Availability of Draft Recovery Plan Revision for the Florida Manatee for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Availability of Draft Recovery Plan Revision for the Florida

Manatee 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) proposes to

extend the [[Page 17365]] public comment period for a technical/agency

draft recovery plan: the second revision of the Florida manatee

(Trichechus manatus latirostris) Recovery Plan.

The Service solicits additional review and comment from the public

on this plan. During the previous comment period (December 27, 1994-

February 27, 1995), there was some concern expressed that certain

individuals and/or groups were not adequately informed of the

availability of the draft for public review.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan revision must be received on

or before June 5, 1995 to receive consideration by the Service.

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

a copy by contacting the Supervisor, Jacksonville Field Office, U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, 6620 South Point Dr., South, Suite 310,

Jacksonville, Florida 32216 (Telephone: 904-232-2580). Written comments

and materials regarding the plan should be addressed to David J.

Wesley, Field Supervisor, at the above Jacksonville, Florida address.

Comments and materials received are available upon request for public

inspection, by appointment, and during normal business hours at the

above Jacksonville, Florida address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robert O. Turner, Manatee Coordinator, at the Jacksonville, Florida,

address (Telephone: 904-232-2580).

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 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 necessary for the 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 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 take these comments into account in the course of

implementing approved recovery plans.

The Florida Manatee, a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, was

originally listed under the Endangered Species Act on March 11, 1967.

The Service developed an initial recovery plan for manatees in 1980.

The 1980 plan focused primarily, but not exclusively, on manatees in

Florida. In 1986 the Service adopted a separate Recovery Plan for

manatees in Puerto Rico. To reflect new information and planning needs

for manatees in Florida, the Service revised the original plan in 1989

focusing exclusively on Florida's manatees. The revised plan covered a

five-year planning period ending in Fiscal Year 1994. In view of

progress since 1989 and planning needs beyond 1994, the Service is once

again updating and revising the plan.

Public Comments Solicited

The Service solicits written comments on the revised recovery plan

described. All comments received by the date specified will be

considered prior to the 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: March 27, 1995.

David J. Wesley,

Field Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 95-8245 Filed 4-4-95; 8:45 am]

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