[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 189 (Tuesday, September 30, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51129-51130]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-25847]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Notice of Availability of a Draft Big Island II: Addendum to the
Recovery Plan for the Big Island Plant Cluster (USFWS 1996)
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces the availability
for public review of a draft Big Island II: Addendum to the Recovery
Plan for the Big Island Plant Cluster (USFWS 1996). There are 13 taxa
of plants included in this plan, all are listed as endangered. All 13
are known only from the island of Hawaii (Big Island).
DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan received by December 29,
1997 will be considered by the Service.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft recovery plan are available for
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the
following locations: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Islands
Office, 300 Ala Moana Boulevard, room 3108, P.O. Box 50088, Honolulu,
Hawaii 96850 (phone 808/541-3441); Kailua-Kona Public Library 75-138
Hualalai Rd., Kailua-Kona, HI 96740; Hilo Public Library, 300
Waianuenue Ave., Hilo, HI 96720. Requests for copies of the draft
recovery plan and written comments and materials regarding this plan
should be addressed to, Field Supervisor, Ecological Services, at the
above Honolulu address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen ``Kitti'' Jensen, Fish and
Wildlife Biologist, at the above Honolulu address.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Restoring endangered or threatened animals and plants to the point
where they are again secure, self-sustaining members of their
ecosystems 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
the conservation of the species, establish criteria for the recovery
levels for downlisting or delisting them, and estimate time and cost
for implementing the recovery measures needed.
The Endangered Species Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)
(Act), 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 will consider
all information presented during the public comment period prior to
approval of each new or revised Recovery Plan. Substantive technical
comments will result in changes to the plans. Substantive comments
regarding recovery plan implementation may not necessarily result in
changes to the recovery plans, but will be forwarded to appropriate
Federal or other entities so that they can take these comments into
account during the course of implementing recovery actions.
Individualized responses to comments will not be provided.
This addendum to the Recovery Plan for the Big Island Plant Cluster
covers 13 plant taxa, all are listed as endangered. All of these taxa
are endemic to the island of Hawaii (Big Island), Hawaiian Islands. The
plants included in the plan are: Clermontia drepanomorpha (oha wai),
Cyanea platyphylla (haha), Hibiscadelphus giffardianus (hau kuahiwi),
Hibiscadelphus hualalaiensis (hau kuahiwi), Melicope zahlbruckneri
(alani), Neraudia ovata (no common name (NCN)), Phyllostegia racemosa
(kiponapona), Phyllostegia velutina (NCN), Phyllostegia warshaueri
(NCN), Pleomele hawaiiensis (hala pepe), Pritchardia schattaueri
(loulu), Sicyos alba (anunu), and Zanthoxylum dipetalum var. tomentosum
(ae).
The 13 taxa included in this addendum grow in a variety of
vegetation communities (shrublands, forests, and mixed communities),
elevational zones (lowland to montane), and moisture regimes (dry to
wet). These taxa and their habitats have been variously affected or are
currently threatened by one or more of the following: competition for
space, light, water, and nutrients by introduced vegetation; habitat
degradation by feral or domestic animals (goats, pigs, sheep and
cattle); agricultural and recreational activities; habitat loss and
damage to plants from fires; predation by rats and insects; and natural
disasters such as volcanic activity. In addition, due to the small
number of existing individuals and their very narrow distributions,
these taxa are subject to an increased likelihood of extinction and/or
reduced reproductive vigor from stochastic events.
The objective of the Addendum to the Recovery Plan for the Big
Island Plant Cluster (USFWS 1996) is to provide a framework for the
recovery of these 13 taxa so that their protection by the Endangered
Species Act (ESA) is no longer necessary. The interim objective is to
stabilize all existing populations of the Big Island II taxa. To be
considered stable, each taxon must be managed to control threats (e.g.,
fenced) and be represented in an ex situ (such as a nursery or
arboretum) collection. In addition, a minimum total of three
populations of each taxon should be documented on the Big Island, where
they now occur or occurred historically. Each of these populations must
be naturally reproducing and increasing in number, with a minimum of 25
mature individuals per population for long-lived perennials
(Hibiscadelphus giffardianus, Hibiscadelphus hualalaiensis, Melicope
zahlbreuckneri, Pritchardia schattaueri, and Zanthoxylum tomentosum
var. dipetalum and a minimum of 50 mature individuals per population
for short-lived perennials (Clermontia drepanomorpha, Cyanea
platyphylla, Neraudia ovata, Pleomele hawaiiensis, Phyllostegia
racemosa, Phyllostegia velutina, and Phyllostegia warshaueri) and a
minimum of 100 mature individuals per population for the annual taxon
Sicyos alba. For downlisting, a total of five to seven populations of
each taxon should be documented on the Big Island where they now occur
or occurred historically. Each of these populations must be naturally
reproducing, stable or increasing in number, and secure from
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threats, with a minimum of 100 mature individuals per population for
long-lived perennials, a minimum of 300 mature individuals per
population for short-lived perennials, a minimum of 500 mature
individuals per population for the annual taxon. Each population should
persist at this level for a minimum of 5 consecutive years before
downlisting is considered. For delisting, a total of 8 to 10
populations of each taxon should be documented on Kauai where they now
occur or occurred historically. Each of these populations must be
naturally reproducing, stable or increasing in number, and secure from
threats, with a minimum of 100 mature individuals per population for
long-lived perennials, a minimum of 300 mature individuals per
population for short-lived perennials, and a minimum of 500 mature
individuals per population for the annual taxon. Each population should
persist at this level for a minimum of 5 consecutive years.
Public Comments Solicited
The Service solicits written comments on the Addendum to the
Recovery Plan described. All comments received by the date specified
above will be considered prior to approval of this addendum.
Authority
The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
Dated: September 24, 1997.
Thomas J. Dwyer,
Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1, Portland,
Oregon.
[FR Doc. 97-25847 Filed 9-29-97; 8:45 am]
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