[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 34 (Monday, February 22, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7625-7626]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-3343]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R2-ES-2010-N016; 20124-1113-0000-C2]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Rio Grande Silvery 
Minnow (Hybognathus amarus) Recovery Plan, First Revision

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability: revised recovery plan.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 
availability of the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow (Hybognathus amarus) 
Recovery Plan, First Revision. The Rio Grande silvery minnow was listed 
as endangered in 1994, its first recovery plan was approved in 1999, 
and critical habitat was designated in 2003.

ADDRESSES: An electronic copy of the recovery plan can be obtained from 
our website at http://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/Library/. Copies of the 
recovery plan are also available by request. To obtain a copy, contact 
Jennifer Bachus by U.S. mail at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, New 
Mexico Ecological Services Field Office, 2105 Osuna Road, New Mexico 
87113; by phone at (505) 761-4714; or by e-mail at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#672d0209090e010215382506040f12142701101449000811"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d69cb3b8b8bfb0b3a48994b7b5bea3a596b0a1a5f8b1b9a0">[email protected]</span></a>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Bachus (see ADDRESSES).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Rio Grande silvery minnow was listed as federally endangered in 
1994 (July 20, 1994; 59 FR 36988) and critical habitat was designated 
in 2003 (February 19, 2003; 68 FR 8087). The species was extirpated 
from about 93 percent of its historical range, currently persisting in 
only one 280-kilometer (km) (174-mile (mi)) reach of the Rio Grande 
River in New Mexico, downstream of Cochiti Dam to the headwaters of 
Elephant Butte Reservoir. In December 2008, silvery minnows were 
introduced into the Rio Grande River near Big Bend, Texas, as a 
nonessential, experimental population under section 10(j) of the ESA 
(December 8, 2008; 73 FR 74357).
    Throughout much of its historic range, the decline of the Rio 
Grande silvery minnow is attributed primarily to destruction and 
modification of its habitat due to dewatering and diversion of water, 
water impoundment, and modification of the river (channelization). 
Competition and predation by introduced non-native species, water 
quality degradation, and other factors also have contributed to its 
decline.
    The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended (16 U.S.C. 
1531 et seq.), 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, and 
estimating time and costs for implementing the recovery measures. The 
recovery criteria form the basis from which to gauge the species' 
recovery and subsequent risk of extinction.
    The Rio Grande Silvery Minnow Recovery Plan includes updated 
scientific information about the species and provides criteria and 
actions needed to downlist and delist the species. We may consider 
downlisting the Rio Grande silvery minnow from endangered to threatened 
when three populations (including a stable middle Rio Grande population 
and at least two additional populations that are self-sustaining) have 
been established within the historical range of the species and have 
been maintained for at least five years, as well as habitat sufficient 
to support three such populations. We may consider delisting the 
species when three self-sustaining populations have been established 
within the historical range of the species and have been maintained for 
at least 10 years, as well as habitat sufficient to support three such 
populations. The revised recovery criteria provide objective measures 
by which populations of silvery minnow is determined to be self-
sustaining.
    The Rio Grande Silvery Minnow Recovery Plan also describes actions 
needed to recover the Rio Grande silvery minnow. These include 
developing a thorough knowledge of the Rio Grande silvery minnow's life 
history, ecology, and behavior, and the current status of its habitat. 
It is also necessary to restore, protect, and alter habitats as 
necessary to alleviate threats to the Rio Grande silvery minnow, to 
ensure the survival of the species in its current habitat, and to 
reestablish the species in suitable habitats within its historical 
range. By implementation and

[[Page 7626]]

maintaining an adaptive management program, appropriate research and 
management activities will be implemented in a timely manner to achieve 
recovery of the Rio Grande silvery minnow. Lastly, recovery actions 
also include designing and implementing public awareness and education 
programs about this species.
    Section 4(f) of the Act requires that we provide public notice and 
an opportunity for public review and comment during recovery plan 
development. In fulfillment of this requirement, we made the draft 
revision of the recovery plan for Rio Grande silvery minnow available 
for public comment from January 18, 2007, through April 18, 2007 
(January 18, 2007; 72 FR 2301). We also conducted peer review at this 
time. Revised recovery criteria were developed in response to public 
and peer review comments on the original draft plan. We released these 
revised criteria for a second round of public comment from April 9, 
2009, through May 26, 2009 (April 9, 2009; 74 FR 16232). We also 
conducted additional peer review. After consideration of comments 
received during both public and peer review comment periods, the 
recovery plan has been updated and finalized.

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

    Dated: January 15, 2010.
Benjamin N. Tuggle,
Regional Director, Region 2.
[FR Doc. 2010-3343 Filed 2-19-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P


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