Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removing the Snail Darter From the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife

Issuing agencies

Abstract

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to remove the snail darter (Percina tanasi), a small freshwater fish native to the Tennessee River watershed, from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife (List). Our review of the best available scientific and commercial data indicates that the threats to the species have been eliminated or reduced to the point that the species no longer meets the definition of an endangered or a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). If we finalize this rule as proposed, the prohibitions and conservation measures provided by the Act, particularly through sections 7 and 9, would no longer apply to the snail darter. We request information and comments from the public regarding this proposed rule to remove the snail darter from the List (i.e., "delist" the species).