Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for Blue Shiner for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for Blue Shiner

for Review and Comment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability and public comment period.

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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 blue

shiner (Cyprinella caerulea). It occurs in the headwater river systems

of the Coosa River in Georgia and Tennessee, and in smaller tributaries

of the Coosa River in Alabama. Populations are fragmented and isolated

by impoundments and by distance. The species has been extirpated from

the Cahaba River system, and Big Wills Creek, Alabama. 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 July 29, 1994, to receive consideration by the Service.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft recovery plan may obtain

a copy by contacting the Jackson Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, 6578 Dogwood View Parkway, suite A, Jackson, Mississippi

39213. Written comments and materials regarding the plan should be

addressed to the Field Supervisor at the above address. Comments and

materials received are available on request for public inspection, by

appointment, during normal business hours at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robert Bowker at the above address (601/965-4900).

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

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 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.

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 a 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 species considered in this draft recovery plan is the blue

shiner (Cyprinella caerulea). This medium-sized minnow is currently

known from only the Coosa River system. The blue shiner occurs over a

sand and gravel substrate among cobble in cool, clear water. The blue

shiner was listed as threatened on April 22, 1992. The major threat is

water quality degradation, the likely cause of extirpation from the

Cahaba River system.

The objective of this proposed plan is to delist the blue shiner.

The species may be considered recovered when populations in the

stretches of the Coosa River system identified in the recovery plan are

documented to be viable and are fully protected. Actions needed to

reach this goal include: (1) Determining its optimum habitat, (2)

determining its life history, (3) developing and implementing a plan to

restore and protect its essential habitat, and (4) monitoring its

populations.

This Plan is being submitted for agency review. After consideration

of comments received during the review period, it will be submitted for

final approval.

Public Comments Solicited

The Service solicits written comments on the recovery plan

described. All comments received by the date specified above 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: May 18, 1994.

Robert Bowker,

Field Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 94-12978 Filed 5-26-94; 8:45 am]

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