[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 27 (Wednesday, February 10, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6696-6697]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-2279]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R8-ES-2009-N237; 80221-1113-0000-C2]
Draft Recovery Plan for Tidal Marsh Ecosystems of Northern and
Central California
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability for review and comment.
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SUMMARY: We, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of a draft recovery plan for Tidal Marsh Ecosystems of
Northern and Central California for public review and comment. This
draft recovery plan is an expansion and revision of our 1984 California
Clapper Rail and Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse Recovery Plan. The plan also
addresses several federally endangered plant species: Cirsium
hydrophilum var. hydrophilum (Suisun thistle), Cordylanthus mollis ssp.
mollis (soft bird's-beak), Suaeda californica (California sea-blite),
and the Morro Bay portion of Cordylanthus maritimus ssp. maritimus
(salt marsh bird's-beak).
DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments by
June 10, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft recovery plan are available by request
from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife
Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Rm. W-2605, Sacramento, CA 95825 (telephone:
916-414-6600). An electronic copy of the draft recovery plan is also
available at http://endangered.fws.gov/recovery/index.html#plans.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh Hull, Recovery Branch Chief, at
the above address or telephone number.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Recovery of endangered or threatened animals and plants is a
primary goal of the Endangered Species Act (Act) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et
seq.) and our endangered species program. Recovery means improvement of
the status of listed species to the point at which listing is no longer
required under the criteria set out in section 4(a)(1) of the Act.
Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for the
conservation of the species, establish criteria for downlisting or
delisting listed species, and estimate time and cost for implementing
the measures needed for recovery. The Draft Recovery Plan for Tidal
Marsh Ecosystems of Northern and Central California features five
endangered species. The biology of these species is at the core of the
draft recovery plan, but the goal of this recovery planning effort is
the comprehensive restoration and management of tidal marsh ecosystems.
This draft recovery plan is an expansion and revision of The
California Clapper Rail and Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse Recovery Plan
(Service 1984). Since that time a great deal of effort has been
dedicated to recovery and conservation activities, and additional
information has been obtained through research and observation that
allows us to better focus our recovery strategy. The historic
distribution of the California clapper rail encompasses major tidal
salt marshes between Humboldt Bay and, arguably, Morro Bay. This
distribution defines the approximate geographic scope of this draft
recovery plan.
The plan also covers three federally endangered plant species and
the northernmost population of an additional federally endangered plant
species. Two of the species, Cirsium hydrophilum var. hydrophilum
(Suisun thistle) and Cordylanthus mollis ssp. mollis (soft bird's-
beak), are restricted to the northern reaches of the San Francisco Bay
Estuary. The other endangered tidal marsh plant, Suaeda californica
(California sea-blite), historically occurred in both San Francisco Bay
and Morro Bay; however, except for three reintroductions to San
Francisco Bay, it is now restricted to Morro Bay. Another federally
listed plant, Cordylanthus maritimus ssp. maritimus (salt marsh bird's-
beak), has its northern range limit in Morro Bay. Morro Bay was omitted
from the Salt Marsh Bird's Beak Recovery Plan (Service 1985a) because
the taxonomic interpretation at the time classified this population in
another subspecies that is not federally listed. The current taxonomy
includes the Morro Bay population as Cordylanthus maritimus ssp.
maritimus. It is included in this draft recovery plan due to its
colocation with Suaeda californica in Morro Bay. Recovery strategies
and actions are provided for the Morro Bay population of Cordylanthus
maritimus ssp. maritimus. However, because we do not consider the
entire range of the species in this document, recovery criteria have
not been included. This draft recovery plan also addresses 11 species
of concern: The salt marsh wandering shrew (Sorex vagrans halicoetes),
Suisun shrew (Sorex ornatus sinuosus), San Pablo vole (Microtus
californicus sanpabloensis), California black rail (Laterallus
jamaicensis coturniculus),
[[Page 6697]]
three song sparrow subspecies of the San Francisco Bay Estuary
(Melospiza melodia spp.), saltmarsh common yellowthroat (Geothlypis
trichas sinuosa), old man tiger beetle (Cicindela senilis senilis),
Lathryrus jepsonii ssp. jepsonii (delta tule pea), and Spartina foliosa
(Pacific cordgrass).
Species included in this draft recovery plan occur in a variety of
tidal marsh habitats, where they are limited by the requirements of
moisture, salinity, topography, soil types, and climatic conditions.
Adjacent uplands and ecotone areas are also crucial habitats for many
of these species. Primary threats to all the listed species include:
(1) Historical and current habitat loss and fragmentation due to
urban development, agriculture, and diking related to duck hunting;
(2) Altered hydrology and salinity;
(3) Nonnative invasive species;
(4) Inadequate regulatory mechanisms;
(5) Disturbance;
(6) Contamination;
(7) Sea-level rise due to climate change; and
(8) Risk of extinction due to vulnerability of small populations in
the face of random naturally occurring events.
We expect that the following species recovery objectives will be
met:
(1) Secure self-sustaining wild populations of each covered species
throughout their full ecological, geographical, and genetic ranges;
(2) Ameliorate or eliminate the threats, to the extent possible,
that caused the species to be listed or of concern and any future
threats; and
(3) Restore and conserve a healthy ecosystem function supportive of
tidal marsh species.
These objectives will be accomplished through implementation of a
variety of recovery measures, including habitat acquisition,
protection, management and restoration; species status surveys/
monitoring; research; and stakeholder coordination, public
participation, and outreach.
Request for Public Comments
We request written comments on the draft recovery plan. All
comments received by the date specified in DATES will be considered
prior to approval of this plan. If you wish to comment, you may submit
your comments and materials concerning this recovery plan by one of
these methods:
1. You may submit written comments and information by mail or
facsimile or in person to the Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office at
the above address (see ADDRESSES).
2. You may send comments by electronic mail (e-mail) to: [email protected]. If you submit comments by e-mail, please submit them as an
ASCII file and avoid the use of special characters and any form of
encryption. Please also include your name and return address in your e-
mail message.
Comments and materials received, as well as supporting
documentation used in preparation of the recovery plan, will be
available for inspection, during normal business hours at the above
Sacramento address (see ADDRESSES).
We specifically seek comments on the following:
(1) Biological, commercial trade, or other relevant data concerning
any threat (or lack thereof) to the species;
(2) Feedback on the durability of the science regarding climate
change and its treatment presented in the draft recovery plan and
comments on how best to ameliorate threats to the species in that
regard;
(3) Additional information concerning the range, distribution, and
population size of these species, including the location of any
additional populations;
(4) Current or planned activities in the subject area and their
possible impacts on these species; and
(5) The suitability and feasibility of the recovery criteria,
strategies, or actions described in the Draft Plan.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail 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).
Alexandra Pitts,
Regional Director, Region 8, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-2279 Filed 2-9-10; 8:45 am]
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