[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 6 (Tuesday, January 9, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1025-1027]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-00208]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF897


Endangered and Threatened Species; Recovery Plans

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

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ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the Southern 
Distinct Population Segment of Green Sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) 
Draft Recovery Plan (Plan) for public review. NMFS is soliciting review 
and comment from the public and all interested parties on the 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 March 12, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document by either of the 
following methods:
     Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments to [email protected].
     Mail: Submit written comments to the National Marine 
Fisheries Service, Attn: GS Recovery Plan Team, 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 
5-100, Sacramento, CA 95814.
    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 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.
    The draft recovery plan is available online at: http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/protected_species/green_sturgeon/green_sturgeon_pg.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe Heublein, NMFS Green Sturgeon 
Recovery Coordinator, at (916) 930-3719, or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On April 7, 2006, we, NMFS, listed the southern distinct population 
segment (sDPS) of green sturgeon as a threatened species under the 
Endangered Species Act (ESA) (71 FR 17757). This determination was 
based on: (1) The fact that the spawning adult population occurred in 
only one river system (i.e., Sacramento River); (2) evidence of lost 
spawning habitat in the Sacramento and Feather rivers; (3) threats to 
habitat quality and quantity in the Sacramento River and Delta System; 
and (4) fish salvage data exhibiting a negative trend in juvenile sDPS 
green sturgeon abundance. The final critical habitat rule for sDPS 
green sturgeon was published in the Federal Register on October 9, 2009 
(74 FR 52300). In 2010, we appointed a recovery team to assist the NMFS 
West Coast Region with the development of research and recovery actions 
for the recovery plan. A recovery outline was completed in 2010. In 
2012, we announced initiation of a 5-year review (77 FR 64959; October 
24, 2012) for sDPS green sturgeon. Based on the 5-year review, sDPS 
green sturgeon remains listed as threatened under the ESA. The 5-year 
review (NMFS 2014a) was completed November 20, 2014, and is available 
at: http://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/pr/species/fish/green-sturgeon.html

Draft Recovery Plan

    Recovery plans describe actions beneficial to the conservation and 
recovery of species listed under the ESA of 1973, 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 sDPS green sturgeon was developed by NMFS in 
cooperation with a recovery team made up of experts from the California 
Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Department of Water 
Resources, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, NMFS Northwest and 
Southwest Fisheries Science Center, R2 Resource Consultants, U.S. 
Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. 
Geological Survey.
    NMFS's goal is to restore the threatened sDPS green sturgeon to the 
point where it is a self-sustaining species that no longer needs the 
protections of the ESA. The Plan provides background on the natural 
history of green sturgeon, population status, and threats to their 
viability, based on a formal threats assessment. The Plan lays out a 
recovery strategy to address the threats based on the best available 
science, identifies site-specific actions with time lines and costs, 
and includes recovery goals and criteria.
    In order to recover sDPS green sturgeon, recovery actions within 
the Plan aim to restore passage and habitat, reduce mortality and 
poaching, address threats in the areas of contaminants, predation, and 
sediment loading, and forecast sDPS habitat and distribution changes 
with climate change. Most of the recovery efforts focus on the 
Sacramento River Basin and San Francisco Bay Delta Estuary 
environments, as threats in spawning and rearing habitats were 
considered the greatest impediments to recovery. To better inform the 
recovery process, the Plan further characterizes research priorities in 
these areas as well as in the areas of competition for habitat, altered 
prey base, non-native species, oil and chemical spills, and disease.
    The Plan is not regulatory, but presents guidance for use by 
agencies and interested parties to assist in the recovery of sDPS green 
sturgeon. The Plan identifies substantive actions needed to achieve 
recovery by assessing the species' population abundance, distribution, 
and diversity and addressing the threats to the species. When 
determining recovery actions, the Plan prioritized actions that address 
the most important threats, improve understanding of whether a 
particular threat is limiting recovery, and 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 green sturgeon recovery is likely to have 
greater success than focusing on any one type of action.
    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 and research priorities as described 
in the plan, such as partnering with the California Department of Fish 
and Wildlife to reduce poaching and stranding of green sturgeon and 
improve knowledge of the impacts of fisheries bycatch. 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, encourage 
other Federal and state agencies to implement recovery actions for 
which they have responsibility and authority, and work cooperatively 
with them on the implementation of those actions.
    The total time and cost to recovery are difficult to predict. The 
Plan outlines 19 recovery actions, as well as 17 research, eight 
monitoring, and two education and outreach priorities. An estimated

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cost is provided for an initial 20-year period. Projections of when 
certain actions could occur are provided based on five year increments. 
Assuming all recovery actions are implemented, the cost of the first 20 
years of recovery is approximately $236 million. Given a generation 
time for sDPS green sturgeon of approximately 22 years, a substantial 
increase in adult abundance in response to habitat-based recovery 
actions may not be observed for 66-88 years. Additional funds will thus 
likely be needed to monitor adult abundance after the first 20 years, 
with a total added projected cost of $25-40 million.
    Many of the most costly recovery actions (e.g., barrier removal, 
increased enforcement, addressing entrainment at diversions) have 
multi-species benefits and may be covered under recovery efforts for 
other species. For example, the recovery plan for ESA-listed Central 
Valley salmonids (NMFS 2014b) includes recovery actions designed to 
improve watershed-wide processes that will likely benefit sDPS green 
sturgeon by restoring natural ecosystem functions. Specific actions to 
improve delta habitat, remove barriers, and reduce entrainment could 
aid in the recovery of sDPS green sturgeon and reduce the recovery plan 
cost by $17 million.
    We are unable to quantify the economic benefits of sDPS green 
sturgeon recovery actions, but full recovery or delisting will provide 
multiple benefits to the ecosystem and economy. Delisting of the sDPS 
will enhance fishing opportunities by lifting fisheries restrictions 
aimed at reducing direct or incidental sDPS mortality. The ESA 
regulatory burden will also be eased for fisheries, water resource, 
industrial, and commercial activities. Accomplishing the habitat 
restoration measures will also result in more functional ecosystems 
that support other economic activities and contribute to delisting of 
other species.

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_species/green_sturgeon/green_sturgeon_pg.html.

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

    Dated: January 4, 2018.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-00208 Filed 1-8-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P