Availability of Draft Recovery Plan for the Shasta Crayfish (Pacifastacus fortis) for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Availability of Draft Recovery Plan for the Shasta Crayfish

(Pacifastacus fortis) 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 the draft Recovery Plan for the

Shasta Crayfish (Pacifastacus fortis). This distribution of this

crayfish is limited to the Pit River drainage in Shasta County,

California. This taxa was listed as an endangered species by the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service on September 30, 1988 (53 FR 38460).

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan received by December 29,

1997 will be considered by the Service.

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

a copy by contacting the Field Supervisor at the following address:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 3310 El Camino Ave., Suite 130,

Sacramento, California 95821 (phone: 916/979-2710). Comments and

material received are available for public inspection, by appointment,

during normal business hours at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ann Chrisney, Fish and Wildlife

Biologist, or Karen Miller, Recovery Coordinator, at the above

Sacramento address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The distribution of the Shasta crayfish is limited to the

midsections of the Pit River drainage, primarily the Fall River and Hat

Creek subdrainages in Shasta County, California. Overall, Shasta

crayfish populations have low abundance and fragmented distribution

with migration and genetic exchange between populations limited by

hydroelectric development and habitat loss. The limits of its

geographic distribution appear to have changed little over time.

Currently, there are

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seven populations of Shasta crayfish ranging in size from approximately

fewer than 50 to 5,000.

Shasta crayfish primarily live in cool, clear, spring-fed

headwaters that are characterized by clean volcanic cobbles and

boulders on top of sand or gravel. The volcanic cobble and boulders are

essential habitat components because they provide protective cover for

the crayfish. The main threats to Shasta crayfish include: major land

reclamation, water diversion projects, and the introduction of

nonnative species of crayfish and fishes.

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 considered necessary for

the conservation of the species, establish criteria for the recovery

levels needed to downlist or delist them, and estimate time and cost

for implementing the necessary recovery measures.

The Endangered Species Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)

(Act), 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 the 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. Individualized

responses to comments will not be provided.

This plan provides for the recovery of the Shasta crayfish

(Pacifastacus fortis) so that protection by the Act is no longer

necessary. Protection and management of the species' habitat are the

primary goals of the recovery effort.

Public Comments Solicited

The Service solicits written comments on the recovery plan. All

comments received by the date specified above will be considered prior

to revision and approval of this plan.

Authority

The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered

Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).

Dated: September 24, 1997.

Michael J. Spear,

Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.

[FR Doc. 97-25845 Filed 9-29-97; 8:45 am]

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