[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 157 (Monday, August 15, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 50447-50448]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-20459]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Parts 223 and 224

RIN 0648-XA619


Endangered and Threatened Species; 5-Year Reviews for 5 
Evolutionarily Significant Units of Pacific Salmon and 1 Distinct 
Population Segment of Steelhead in California

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability of 5-year reviews.

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SUMMARY: We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Southwest 
Region, announce the availability of 5-year reviews for five ESUs of 
Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus sp.) and one DPS of steelhead 
(Oncorhynchus mykiss) in California, as required by the ESA. After 
reviewing the best available scientific and commercial data, our 5-year 
reviews indicate that these species should remain listed as determined 
in 2005 and 2006, respectively. Our reviews recommend that the 
southward extension of boundaries for California Coastal Chinook salmon 
and Central California Coast coho salmon should be considered. Our 5-
year review also recommends that six hatchery stocks should be removed 
from the California Coastal Chinook salmon ESU because those hatchery 
programs have been terminated.

ADDRESSES: Additional information about the 5-year review process, 
including copies of the 5-year review reports, may be obtained by 
visiting the NMFS Southwest Regional Office Web site at http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/ or by writing to us at: NMFS Southwest Region, 501 
W. Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802; Attn: Craig Wingert.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Craig Wingert at the above address or 
at (562) 980-4021.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Under the ESA, a list of endangered and threatened wildlife and 
plant species must be maintained. The list is published at 50 CFR 17.11 
(for animals) and 17.12 (for plants). Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the ESA 
requires that NMFS conduct a review of listed species under its 
jurisdiction at least once every 5 years (``5-year reviews''). Pursuant 
to section 4(c)(2)(B) of the ESA, we determine whether any species 
should be delisted and removed from the list, reclassified from 
endangered to threatened, or reclassified from threatened to endangered 
on the basis of such reviews. In conducting 5-year reviews, we consider 
the best scientific and commercial data, including new information that 
has become available since the last listing determination or most 
recent status review of a species.
    On March 18, 2010, NMFS announced the initiation of 5-year reviews 
for listed Pacific salmon ESUs and steelhead DPSs in California, 
Oregon, Washington, and Idaho (75 FR 13082). Both ESUs and DPSs are 
treated as ``species'' under the ESA and we use the term ``species'' to 
refer to both in the remainder of this notice. In the March 18, 2010 
announcement, we requested new information regarding the biological 
status of these ESUs and DPSs and the factors that affect them from the 
public, concerned governmental agencies, Tribes, the scientific 
community, environmental entities, and other interested parties.
    This notice of availability addresses our completed 5-year reviews 
for: (1) Southern Oregon/Northern California coho salmon; (2) 
California Coastal Chinook salmon; (3) Central California Coast coho 
salmon; (4) Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon; (5) Central 
Valley spring-run Chinook salmon; and (6) Central Valley steelhead. The 
results of 5-year reviews for the other ESUs and DPSs discussed in the 
March 18, 2010 notice of initiation will be announced in forthcoming 
notices from the NMFS Southwest and Northwest Regions, respectively.
    We used a two-step process to complete the reviews. First, we asked 
scientists from our Southwest Fisheries Science Center to collect and 
analyze new information about each species' viability. To evaluate each 
species' viability, our scientists applied the agency's Viable Salmonid 
Population (VSP) framework, which relies on evaluating four key 
population parameters (abundance, productivity, spatial structure, and 
diversity). Using this framework, they compiled and evaluated all new 
relevant information on these four parameters and then updated the 
overall viability status of each species. They also considered new 
genetic and biogeographic information related to each species' 
freshwater and estuarine geographic boundaries. At the end of this 
process, the Center prepared a report detailing the results and 
conclusions from their analyses.
    Fishery biologists from the Southwest Region and its field offices 
completed the second step in the review process. These biologists 
reviewed new information on the five ESA 4(a)(1) factors considered 
when determining if a species should be listed as threatened or 
endangered, including: (1) The present or threatened destruction, 
modification, or curtailment of its habitat or range; (2) 
overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or 
educational purposes; (3) disease or predation; (4) inadequacy of 
existing regulatory mechanisms; and, (5) other natural or man-made 
factors affecting its continued existence. They also evaluated new 
information on hatchery programs associated with each species to inform 
an updated assessment about whether specific hatchery programs should 
be considered part of the species that were evaluated. In doing so, 
they applied our Policy Addressing the Role of Artificially Propagated 
Pacific Salmon and Steelhead in Listing Determinations under the ESA 
(70 FR 37204). The 5-year review reports prepared by the Southwest 
Region, the Southwest Science Center's updated

[[Page 50448]]

status assessment, and additional information concerning these species 
are available on the Southwest Region's Web site: http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/.
    With regard to the salmon and steelhead species subject to this 
notice of availability, we evaluated information that has become 
available on the species since they were previously reviewed in 2005 
(70 FR 37160) and 2006 (71 FR 834), respectively. After considering the 
best available information, our 5-year reviews recommend that each of 
these species should remain listed as determined in 2005 and 2006. Our 
reviews also recommend that the southern boundaries of two species 
(California Coastal Chinook salmon and Central California Coast coho 
salmon ESUs) should be extended. Finally, our reviews also recommend 
that six hatchery stocks should be removed from the California Coastal 
Chinook salmon ESU based on information demonstrating the hatchery 
programs propagating these stocks have been terminated since the last 
status review.
    In furtherance of these recommendations, we have already proposed 
to change the southern boundary of Central California Coast coho salmon 
(76 FR 6383). We will consider proposing the adjustment of the species 
boundary and hatchery status for California Coastal Chinook salmon in a 
separate rulemaking. We conclude that these 5-year reviews meet the 
requirements of the ESA.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.

    Dated: August 8, 2011.
Therese Conant,
Deputy Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-20459 Filed 8-12-11; 8:45 am]
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