
The Plan identifies substantive actions needed to achieve recovery by 
assessing the species' population abundance, distribution, and genetic 
changes over time and addressing the threats to the species. When 
determining recovery actions, the Plan prioritized actions that 
increase knowledge of the species, threats ranked as high risk threats, 
and aims to improve understanding of whether a particular threat is 
limiting recovery and to eliminate or mitigate that threat, or to 
improve our understanding of, and ability to manage, that threat. The 
actions in the Plan include research, management, monitoring, and 
outreach efforts, because a comprehensive approach to eulachon recovery 
is likely to have greater success than focusing on any one type of 
action. There are also actions targeted at incorporating new 
information and conducting regular reassessments, making this Plan an 
adaptive management plan.
    We expect the Plan to inform section 7 consultations with Federal 
agencies under the ESA and to support other ESA decisions, such as 
considering permits under section 10. We have already begun 
implementation of several actions as described in the plan, such as 
partnering with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the 
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to conduct spawning stock 
biomass estimations of eulachon in the Columbia River and coastal 
systems. After public comment and the adoption of the Final Recovery 
Plan, we will continue to implement actions in the plan 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.
    The total time and cost to recovery are difficult to predict with 
the current information. The Plan outlines recovery research and 
actions, priority numbers, and estimated eulachon recovery program cost 
over an initial 5-year period. Projections of which actions may 
continue beyond year five are provided, but there is uncertainty 
regarding how long recovery will take. Currently, we do not have 
reliable abundance and productivity information for all subpopulations 
of eulachon. As prioritized information is obtained on abundance and 
productivity, as well as additional information to assess the impact on 
how some threats may limit recovery and how the threats can be 
effectively managed or mitigated, more robust time and expense 
projections can be developed.
    The cost of the approximately 70 actions recommended in this Plan 
for the first 5 years of recovery is approximately $14,750,000. A gross 
estimate for the total cost of recovery action to be implemented is 
between $29,500,000 (25 years) to $84,765,000 (100 years).
    There are numerous parallel efforts underway, independent from 
listed eulachon recovery, to protect and restore the Columbia River and 
Washington, Oregon, and California coastal ecosystems. These efforts 
will provide benefits to listed eulachon and their habitats and prey 
base and are thus highlighted in the plan. However, the costs of these 
actions are not included in the total cost of listed eulachon recovery 
because they would occur independently of this Plan. Similarly, actions 
conducted to restore listed eulachon and their habitats will benefit 
other listed species that utilize the Columbia River and Washington, 
Oregon, and California coastal ecosystems, such as the 28 salmon and 
steelhead (Oncorhynchus spp.) species, and may provide economic 
benefits. We are unable to quantify the economic benefits of listed 
eulachon recovery actions, but it is likely the benefits to the 
ecosystem and economy would offset the total recovery costs estimated 
in the Plan. NMFS requests and will consider all substantive comments 
and information presented during the public comment period as we 
finalize this Plan.

References Cited

    The complete citations for the references used in this document can 
be obtained by contacting NMFS (See ADDRESSES and FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT) or online at: http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/protected.

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

    Dated: October 17, 2016.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-25399 Filed 10-19-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P