[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 157 (Monday, August 15, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 50447-50448]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-20459]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Parts 223 and 224
RIN 0648-XA619
Endangered and Threatened Species; 5-Year Reviews for 5
Evolutionarily Significant Units of Pacific Salmon and 1 Distinct
Population Segment of Steelhead in California
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability of 5-year reviews.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Southwest
Region, announce the availability of 5-year reviews for five ESUs of
Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus sp.) and one DPS of steelhead
(Oncorhynchus mykiss) in California, as required by the ESA. After
reviewing the best available scientific and commercial data, our 5-year
reviews indicate that these species should remain listed as determined
in 2005 and 2006, respectively. Our reviews recommend that the
southward extension of boundaries for California Coastal Chinook salmon
and Central California Coast coho salmon should be considered. Our 5-
year review also recommends that six hatchery stocks should be removed
from the California Coastal Chinook salmon ESU because those hatchery
programs have been terminated.
ADDRESSES: Additional information about the 5-year review process,
including copies of the 5-year review reports, may be obtained by
visiting the NMFS Southwest Regional Office Web site at http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/ or by writing to us at: NMFS Southwest Region, 501
W. Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802; Attn: Craig Wingert.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Craig Wingert at the above address or
at (562) 980-4021.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Under the ESA, a list of endangered and threatened wildlife and
plant species must be maintained. The list is published at 50 CFR 17.11
(for animals) and 17.12 (for plants). Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the ESA
requires that NMFS conduct a review of listed species under its
jurisdiction at least once every 5 years (``5-year reviews''). Pursuant
to section 4(c)(2)(B) of the ESA, we determine whether any species
should be delisted and removed from the list, reclassified from
endangered to threatened, or reclassified from threatened to endangered
on the basis of such reviews. In conducting 5-year reviews, we consider
the best scientific and commercial data, including new information that
has become available since the last listing determination or most
recent status review of a species.
On March 18, 2010, NMFS announced the initiation of 5-year reviews
for listed Pacific salmon ESUs and steelhead DPSs in California,
Oregon, Washington, and Idaho (75 FR 13082). Both ESUs and DPSs are
treated as ``species'' under the ESA and we use the term ``species'' to
refer to both in the remainder of this notice. In the March 18, 2010
announcement, we requested new information regarding the biological
status of these ESUs and DPSs and the factors that affect them from the
public, concerned governmental agencies, Tribes, the scientific
community, environmental entities, and other interested parties.
This notice of availability addresses our completed 5-year reviews
for: (1) Southern Oregon/Northern California coho salmon; (2)
California Coastal Chinook salmon; (3) Central California Coast coho
salmon; (4) Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon; (5) Central
Valley spring-run Chinook salmon; and (6) Central Valley steelhead. The
results of 5-year reviews for the other ESUs and DPSs discussed in the
March 18, 2010 notice of initiation will be announced in forthcoming
notices from the NMFS Southwest and Northwest Regions, respectively.
We used a two-step process to complete the reviews. First, we asked
scientists from our Southwest Fisheries Science Center to collect and
analyze new information about each species' viability. To evaluate each
species' viability, our scientists applied the agency's Viable Salmonid
Population (VSP) framework, which relies on evaluating four key
population parameters (abundance, productivity, spatial structure, and
diversity). Using this framework, they compiled and evaluated all new
relevant information on these four parameters and then updated the
overall viability status of each species. They also considered new
genetic and biogeographic information related to each species'
freshwater and estuarine geographic boundaries. At the end of this
process, the Center prepared a report detailing the results and
conclusions from their analyses.
Fishery biologists from the Southwest Region and its field offices
completed the second step in the review process. These biologists
reviewed new information on the five ESA 4(a)(1) factors considered
when determining if a species should be listed as threatened or
endangered, including: (1) The present or threatened destruction,
modification, or curtailment of its habitat or range; (2)
overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or
educational purposes; (3) disease or predation; (4) inadequacy of
existing regulatory mechanisms; and, (5) other natural or man-made
factors affecting its continued existence. They also evaluated new
information on hatchery programs associated with each species to inform
an updated assessment about whether specific hatchery programs should
be considered part of the species that were evaluated. In doing so,
they applied our Policy Addressing the Role of Artificially Propagated
Pacific Salmon and Steelhead in Listing Determinations under the ESA
(70 FR 37204). The 5-year review reports prepared by the Southwest
Region, the Southwest Science Center's updated
[[Page 50448]]
status assessment, and additional information concerning these species
are available on the Southwest Region's Web site: http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/.
With regard to the salmon and steelhead species subject to this
notice of availability, we evaluated information that has become
available on the species since they were previously reviewed in 2005
(70 FR 37160) and 2006 (71 FR 834), respectively. After considering the
best available information, our 5-year reviews recommend that each of
these species should remain listed as determined in 2005 and 2006. Our
reviews also recommend that the southern boundaries of two species
(California Coastal Chinook salmon and Central California Coast coho
salmon ESUs) should be extended. Finally, our reviews also recommend
that six hatchery stocks should be removed from the California Coastal
Chinook salmon ESU based on information demonstrating the hatchery
programs propagating these stocks have been terminated since the last
status review.
In furtherance of these recommendations, we have already proposed
to change the southern boundary of Central California Coast coho salmon
(76 FR 6383). We will consider proposing the adjustment of the species
boundary and hatchery status for California Coastal Chinook salmon in a
separate rulemaking. We conclude that these 5-year reviews meet the
requirements of the ESA.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.
Dated: August 8, 2011.
Therese Conant,
Deputy Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-20459 Filed 8-12-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P