[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 184 (Friday, September 22, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55431-55432]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-8100]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 082106B]


Endangered and Threatened Species: Notice of Availability of the 
Status Review for Atlantic Salmon in the United States

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

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Status Review of Atlantic Salmon.

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SUMMARY: A Biological Review Team (BRT) consisting of biologists from 
the Maine Atlantic Salmon Commission, Penobscot Indian Nation, NMFS, 
and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) have completed a Status Review 
of Atlantic salmon (Status Review for Anadromous Atlantic Salmon (Salmo 
salar)) in the United States.

ADDRESSES: Requests for a copy of the Status Review should be addressed 
to Marcia Hobbs, NMFS, Northeast Regional Office, Protected Resources 
Division, One Blackburn Drive Gloucester, MA 01930. A copy of the 
Status Review can also be downloaded from the following web address: 
http://

[[Page 55432]]

www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/statusreviews.htm

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rory Saunders, NMFS Northeast Regional 
Office, (207) 866-4049, or Pat Scida, NMFS Northeast Regional Office, 
(978) 281-9208.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The ESA requires that FWS and NMFS (Services) make listing 
determinations based on the best scientific and commercial information 
available after conducting a review of the status of species and after 
taking into account efforts to protect the species. In 1999 the 
Services completed a review of the biological status of Atlantic salmon 
in the United States. Based on that status review, in November 2000, 
the Services listed all naturally reproducing remnant populations of 
Atlantic salmon from the Kennebec River downstream of the former 
Edwards Dam site, northward to the mouth of the St. Croix River 
(excluding those fish inhabiting the mainstem of the Penobscot River 
above the site of the former Bangor Dam) as an endangered Distinct 
Population Segment (DPS) under the ESA. A decision regarding whether or 
not to include salmon that inhabited the mainstems of the Kennebec 
River above the former site of Edwards Dam and the Penobscot River 
above the former site of Bangor Dam was deferred by the Services during 
the initial listing action pending genetic analysis of these 
populations.

The 2006 Status Review

    In response to the recent availability of the genetic data for 
these populations, the Services convened a BRT in late 2003 consisting 
of biologists from the Maine Atlantic Salmon Commission, Penobscot 
Indian Nation, NMFS, and FWS. The BRT was charged with reviewing and 
evaluating all relevant scientific information relating to the current 
DPS delineation, determining the conservation status of the populations 
for which a decision was deferred in 2000, and assessing their 
relationship to the currently listed Gulf of Maine (GOM) DPS.
    The BRT has completed its review of the biological status of 
Atlantic salmon in the United States, including an assessment of the 
adequacy of protective measures, the extent of implementation of these 
measures, and the effect of these measures on Atlantic salmon and their 
habitat. This Status Review is an update to the 1999 Atlantic salmon 
Status Review and discusses the status of salmon in the Androscoggin, 
Kennebec, and Penobscot Rivers relative to the currently listed GOM 
DPS.
    Recent genetic studies indicate that salmon inhabiting the Kennebec 
and Penobscot Rivers are more closely related to other salmon 
inhabiting the GOM DPS than they are to those found in Canada and other 
parts of the world. Based on these studies, as well as other 
zoogeographic, hydrographic, and life history data, the new Status 
Review concludes that the GOM DPS should be comprised of all anadromous 
Atlantic salmon whose freshwater range occurs in the watersheds from 
the Androscoggin River northward along the Maine coast to the Dennys 
River, including all associated conservation hatchery populations used 
to supplement natural populations; currently, such populations are 
maintained at Green Lake and Craig Brook National Fish Hatcheries. A 
population viability analysis (PVA) was performed for the GOM DPS, 
including the Androscoggin, Kennebec, and Penobscot River populations, 
and is discussed in the new Status Review. The PVA is a way to estimate 
population growth or decline over time. In the new Atlantic salmon 
Status Review, PVA projections suggest that the likelihood of 
extinction of the GOM DPS of Atlantic salmon ranges from 19 percent to 
75 percent within the next 100 years. The Status Review also includes a 
detailed analysis of threats to the DPS (as delineated by the BRT).
    NMFS contracted with the Center for Independent Experts to have the 
2006 Status Review independently peer reviewed. The reviewers were 
asked to address the following four questions:
    (1) Is the species delineation supported by the information 
presented?
    (2) Does the status review include and cite the best available 
scientific and commercial information available on the species and 
threats to it and its habitat?
    (3) Are the scientific conclusions sound and derived logically from 
the results?
    (4) Where available, are opposing scientific studies or theories 
acknowledged and discussed?
    This review has been completed and provided to the BRT for their 
consideration and response. The July 2006 version of the status review, 
which is being made available to the public, contains modifications 
made by the BRT in light of the comments received from four peer 
reviewers.
    The Services jointly administer the ESA as it applies to anadromous 
Atlantic salmon. The Northeast Region of NMFS and Region 5 of the FWS 
have entered into a Statement of Cooperation in order to divide 
responsibility for ESA implementation in order to enhance efficiency 
and effectiveness. The Services have agreed that NMFS would be 
responsible for receiving the status review from the BRT, conducting a 
peer review on that status review, and determining and preparing any 
appropriate action under the ESA. It was agreed that NMFS would prepare 
and publish any associated Federal Register notices. Pursuant to this 
agreement, NMFS is currently considering the information presented in 
the new Status Review, the comments from the peer reviewers, and the 
response of the BRT to the peer reviewers to determine if action under 
the ESA is warranted. NMFS could determine that a change to the 
boundaries or conservation status of the existing GOM DPS is warranted, 
that a separate listing action is warranted, or that no new action is 
warranted. If NMFS determines that a modification to the existing 
listing or a new listing is warranted, then a proposed rule will be 
published along with the rationale for that proposal. A decision 
regarding NMFS' determination will be published in the Federal 
Register.

Authority

    The authority for this action is the ESA, as amended (16 U.S.C. 
1531 et seq.).

    Dated: September 18, 2006.
Samuel D. Rauch, III
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 06-8100 Filed 9-21-06; 8:45 am]
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