80 FR 38458 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of Availability of Draft Polar Bear Conservation Management Plan

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 128 (July 6, 2015)

Page Range		38458-38459
FR Document		2015-16249

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of our draft Polar Bear Conservation Management Plan (Polar Bear Plan). The polar bear is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, and is also considered ``depleted'' under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended. The draft Polar Bear Plan identifies objective, measurable recovery criteria, site-specific recovery actions, and time and cost estimates, and also serves as a conservation plan. We request review and comment on the Polar Bear Plan from agencies, organizations, and individuals with an interest in polar bear conservation.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 128 (Monday, July 6, 2015)

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 128 (Monday, July 6, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38458-38459]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-16249]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-R7-ES-2014-0060; FF07CAMM00 FXES11130700000]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of 
Availability of Draft Polar Bear Conservation Management Plan

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability for review and public comment.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 
availability of our draft Polar Bear Conservation Management Plan 
(Polar Bear Plan). The polar bear is listed as threatened under the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, and is also considered 
``depleted'' under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as 
amended. The draft Polar Bear Plan identifies objective, measurable 
recovery criteria, site-specific recovery actions, and time and cost 
estimates, and also serves as a conservation plan. We request review 
and comment on the Polar Bear Plan from agencies, organizations, and 
individuals with an interest in polar bear conservation.

DATES: To ensure consideration of your comments in our preparation of 
the final plan, we must receive your comments and information by August 
20, 2015. However, we will accept information about any species at any 
time.

ADDRESSES: Document availability: The draft Polar Bear Plan is 
available for viewing at http://www.fws.gov/alaska/pbrt/ or at 
www.regulations.gov at Docket No. FWS-R7-ES-2014-0060.
    Comment submission: You may submit comments on the draft Polar Bear 
Plan by one of the following methods:
     U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, 
ATTN: FWS-R7-ES-2014-0060, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, 
MS: BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803; or
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments to Docket No. FWS-R7-
ES-2014-0060.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Colligan, Chief, Marine Mammals 
Management, by telephone at 907-786-3800; by U.S. mail at Marine 
Mammals Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 East Tudor 
Road, Anchorage, AK 99503; or by email at [email protected]. 
Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call 
the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We announce the availability of our draft 
Polar Bear Conservation Management Plan (Polar Bear Plan). The polar 
bear (Ursus maritimus) was listed throughout its range as threatened 
under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.) (ESA). Because of its threatened status under the ESA, the 
species is also considered ``depleted'' under the Marine Mammal 
Protection Act of 1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) (MMPA). As 
required under the ESA section 4(f), the draft Polar Bear Plan 
identifies ``objective, measurable'' recovery criteria and site-
specific recovery actions with estimated time and cost to completion 
for the polar bear. The Polar Bear Plan also serves as a conservation 
plan under the MMPA with a goal of conserving and restoring depleted 
marine mammals to their optimum sustainable population level, and will 
contribute to our international polar bear conservation efforts under 
the 1973 Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears (T.I.A.S. No. 
8409). We request review and comment on the Polar Bear Plan from 
agencies, organizations, and individuals with an interest in polar bear 
conservation.

Background

    We listed the polar bear as threatened on May 15, 2008 (73 FR 
28212). For description, taxonomy, distribution, status, breeding 
biology and habitat, and a summary of factors affecting the species, 
please see the final listing rule. Recovery of endangered or threatened 
animals and plants is a primary goal of our endangered species program 
and the ESA. To help guide the recovery effort, we prepare recovery 
plans for most listed species native to the United States. Further, the 
ESA requires that we develop recovery plans for listed species, unless 
such a plan would not promote the conservation of a particular species, 
and that we provide public notice and an opportunity for public review 
and comment during recovery plan development. Recovery plans describe 
actions considered necessary for the conservation and survival of the 
species, establish criteria for delisting listed species, and estimate 
time and cost for implementing needed recovery measures.
    MMPA Conservation Plans have the purpose of conserving and 
restoring a species or stock to its optimum sustainable population. The 
MMPA further provides that Conservation Plans shall be modeled on ESA 
recovery plans. Therefore, once finalized, the Polar Bear Plan will 
provide us with recommended management actions for the survival and 
recovery of the species, and to conserve and restore the species to its 
optimum sustainable population.
    Polar bears evolved to utilize the Arctic sea ice niche and are 
distributed throughout most ice-covered seas of the United States, 
Canada, the Russian Federation, Norway and Greenland/Denmark (Range 
States), in the Northern Hemisphere (see Figure 1 of the May 15, 2008, 
Listing Rule; 73 FR 28216). At the time of our 2008 final listing rule, 
we estimated the worldwide population of polar bears to be between 
20,000 and 25,000 (73 FR 28215).
    At the time of the listing, we determined that ongoing and 
projected loss of the polar bear's crucial sea ice habitat threatens 
the species throughout all of its range. Productivity, abundance, and 
availability of ice seals, the polar bear's primary prey base, would be 
diminished by the projected loss of sea ice, and energetic requirements 
of polar bears for movement and obtaining food would increase. Access 
to traditional denning areas would be affected. In turn, these factors 
would cause declines in the condition of polar bears from nutritional 
stress and reduced productivity. The eventual effect of this loss of 
sea ice is that the polar bear population would decline. The rate and 
magnitude of decline would vary geographically, based on differences in 
the rate, timing, and magnitude of impacts. However, within the 
foreseeable future, the worldwide population would be affected, and the 
species is likely to become in danger of extinction throughout all of 
its range (73 FR 28292-28293). As the Service explained in its listing 
determination, global climate change resulting from greenhouse gas 
emissions is the root cause of the loss of Arctic sea ice.

The Plan

    The Polar Bear Plan is more broadly focused than a typical recovery 
or conservation plan. At its core, the Polar Bear Plan contains a set 
of fundamental goals reflecting shared values of its diverse 
stakeholders. The fundamental

[[Page 38459]]

goals express the intentions of the Polar Bear Plan and will be used to 
guide management, research, monitoring, and communication. They include 
the goals of the MMPA and the ESA, as they relate to polar bear 
conservation and recovery. Beyond the statutory mandates, the 
fundamental goals also reflect the input and aspirations of 
stakeholders closely connected with polar bears and their habitat, 
including the State of Alaska, the North Slope Borough, Alaska Native 
peoples, the Polar Bear Range States, conservation groups, and the oil 
and gas industry. In most cases, the fundamental goals represent range-
wide objectives, but the specific applications under this Polar Bear 
Plan pertain primarily to the polar bear subpopulations (or stocks) 
present in Alaska. The goals call for a focus on conservation of polar 
bears while recognizing values associated with subsistence take, human 
safety, and economic activity. The draft Polar Bear Plan also contains 
specific recovery criteria, expressed in demographic and threats-based 
terms, to determine when the polar bear should be considered for 
delisting under the ESA, and demographic criteria to guide satisfying 
the conservation goals of the MMPA.
    Conservation and recovery actions are specified in the Polar Bear 
Plan. The single most important action for the recovery of polar bears 
is global reduction of atmospheric greenhouse gases, which, if 
achieved, should result in reduced global climate change, including 
Arctic warming and sea ice loss. Along with communicating that fact, 
the Polar Bear Plan identifies a suite of high-profile actions designed 
to ensure that polar bears remain in sufficient number and diversity so 
that they are in a position to recover once climate change is 
addressed. Those actions include the following:
     Limit global atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases to 
levels appropriate for supporting polar bear recovery and conservation, 
primarily by reducing greenhouse gas emissions Support international 
conservation efforts through the Range States relationships
     Manage human-bear conflicts
     Collaboratively manage subsistence harvest
     Protect denning habitat
     Minimize risks of contamination from spills
     Conduct strategic monitoring and research
    The full cost of implementing this Polar Bear Plan over the next 5 
years is approximately $12,921,200.

Request for Public Comments

    We request written comments on the draft Polar Bear Plan. All 
comments received by the date specified in DATES will be considered 
prior to finalization of the Polar Bear Plan. If you wish to comment, 
you may submit your comments and materials concerning this Plan by one 
of the methods listed in ADDRESSES.
    Comments and materials received, as well as supporting 
documentation used in preparation of the recovery plan, will be 
available for inspection, during normal business hours at the Service's 
Anchorage office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
    This draft Polar Bear Plan represents the views and interpretations 
of the Service regarding the conservation and recovery of the polar 
bear only. The Service's approach set forth in this draft Polar Bear 
Plan does not necessarily preclude other approaches in developing ESA 
recovery plans or MMPA conservation plans. We seek comments from the 
public regarding viable alternatives for plans involving ice-dependent 
species and will consider all comments prior to finalizing this plan.
    In addition, we specifically seek comments on the following:
    (1) The scope and description of the six fundamental goals.
    (2) The suitability and feasibility of the MMPA demographic 
criteria related to human-caused removals and to the health of the 
marine ecosystem of which polar bears are part.
    (3) The suitability and feasibility of the ESA fundamental, 
demographic, and threats-based recovery criteria.
    (4) The use of ecoregions as recovery units to represent the 
genetic, behavioral, life-history, and ecological diversity of the 
species.
    (5) The conservation strategy and specific suite of high-priority 
conservation and recovery actions.

Public Availability of Comments

    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

Authority

    We developed our draft recovery plan under the authority of ESA 
section 4(f), 16 U.S.C. 1533(f), as well as section 115(b) of the MMPA, 
16 U.S.C. 1383b(b). We publish this notice under ESA section 4(f) (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

    Dated: June 5, 2015.
Geoffrey L. Haskett,
Regional Director, Alaska Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-16249 Filed 7-2-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-55-P

38458 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 128 / Monday, July 6, 2015 / Notices

Authority: Section 3506 of the Paperwork instructions for submitting comments to describe actions considered necessary
Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, Docket No. FWS–R7–ES–2014–0060. for the conservation and survival of the
as amended. species, establish criteria for delisting
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dated: June 29, 2015. Mary Colligan, Chief, Marine Mammals listed species, and estimate time and
Mary K. Kinney, Management, by telephone at 907–786– cost for implementing needed recovery
Executive Vice President, Government 3800; by U.S. mail at Marine Mammals measures.
National Mortgage Association. Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife MMPA Conservation Plans have the
[FR Doc. 2015–16478 Filed 7–2–15; 8:45 am] Service, 1011 East Tudor Road, purpose of conserving and restoring a
Anchorage, AK 99503; or by email at species or stock to its optimum
BILLING CODE 4210–67–P
mary_colligan@fws.gov. Persons who sustainable population. The MMPA
use a telecommunications device for the further provides that Conservation Plans
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal shall be modeled on ESA recovery
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR plans. Therefore, once finalized, the
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at
Fish and Wildlife Service 800–877–8339. Polar Bear Plan will provide us with
recommended management actions for
[Docket No. FWS–R7–ES–2014–0060; SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We
the survival and recovery of the species,
FF07CAMM00 FXES11130700000] announce the availability of our draft and to conserve and restore the species
Polar Bear Conservation Management to its optimum sustainable population.
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife Plan (Polar Bear Plan). The polar bear Polar bears evolved to utilize the
and Plants; Notice of Availability of (Ursus maritimus) was listed throughout Arctic sea ice niche and are distributed
Draft Polar Bear Conservation its range as threatened under the throughout most ice-covered seas of the
Management Plan Endangered Species Act of 1973, as United States, Canada, the Russian
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) (ESA). Federation, Norway and Greenland/
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Because of its threatened status under
Interior. Denmark (Range States), in the Northern
the ESA, the species is also considered Hemisphere (see Figure 1 of the May 15,
ACTION: Notice of document availability ‘‘depleted’’ under the Marine Mammal 2008, Listing Rule; 73 FR 28216). At the
for review and public comment. Protection Act of 1972, as amended (16 time of our 2008 final listing rule, we
U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) (MMPA). As estimated the worldwide population of
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and
required under the ESA section 4(f), the polar bears to be between 20,000 and
Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
draft Polar Bear Plan identifies 25,000 (73 FR 28215).
availability of our draft Polar Bear
‘‘objective, measurable’’ recovery At the time of the listing, we
Conservation Management Plan (Polar
criteria and site-specific recovery determined that ongoing and projected
Bear Plan). The polar bear is listed as
actions with estimated time and cost to loss of the polar bear’s crucial sea ice
threatened under the Endangered
completion for the polar bear. The Polar habitat threatens the species throughout
Species Act of 1973, as amended, and is
Bear Plan also serves as a conservation all of its range. Productivity, abundance,
also considered ‘‘depleted’’ under the
plan under the MMPA with a goal of and availability of ice seals, the polar
Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972,
conserving and restoring depleted bear’s primary prey base, would be
as amended. The draft Polar Bear Plan
marine mammals to their optimum diminished by the projected loss of sea
identifies objective, measurable
sustainable population level, and will ice, and energetic requirements of polar
recovery criteria, site-specific recovery
contribute to our international polar bears for movement and obtaining food
actions, and time and cost estimates,
bear conservation efforts under the 1973 would increase. Access to traditional
and also serves as a conservation plan.
Agreement on the Conservation of Polar denning areas would be affected. In
We request review and comment on the
Bears (T.I.A.S. No. 8409). We request turn, these factors would cause declines
Polar Bear Plan from agencies,
review and comment on the Polar Bear in the condition of polar bears from
organizations, and individuals with an
Plan from agencies, organizations, and nutritional stress and reduced
interest in polar bear conservation.
individuals with an interest in polar productivity. The eventual effect of this
DATES: To ensure consideration of your bear conservation. loss of sea ice is that the polar bear
comments in our preparation of the final population would decline. The rate and
plan, we must receive your comments Background
magnitude of decline would vary
and information by August 20, 2015. We listed the polar bear as threatened geographically, based on differences in
However, we will accept information on May 15, 2008 (73 FR 28212). For the rate, timing, and magnitude of
about any species at any time. description, taxonomy, distribution, impacts. However, within the
ADDRESSES: Document availability: The status, breeding biology and habitat, and foreseeable future, the worldwide
draft Polar Bear Plan is available for a summary of factors affecting the population would be affected, and the
viewing at http://www.fws.gov/alaska/ species, please see the final listing rule. species is likely to become in danger of
pbrt/ or at www.regulations.gov at Recovery of endangered or threatened extinction throughout all of its range (73
Docket No. FWS–R7–ES–2014–0060. animals and plants is a primary goal of FR 28292–28293). As the Service
Comment submission: You may our endangered species program and the explained in its listing determination,
submit comments on the draft Polar ESA. To help guide the recovery effort, global climate change resulting from
Bear Plan by one of the following we prepare recovery plans for most greenhouse gas emissions is the root
methods: listed species native to the United cause of the loss of Arctic sea ice.
• U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public States. Further, the ESA requires that we
The Plan
Lhorne on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Comments Processing, ATTN: FWS–R7– develop recovery plans for listed
ES–2014–0060, U.S. Fish and Wildlife species, unless such a plan would not The Polar Bear Plan is more broadly
Service Headquarters, MS: BPHC, 5275 promote the conservation of a particular focused than a typical recovery or
Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041– species, and that we provide public conservation plan. At its core, the Polar
3803; or notice and an opportunity for public Bear Plan contains a set of fundamental
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// review and comment during recovery goals reflecting shared values of its
www.regulations.gov. Follow the plan development. Recovery plans diverse stakeholders. The fundamental

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Document Created: 2015-12-15 13:17:37
Document Modified: 2015-12-15 13:17:37

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice of document availability for review and public comment.
Dates		To ensure consideration of your comments in our preparation of the final plan, we must receive your comments and information by August 20, 2015. However, we will accept information about any species at any time.
Contact		Mary Colligan, Chief, Marine Mammals Management, by telephone at 907-786-3800; by U.S. mail at Marine Mammals Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99503; or by email at [email protected] Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 800-877-8339.
FR Citation		80 FR 38458

80 FR 38458 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of Availability of Draft Polar Bear Conservation Management Plan

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORFish and Wildlife Service

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 128 (July 6, 2015)

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service