[Federal Register: September 19, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 181)]
[Notices]
[Page 54838-54839]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19se06-58]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Draft Recovery Plan for the Nosa Luta or Rota Bridled White-eye
(Zosterops rotensis)
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability for review and comment.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the
availability of the Draft Recovery Plan for the Nosa Luta or Rota
Bridled White-eye (Zosterops rotensis), for public review and comment.
DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or
before November 20, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft recovery plan are available by request
from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Islands Fish and
Wildlife Office, 300 Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 3-122, Box 50088,
Honolulu, Hawaii 96850 (phone: 808/792-9400). Written comments and
materials regarding this draft recovery plan should be addressed to the
Field Supervisor at the above Honolulu address. An electronic copy of
the draft recovery plan is also available at http://endangered.fws.gov/recovery/index.html#plans
.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Fred Amidon, 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 our endangered species program. The
Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) (ESA) requires the
development of recovery plans for listed species unless such a plan
would not promote the conservation of a particular species. Recovery
plans help guide the recovery effort by describing actions considered
necessary for the conservation of the species, establishing criteria
for downlisting or delisting listed species, and estimating time and
cost for implementing the measures needed for recovery.
Section 4(f) of the ESA requires that public notice, and an
opportunity for public review and comment, be provided during recovery
plan development. We will consider all information presented during the
public comment period prior to approval of each new or revised recovery
plan. Substantive comments on the recovery needs of the species or
other aspects of recovery plan development may result in changes to the
recovery plan. Substantive comments regarding recovery plan
implementation may not necessarily result in changes to the recovery
plan, 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. Individual responses to comments will
not be provided.
The Rota bridled white-eye, known as nosa Luta in Chamorro, is a
bird endemic to the island of Rota in the Mariana archipelago and was
federally listed as endangered in 2004 (January 22, 2004, 69 FR 3022).
In 1999, the population was estimated to be approximately 1,000
individuals, representing a 90 percent decline since 1982, and the
species' core range consisted of approximately 628 acres (254 hectares)
of forest above 490 feet (150 meters) elevation. Available information
indicates that habitat loss and degradation and predation by introduced
rats (Rattus spp.) and black drongos (Dicrurus macrocercus) are having
some impact on the nosa Luta population. Due to its restricted range
and small population size, the species is also highly susceptible to
random catastrophic events such as typhoons and the accidental
introduction of new predators such as the brown treesnake (Boiga
irregularis), and avian diseases such as West Nile virus.
The draft recovery plan for the nosa Luta focuses on the following
actions: (1) Protecting and enhancing forests in the species' range;
(2) determining the specific habitat requirements of the nosa Luta to
manage areas for the species' conservation; (3) assessing the impact of
predation by black drongos and rats, and controlling these species as
appropriate; (4) preventing the
[[Page 54839]]
introduction of new predators and avian diseases; and (5) developing
techniques to safeguard the species from extinction due to random
catastrophic events.
The immediate goals of the draft recovery plan are to stop further
declines in the range and composition of the nosa Luta population,
develop safeguards to prevent the species from going extinct, and
restore the population to at least the abundance levels estimated in
1982 (10,000 individuals). In addition to suggesting actions to address
the immediate threats to the species, the draft recovery plan calls for
research to determine the specific habitat requirements and life
history parameters of the nosa Luta to inform long-term management
decisions for the effective recovery of the species.
Public Comments Solicited
We solicit written comments on the draft recovery plan described.
All comments received by the date specified above will be considered
prior to approval of this plan.
Our practice is to make comments, including names and home
addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular
business hours. Individual respondents may request that we withhold
their home addresses from the record, which we will honor to the extent
allowable by law. There also may be circumstances in which we would
withhold from the record a respondent's identity, as allowable by law.
If you wish us to withhold your name and/or address, you must state
this prominently at the beginning of your comment, but you should be
aware that we may be required to disclose your name and address
pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act. However, we will not
consider anonymous comments. We will make all submissions from
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or
businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety. Comments
and materials received will be available for public inspection, by
appointment, during normal business hours at the above address.
Authority
The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533 (f).
Dated: June 6, 2006.
Carolyn A. Bohan,
Acting Regional Director, Region 1, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. E6-15510 Filed 9-18-06; 8:45 am]
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