[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 246 (Tuesday, December 22, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 83609-83610]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-28172]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-R3-ES-2019-0101; FXES11130300000-190-FF03E00000]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Recovery 
Plan for the Ozark Hellbender

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the 
availability of the draft recovery plan for the Ozark hellbender, a 
salamander species. We request review and comment on this draft 
recovery plan from local, State, and Federal agencies, and the public.

DATES: We must receive comments by January 21, 2021.

ADDRESSES: 
    Document availability: The draft recovery plan, along with any 
comments and other materials that we receive, will be available for 
public inspection at http://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. FWS-R3-
ES-2019-0101.
    Submitting Comments: You may submit comments by one of the 
following methods:
     Internet: http://www.regulations.gov. Search for and 
submit comments on Docket No. FWS-R3-ES-2019-0101.
     U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, 
Attn: Docket No. FWS-R3-ES-2019-0101; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
Headquarters, MS: JAO/1N; 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-
3803.
    For more information, see Availability of Public Comments under 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Herrington, by phone at 573-234-
2132, via email at [email protected], or via the Federal Relay 
Service at 800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
(Service), announce the availability of the draft recovery plan for the 
endangered Ozark hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi) for 
public review and comment. The Ozark hellbender is a large, strictly 
aquatic salamander found only in southern Missouri and northern 
Arkansas. The draft recovery plan includes objective, measurable 
criteria and management actions as may be necessary for removal of the 
species from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. We 
request review and comment on this draft recovery plan from local, 
State, and Federal agencies, and the public.

Recovery Planning

    Section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended 
(Act; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), requires the development of recovery 
plans for listed species, unless such a plan would not promote the 
conservation of a particular species. Also pursuant to section 4(f) of 
the Act, a recovery plan must, to the maximum extent practicable, 
include (1) a description of site-specific management actions as may be 
necessary to achieve the plan's goals for the conservation and survival 
of the species; (2) objective, measurable criteria that, when met, 
would support a determination under section 4(a)(1) that the species 
should be removed from the List of Endangered and Threatened Species; 
and (3) estimates of the time and costs required to carry out those 
measures needed to achieve the plan's goal and to achieve intermediate 
steps toward that goal.

Species Background

    The Ozark hellbender is endemic to the White River drainage in 
northern Arkansas and southern Missouri (Johnson 2000), historically 
occurring in portions of the Spring, White, Black, Eleven Point, and 
Current Rivers and some of their tributaries (Bryant Creek, the North 
Fork White River, and Jacks Fork) (LaClaire 1993). Currently, 
populations of Ozark hellbenders are known to occur in Bryant Creek, 
the North Fork White River, the Eleven Point River, and the Current 
River, with

[[Page 83610]]

some individuals possibly still present in the main stem of the White 
River, Spring River, and Jacks Fork (Briggler 2013, pers. comm.; Irwin 
2013, pers. comm.).
    The primary reason for Ozark hellbender population declines remains 
unclear. However, several potential factors have been identified and 
include degraded water quality, habitat loss resulting from 
impoundments and sedimentation, disease, illegal and/or scientific 
collection, and potential increased predation from some native and non-
native species of stocked fish (Service 2011). Population declines have 
necessitated the use of captive propagation efforts to ensure the long-
term survival of the species until threats are better understood and 
abated.
    Under the Act, the Service added the Ozark hellbender to the 
Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife as an endangered 
species on October 6, 2011 (76 FR 61956). This final rule took effect 
on November 7, 2011.

Recovery Criteria

    The draft recovery criteria are summarized below. For the recovery 
strategy, management actions, and estimated time and costs associated 
with recovery, refer to the Draft Recovery Plan for the Ozark 
hellbender (see ADDRESSES for document availability).
    The ultimate recovery goal is to remove the Ozark hellbender from 
the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife (``delist'') by 
ensuring the long-term viability of the species in the wild. In the 
recovery plan, we define the following criteria for reclassification 
(``downlisting'' from endangered to threatened) and delisting based on 
the best available information on the species.

Downlisting Criteria

    Because each of the three extant Ozark hellbender populations is 
genetically unique, all three populations are necessary to maintain the 
evolutionary potential of the species. Given the small range of each 
population, the persistence of all three populations is also necessary 
to guard against extinction from catastrophic events such as extreme 
flooding, drought, and chemical spills. Therefore, to downlist the 
Ozark hellbender, the following criteria should be achieved for each of 
three Ozark hellbender populations (the North Fork White River, Eleven 
Point River, and Current River):
    1. There is a positive population trend for a 15 year period.\1\
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    \1\ Because the Ozark hellbender is a long-lived species, 
population trends take a longer amount of time to be realized. Thus, 
a longer period of time is needed to monitor population trends.
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    2. There is evidence of successful recruitment to maintain a 
sustaining population, with recruitment defined as attainment of sexual 
maturity by young.
    3. Habitat quantity and quality are sufficient to support all life 
stages.
    4. Within each watershed the number and distribution of occupied 
habitat patches and abundance of individuals within these patches is 
such that (1) the population is resilient to stochastic and 
catastrophic events and (2) connectivity and gene flow is sufficient to 
maintain genetic diversity and provide for natural re-establishment if 
a patch is extirpated.
    5. Causes of population declines have been identified, and it is 
clear what actions are needed to address these threats.

Delisting Criteria

    To delist the Ozark hellbender, the following criteria should be 
achieved for each of three Ozark hellbender populations (the North Fork 
White River, Eleven Point River, and Current River):
    1. Downlisting criteria have been met.
    2. Threats and causes of decline have been reduced or eliminated 
such that delisting criterion 1 will continue to be met into the 
foreseeable future.

Availability of Public Comments

    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

Authority

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

Lori Nordstrom,
Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Midwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2020-28172 Filed 12-21-20; 8:45 am]
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