[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 4 (Friday, January 6, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2155-2156]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-310]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Sacramento--San 
Joaquin Delta Native Fishes for Review and Comment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the 
availability for public review of a draft recovery plan for the 
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta native fishes. These species are native to 
Sacramento, San Joaquin, Contra Costa, and Solano Counties, California. 
The Service solicits review and comment from the public on this draft 
plan.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or 
before March 7, 1995 to receive consideration by the Service.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft recovery plan may obtain 
a copy by contacting the Field Supervisor, Ecological Services Office, 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage Way Room E-1803, 
Sacramento, California, 95825-1846 (telephone: 916-978-4866), or the 
Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, Eastside Federal Complex, 911 NE 11th Avenue, 
Portland, Oregon 97232-4181 (telephone: 503-231-6241). Written comments 
and materials regarding the plan should be addressed to Mr. Joel A. 
Medlin, Field Supervisor, at the above Sacramento, California address. 
Comments and materials received are available on request for public 
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the above 
Sacramento, California address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Robert Pine or Ms. Lesa Meng at the above Sacramento, California 
address (telephone: 916-978-4866).

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 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's 
(Service) endangered species program. To help guide the recovery 
effort, the Service is 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 reclassification or delisting, and estimate time 
and cost for implementing the recovery measures needed.
    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. Section 4(f) of the Act, as amended in 1988, 
requires that public notice and an opportunity for public review and 
comment be provided during recovery plan development. The Service will 
consider all information presented during a public comment period prior 
to approval of each new or revised recovery plan. The Service and other 
Federal agencies will also take these comments into account in the 
course of implementing approved recovery plans.
    The draft recovery plan for Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta native 
[[Page 2156]] fishes was developed to provide protection to all native 
fishes in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) estuary in 
Sacramento, San Joaquin, Contra Costa, and Solano Counties, California. 
Species selected in the recovery plan included ``indicator species'' 
that, if protected, would provide protection to the entire Delta 
estuary. The delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus) is listed as a 
threatened species. The Sacramento Splittail (Pogonichthys 
macrolepidotus) was proposed as a threatened species on January 6, 
1994. Longfin smelt (Spirinchus thaleichthys) and green sturgeon 
(Acipenser transmontanus) are category 2 species. Spring-run, late 
fall-run, and San Joaquin fall-run chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus 
tshawytshcha) are potential candidates for threatened or endangered 
status in the future. Information is also included on Sacramento perch 
(Archoplites interruptus), a species believed to be extirpated from the 
Delta at this time. The reasons these species have been listed, or are 
proposed for listing, are degradation and loss of estuarine habitat, 
entrainment in water diversions, upstream or reverse flows of rivers 
entering the Delta estuary and upstream encroachment of saline water 
which limits the low salinity habitat to deep-water river channels of 
the interior Delta. If the measures in draft recovery plan for 
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta native fishes are implemented as proposed, 
areas including the Delta estuary and Suisun Marsh will be protected. 
The Service is currently soliciting comments for approval of the plan.

Public Comments Solicited

    The Service solicits written comments on the recovery plan 
described. All comments received by the date specified will be 
considered prior to approval of the plan.

Authority

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

    Dated: December 29, 1994.
David L. McMullen,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 95-310 Filed 1-5-95; 8:45 am]
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