[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 35 (Wednesday, February 23, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8818-8819]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-3411]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Notice of Availability of the Devils River Minnow Draft Recovery
Plan
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the
availability for public review of the Devils River Minnow Draft
Recovery Plan. The Devils River minnow (Dionda diaboli) is known to
occur in streams in Kinney and Val Verde Counties, Texas, and Coahila,
Mexico. The Service solicits review and comment from the public on this
Draft Recovery Plan.
DATES: The comment period for this Draft Recovery Plan closes April 11,
2005. Comments on the Draft Recovery Plan must be received by the
closing date to assure consideration.
ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the Draft Recovery Plan can obtain
a copy from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Austin Ecological
Services Field Office, 10711 Burnet Road, Suite 200, Austin, Texas
78758. The Draft Recovery Plan may also be obtained from the Internet
at http://southwest.fws.gov/htopic.html/ and http://ifw2es.fws.gov/AustinTexas/. Comments and materials concerning this Draft Recovery
Plan may be mailed to ``Field Supervisor'' at the address above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Pine, Austin Ecological
Services Field Office, at the above address; telephone (512) 490-0057,
facsimile (512) 490-0974.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Devils River minnow (Dionda diaboli) was listed as threatened
on October 20, 1999, under authority of the Endangered Species Act of
1973, as amended (64 FR 56596). The threats facing the survival and
recovery of this species include habitat loss due to declining surface
water flows from springs, pollution to streams, and impacts from
nonnative species. The Draft Recovery Plan includes information about
the species and provides objectives and actions needed to delist the
species.
The delisting criteria proposed in the Draft Plan state that the
Devils River minnow should be considered for delisting when:
(1) Population monitoring results verify stable or increasing
Devils River minnow population trends for at least 10 years, throughout
its range, including Devils River (middle portion), San Felipe Creek,
Sycamore Creek, and Pinto Creek in Texas. Stable populations should
also be confirmed in the R[iacute]o Salado drainage in Mexico and in
Las Moras Creek, if reestablishment is scientifically feasible; (2)
Flows in streams supporting Devils River minnow have been assured,
including Las Moras Creek (if reestablishment is feasible), through
State or local groundwater management plans, water conservation plans,
drought contingency plans, regulations, or equivalent binding
documents; (3) Protection, where necessary, of surface water quality is
ensured by demonstrated compliance with water quality standards and
implementation of water quality controls, particularly in urban areas
such as the cities of Del Rio and Brackettville; and, (4) Management
and control of nonnative species by local, regional, State, and Federal
authorities are demonstrated to be successful.
A summary of high-priority recovery tasks includes actions to: (1)
Maintain and enhance Devils River minnow populations and habitats by
monitoring rangewide status, determining biological and ecological
requirements, identifying specific habitat requirements, and managing
existing Devils River minnow habitat; (2) Establish additional Devils
River minnow populations within the historic range, specifically in Las
Moras Creek, by developing and implementing a reintroduction plan,
developing landowner cooperative agreements, and restoring habitat
conditions at former sites of occurrence; and (3) Maintain genetic
reserves of Devils River minnow through captive propagation by
developing and implementing a genetics management plan and maintaining
at least two captive populations until no longer needed.
Restoring an endangered or threatened animal or plant to the point
[[Page 8819]]
where it is again a secure, self-sustaining member of its ecosystem is
a primary goal of the Service's endangered species program. To help
guide the recovery effort, the Service is working to prepare recovery
plans for most of the listed species native to the United States.
Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for conservation
of species, establish criteria for downlisting or delisting them, and
estimate time and cost for implementing the recovery measures needed.
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended (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. Section 4(f) of the Act, as amended in 1988,
requires that public notice and an opportunity for public review and
comment be provided during recovery plan development. The Service
considers all information presented during a public comment period
prior to approval of each new or revised recovery plan. The Service and
others also take these comments into account in the course of
implementing recovery plans.
The Devils River Minnow Draft Recovery Plan is being submitted for
review to all interested parties, including independent peer review.
After consideration of comments received during the review period, the
recovery plan will be submitted for final approval.
Public Comments Solicited
The Service solicits written comments on the recovery plan
described. All comment received by the date specified above will be
considered prior to approval of the recovery plan.
Authority
The authority for this action is Section 4(f) of the Endangered
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
Dated: January 19, 2005.
Geoffrey L. Haskett,
Acting Regional Director: Region 2.
[FR Doc. 05-3411 Filed 2-22-05; 8:45 am]
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