Interim Endangered and Threatened Species Recovery Planning Guidance Version 1.3 National Marine Fisheries Service 1315 East-West Hwy. Silver Spring, MD 20910 and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 4401 N. Fairfax Dr. Arlington, VA 22203 Original (1.0): October 2004 Version 1.1: Updated July 2006 (acknowledgments; pp. i-v, x; sections 1.2, 2.2, 2.3, 5.1, 8.0) Version 1.2: Updated September 2007 (section 5.1 - disclaimer only) Version 1.3: Updated June 2010 (section 2.1 only) Acknowledgments: The National Marine Fisheries Service is grateful for the contribution of numerous U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees to the original writing and subsequent updating of this guidance. We could not have completed it without their assistance. Organization of the Document: The Recovery Planning Guidance is designed in such a way as to facilitate its updating. The original version was completed in October 2004. Subsequent updates are indicated with a new date in the lower righthand corner of each chapter that has been updated. If a chapter has not been updated, the original date will appear in the lower righthand corner of the document. In this way, an individual can know if they have the latest version of each chapter by comparing it to the version on our website, and can keep their hard copy updated without having to print the entire document. We suggest that users of this guidance keep their hard copy in a three-ring binder. The latest version of the guidance can be found at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/recovery/. NMFS Interim Recovery Planning Guidance Table of Contents - i Table of Contents Table of Contents............................................................. ii Appendices.................................................................. vi List of Figures .............................................................. vii List of Tables............................................................... viii List of Boxes ................................................................ ix Acronyms ....................................................................x List of Phone Numbers ........................................................ xi 1.0 Purpose and Overview ................................................... 1.0-1 1.1 Why Develop Recovery Plans? ...................................... 1.1-1 1.2 Legal and Policy Guidance for Recovery Planning ...................... 1.2-1 1.3 A Comprehensive Approach to Recovery .............................. 1.3-1 1.3.1. The Ecosystem Approach .................................. 1.3-1 1.3.2 The Significance of Threats in Recovery Planning ............... 1.3-1 1.3.3 Synergies with Other Parts of the ESA ......................... 1.3-2 1.3.4 Partnerships in Recovery Planning ............................ 1.3-2 1.4 Opportunities for Streamlining and Flexibility .......................... 1.4-1 1.5 Overview of the Planning Process .................................... 1.5-1 1.5.1 Timeframes ............................................. 1.5-2 1.5.2 Agency Roles and Responsibilities ........................... 1.5-3 2.0 Preplanning Considerations ............................................... 2.1-1 2.1 Determining the Scope of the Recovery Plan ........................... 2.1-1 2.1.1 Single Species/Subspecies/DPS Plans ......................... 2.1-2 2.1.2 Multiple Species Plans ..................................... 2.1-2 2.1.3 Ecosystem Plans .......................................... 2.1-3 2.2 Special Considerations ............................................. 2.2-1 2.2.1 Exemption from Drafting Recovery Plans ...................... 2.2-1 2.2.2 Deferring Recovery Planning ................................ 2.2-1 2.2.3 Transnational and Transboundary Species ...................... 2.2-2 2.2.4 Working with Native American Tribes ......................... 2.2-2 2.2.5 Integration of MMPA and ESA .............................. 2.2-5 2.3 Organizing the Recovery Planning Effort .............................. 2.3-1 2.3.1 Coordination ............................................. 2.3-2 2.3.2 Plan Preparation .......................................... 2.3-3 2.3.2.1 Use of Alternative Recovery Plans .................... 2.3-3 2.3.2.2 Use of NMFS Biologists to Write Recovery Plans ....... 2.3-3 2.3.2.3 Use of Contractors to Write Recovery Plans ............ 2.3-4 2.3.2.4 Use of Recovery Teams to Write Recovery Plans ........ 2.3-4 NMFS Interim Recovery Planning Guidance Table of Contents - ii 2.3.2.5 Use of Informal Meetings and Groups .................. 2.3-5 2.3.3 Appointing a Recovery Team ................................ 2.3-7 2.3.3.1 Statutory and Policy Basis .......................... 2.3-7 2.3.3.2 Recovery Team Composition ........................ 2.3-7 2.3.3.3 Appointing a Recovery Team ........................ 2.3-9 2.3.3.4 Terms of Reference ................................ 2.3-9 2.3.4 Developing a Production Schedule ........................... 2.3-10 2.3.5 Setting Up the Administrative Record ........................ 2.3-10 2.4 Preparing for Stakeholder Involvement ................................ 2.4-1 2.4.1 Identifying Key Stakeholders ................................ 2.4-1 2.4.2 Options for Stakeholder Participation .......................... 2.4-2 3.0 The Recovery Outline ................................................... 3.0-1 3.1 Definition and Purpose ............................................ 3.1-1 3.2 Contents of the Recovery Outline .................................... 3.2-1 3.2.1 Introduction .............................................. 3.2-2 3.2.2 Recovery status assessment ................................. 3.2-2 3.2.3 Preliminary Recovery Strategy ............................... 3.2-4 3.2.4 Preplanning Decisions ..................................... 3.2-6 3.3 Procedural Requirements and Timelines ............................... 3.3-1 3.3.1 Preparation of the Recovery Outline .......................... 3.3-1 3.3.2 Review and Approval of the Recovery Outline .................. 3.3-1 3.3.3 Distribution and Disclosure ................................. 3.3-1 3.3.4 Coordination ............................................. 3.3-2 3.3.4.1 Contributors ...................................... 3.3-2 3.3.4.2 Stakeholders ...................................... 3.3-2 3.3.5 Using/updating the Recovery Outline .......................... 3.3-3 4.0 Planning Considerations ................................................. 4.1-1 4.1 Directing the Planning Process ...................................... 4.1-1 4.1.1 Effective Coordination and Management Oversight .............. 4.1-1 4.1.2 Managing Contracts ....................................... 4.1-1 4.1.3 Staying on track .......................................... 4.1-2 4.2 Managing a Recovery Team ........................................ 4.2-1 4.2.1 The Role of a Recovery Team ............................... 4.2-1 4.2.2 Agency Roles ............................................ 4.2-1 4.2.3 Recovery Team Business ................................... 4.2-1 4.3 Managing Stakeholder Involvement .................................. 4.3-1 4.3.1 How to Create Effective Stakeholder Participation ............... 4.3-1 4.3.2 Methods for Involving Stakeholders .......................... 4.3-1 4.3.3 Strategies for Communicating with Stakeholders ................ 4.3-3 4.3.3.1 Technology-based Strategies ......................... 4.3-3 4.3.3.2 Non-technology Based Strategies ..................... 4.3-4 4.3.3.3 Focus Groups .................................... 4.3-4 4.3.4 Legal Considerations for Interacting with Stakeholders ........... 4.3-4 NMFS Interim Recovery Planning Guidance Table of Contents - iii 4.4 Public Communication and Outreach ................................. 4.4-1 4.5 Monitoring considerations .......................................... 4.5-1 4.6 Information standards ............................................. 4.6-1 4.7 Formatting ...................................................... 4.7-1 4.8 User Friendly/Plain English ......................................... 4.8-1 4.9 Maintaining the Administrative Record ............................... 4.9-1 5.0 The Recovery Plan ...................................................... 5.0-1 5.1 Contents of a recovery plan ......................................... 5.1-1 5.1.1 Title Page ............................................... 5.1-1 5.1.2 Disclaimer Page .......................................... 5.1-2 5.1.3 Acknowledgments ........................................ 5.1-3 5.1.4 Executive summary ........................................ 5.1-4 5.1.5 Table of Contents ......................................... 5.1-5 5.1.6 Background ............................................. 5.1-6 5.1.6.1 Brief Overview/Status of the Species ................. 5.1-6 5.1.6.2 Species’ Description and Taxonomy .................. 5.1-6 5.1.6.3 Populations Trends and Distribution .................. 5.1-7 5.1.6.4 Life History/Ecology ............................... 5.1-7 5.1.6.5 Habitat Characteristics/Ecosystem .................... 5.1-7 5.1.6.6 Critical Habitat ................................... 5.1-8 5.1.6.7 Reasons for Listing / Threats Assessment .............. 5.1-9 5.1.6.8 Conservation Efforts ............................... 5.1-9 5.1.6.9 Biological Constraints and Needs .................... 5.1-10 5.1.7 Recovery Strategy ........................................ 5.1-10 5.1.7.1 Delineation of Recovery Units (optional) .............. 5.1-11 5.1.8 Recovery Goals, Objectives and Criteria .....................