Notice of Availability of the Technical/Agency Draft Recovery Plan for Amaranthus Pumilus (Seabeach Amaranth), a Plant Species, for Review and Comment

Résumé

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the availability for public review of a technical/agency draft recovery plan for Amaranthus pumilus (Seabeach amaranth). This rare annual plant grows on accreting beaches of barrier islands in New York, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Historically, it occurred on beaches all along the Atlantic Coast from Cape Cod, MA, to South Carolina. It has now been eliminated from two-thirds of its former range, primarily as a result of beach ``armoring'' with structures such as sea walls. Other potential threats to the species include mechanized beach grooming, herbivory by insects and feral animals, and, in certain circumstances, off-road vehicles. The Service solicits review and comments from the public on this draft plan.