[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 222 (Thursday, November 18, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 67602]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-25541]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Draft Recovery Plan for the Tidewater Goby (Eucyclogobius 
newberryi)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability for review and comment.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (we) announces the 
availability of the Draft Recovery Plan for the Tidewater Goby 
(Eucyclogobius newberryi) for public review and comment. The tidewater 
goby is a small fish that inhabits coastal brackish water habitats 
entirely within California, ranging from Tillas Slough (mouth of the 
Smith River, Del Norte County) near the Oregon border south to Agua 
Hedionda Lagoon (northern San Diego County). This draft recovery plan 
describes the status, current management, recovery objectives and 
criteria, and specific actions needed to reclassify the tidewater goby 
from endangered to threatened, and to ultimately delist it. We solicit 
review and comment from local, State, and Federal agencies, and the 
public on this draft recovery plan.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or 
before January 18, 2005 to receive our consideration.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the draft recovery plan is available for review, 
by appointment, during normal business hours at the following location: 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, 2493 
Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura, California 93003 (telephone 805-644-
1766). An electronic copy of the draft recovery plan is also available 
on the World Wide Web at http://pacific.fws.gov/ecoservices/endangered/recovery/plans.html and http://endangered.fws.gov/recovery/index.html#plans. Printed copies of the draft recovery plan will be 
available for distribution in 4 to 6 weeks.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Dellith, Fish and Wildlife 
Biologist, at the above Sacramento 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. To help 
guide the recovery effort, we are 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.
    Section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act (Act) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.) 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 
technical comments will result in changes to the plan as appropriate. 
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.
    This draft recovery plan was developed by the Tidewater Goby 
Recovery Team. We coordinated with the California Department of Fish 
and Game and a team of stakeholders, which included landowners and 
managers, agency representatives, and non-government organizations.
    The tidewater goby was listed as an endangered species on March 7, 
1994 (59 FR 5494). The tidewater goby is threatened primarily by 
modification and loss of habitat as a result of coastal development, 
channelization of habitat, diversions of water flows, groundwater 
overdrafting, and alteration of water flows. Actions needed to recover 
the tidewater goby include: (1) Monitor, protect, and enhance currently 
occupied tidewater goby habitat; (2) conduct biological research to 
enhance the ability to integrate land use practices with tidewater goby 
recovery and revise recovery tasks as pertinent new information becomes 
available; (3) evaluate and implement translocation where appropriate; 
and (4) increase public awareness about tidewater gobies.

Public Comments Solicited

    We solicit written comments on the draft recovery plan described. 
All comments received by the date specified above will be considered in 
developing a final recovery plan.

Authority

    The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered 
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).

    Dated: October 20, 2004.
Vicki L. Campbell,
Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service.
[FR Doc. 04-25541 Filed 11-17-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P