Notice of Availability of a Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the Okaloosa Darter for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of a Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the

Okaloosa Darter 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 announces the availability

for public review of a draft revised recovery plan for the Okaloosa

darter. This endangered fish occurs in six stream systems flowing from

Eglin Air Force Base through or near the cities of Niceville and

Valparaiso into Boggy and Rocky bayous on Choctawhatchee Bay, in

Okaloosa and Walton counties, Florida. The Service solicits review and

comment from the public on this draft plan.

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

or before August 11, 1997 to receive consideration by the Service.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft revised recovery plan

may examine a copy at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Panama City

Field Office, 1612 June Avenue, Panama City, Florida 32405, between

7:30 AM and 4:30 PM Central Time; or may obtain a copy by contacting

Frank Parauka, Panama City Field Office, 904/769-0552 ext. 237. Written

comments and materials regarding the plan should be addressed to Frank

Parauka at the Panama City Field Office. Comments and materials

received are available on request for public inspection, by

appointment, during the previously stated hours at the Panama City

Field Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lloyd Stith or Frank Parauka, at the

Panama City Field Office address given above, at 904/769-0552, ext. 234

or 237, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Restoring an endangered or threatened animal or plant to the point

where it is again a secure, self-sustaining member of its ecosystem 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 the

time and cost for implementing the recovery measures needed.

The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act) (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 revised recovery plan for the Okaloosa darter updates the

original 1981 plan. The Service listed this species in 1973 due to its

extreme limited range, habitat degradation, and apparent competition

from a possibly introduced related species, the brown darter. Studies

recommended in the original plan have been completed. Eglin Air Force

Base is implementing habitat conservation measures, and plans to

implement others. Okaloosa darter populations have apparently

stabilized. Downlisting this species from endangered to threatened

could be considered in 2001 if Okaloosa darter populations in all six

inhabited stream systems remain stable or increase, and if effective

interagency agreements are established to protect the quality and

quantity of water in these streams. Complete delisting may be

considered when populations in all stream systems remain stable or

increase for 20 years, and when effective and apparently permanent

cooperative agreements to protect stream water quantity and quality

have functioned for several years. Inhabited streams are the main stems

and tributaries of Toms, Turkey, Mill, Swift, East Turkey, and Rocky

creeks. The watersheds of these streams, located on Eglin Air Force

Base and in the cities of Niceville and Valparaiso, are also in the

planning area. Comments received during the review period will be used

as appropriate for developing a final revised recovery plan. The Panama

City Field Office will then forward the final plan to the Service's

Regional Office in Atlanta, Georgia, for 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 29, 1997.

Gail A. Carmody,

Project Leader.

[FR Doc. 97-15117 Filed 6-9-97; 8:45 am]

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