Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants: Final Rulemaking To Establish Take Prohibitions for the Threatened Southern Distinct Population Segment of North American Green Sturgeon

This final ESA section 4(d) rule represents the regulations that we, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), believe necessary and advisable to conserve the threatened Southern Distinct Population Segment of North American green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris; hereafter Southern DPS). We apply the prohibitions listed under ESA section 9 for the Southern DPS, and we highlight specific categories of activities that are likely to result in take of Southern DPS fish. We do not find it necessary and advisable to apply the take prohibitions to certain categories of activities that contribute to conserving the Southern DPS. We also provide a variety of methods by which take of the Southern DPS may be authorized. This document also announces the availability of a final draft environmental assessment (EA) that analyzes the environmental impacts of promulgating the 4(d) regulations for the Southern DPS.