[mou] FW: USFWS publishes Peregrine Falcon Post-Delisting Monitoring Plan

[Jim Williams]

Of interest.
Forward by Jim Williams

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From: Ellen Paul <epaul@concentric.net>
Reply-To: "ORNITH-L: the scientific discussion of Ornithology"
<ORNITH-L@LISTSERV.UARK.EDU>
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2003 08:50:11 -0600
To: ORNITH-L@LISTSERV.UARK.EDU
Subject: USFWS publishes Peregrine Falcon Post-Delisting Monitoring Plan


--
Ellen Paul
Executive Director
The Ornithological Council
Mailto:epaul@concentric.net
Ornithological Council Website:  http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET
"Providing Scientific Information about Birds"


[Federal Register: December 3, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 232)]
[Notices]
[Page 67697-67698]
>From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability of the Post-Delisting Monitoring Plan for
the American Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the
availability of the post-delisting monitoring plan for the American
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum). This plan is titled,
``Monitoring Plan for the American Peregrine Falcon, A Species
Recovered Under the Endangered Species Act'' (Monitoring Plan). The
American peregrine falcon was removed from the List of Endangered and
Threatened Wildlife and Plants in August 1999 due to its recovery. The
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended in 1988 (Act) (16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.), requires that we implement a system, in cooperation with
the States, to monitor effectively for at least 5 years, the status of
all species that have recovered and no longer need the protection of
the Act.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Monitoring Plan are available by request from
Michael Green, Migratory Birds and State Programs, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, 911 NE. 11th Ave, Portland, OR 97232. Requests may
also be made via fax at 503-231-2019, or via telephone at 503-231-6164.
This Monitoring Plan is also available on the World Wide Web at
http://migratorybirds.fws.gov
<http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log
=linklog&to=http://migratorybirds.fws.gov> and http://endangered.fws.gov/
<http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log
=linklog&to=http://endangered.fws.gov/>.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Green, Migratory Birds and State
Programs, at the above address, at michael_green@fws.gov
<mailto:michael_green@fws.gov>, or at
503-231-6164.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The American peregrine falcon occurs throughout much of North
America, from the subarctic boreal forests of Alaska and Canada south
to Mexico. American peregrine falcons nest from central Alaska, central
Yukon Territory, and northern Alberta and Saskatchewan, east to the
Maritime Provinces, and south (excluding coastal areas north of the
Columbia River in Washington and British Columbia) throughout western
Canada and the United States to Baja California, Sonora,
and the highlands of central Mexico. The American peregrine falcons
that nest in subarctic areas generally winter in South America. Those
that nest at lower latitudes exhibit variable migratory behavior; some
do not migrate.
    The American peregrine falcon declined precipitously in North
America following World War II, a decline attributed largely to
organochlorine pesticides, mainly DDT, applied in the United States,
Canada, and Mexico. Because of the decline, the American peregrine
falcon was listed as endangered on June 2, 1970, under the precursor of
the Endangered Species Act (35 FR 16047). Recovery goals were
substantially exceeded in some areas, and on August 25, 1999, the
American peregrine falcon was removed from the List of Endangered and
Threatened Wildlife and Plants (64 FR 46541). There are currently
between 2,000 and 3,000 pairs breeding each year across the United
States, Canada, and Mexico, and the population continues to increase.
    Section 4(g)(1) of the Act requires that we monitor for not less
than 5 years, in cooperation with States, the status of all species
removed from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants
due to recovery. In keeping with that mandate, we have developed this
Monitoring Plan to guide our ongoing monitoring efforts in cooperation
with State resource agencies, recovery team members, independent
scientists, biostatisticians, and other cooperators. A 30-day public
comment period was opened on July 31, 2001 (66 FR 39523), and again on
September 27, 2001 (66 FR 49395), and the Monitoring Plan received
additional review by States, cooperators, and other private
organizations and individuals in December 2002 and January 2003.
    The Monitoring Plan is designed to monitor the status of the
American peregrine falcon by detecting whether the number of occupied
American peregrine falcon territories across the contiguous United
States and Alaska is declining, and whether American peregrine falcons
are experiencing a decrease in nesting success and productivity, which
are indices of population health. The Monitoring Plan also includes a
contaminant monitoring component. Data will be collected from a
randomly selected subset of American peregrine falcon territories (494
across the nation) for five sampling periods, at three-year intervals
starting in 2003 and ending in 2015. The 2003 monitoring effort is
currently underway. We will publish a report on the results of the 2003
monitoring once the data are analyzed. This will be the first of our
triennial reports. A Notice of Availability for the triennial and final
reports will be published in the Federal Register and posted on the
World Wide Web as outlined in the Monitoring Plan.
    We will work cooperatively with the States, other agencies, and
partners to collect this information. We will analyze the information
after each monitoring effort and will propose adjustments to the
sampling design, if necessary. The Monitoring Plan is designed to
detect declines in the health of American peregrine falcon populations
that might arise from a variety of threats including, but not limited
to, environmental contaminants and diseases (such as West Nile Virus).
If these data indicate that this species is experiencing significant
decreases in territory occupancy, nest success, or productivity, we
will initiate more intensive review or studies to determine the cause,
or take action to re-list the American peregrine falcon under section 4
of the Act, if necessary.