Species at Risk Act:

K O

D A

K

January 7, 2004

Implications forPacific FisheriesImplications forPacific Fisheries

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SARASARA protects wildlife at risk from becoming extinct or lost in the wild, with the ultimate objective of helping their numbers to recover.

The Act covers all wildlife species listed as being at risk nationally and their critical habitats

Most provisions entered into force June 2003

Prohibitions will enter into force June 2004

SARA applies directly to aquatic species, migratory birds, species on federal lands

Minister of Fisheries and Oceans is the competent Minister for aquatic species

under SARA aquatic species are defined as in the Fisheries Act

THE PROPOSED SPECIES AT RISK ACT

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Risk Categories

“Endangered” “at significant risk of biological extinction”

“likely to become Endangered if limiting factors not reversed”

“Threatened”

“Special Concern” “particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events”

“assessed and OK”“Not at Risk”

“Extinct, Extirpated” “gone from the world or from Canada”

“insufficient evidence to support status determination”

“Data Deficient”

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D PROTECTION

(Min. F&O)

ERECOVERY(Min. F&O)

Species at Risk Act:Aquatic species

Automatic Prohibitions

Permits/Agreements

Mandatory Recovery Planning

Stewardship Programs / Incentives

Critical Habitat

C LEGAL LISTING (Gov. in Council)

• Endangered, Threatened

C LEGAL LISTING (Gov. in Council)

• Endangered, Threatened

B RESPONSE STATEMENTS

(Min. of Environment)

B RESPONSE STATEMENTS

(Min. of Environment)

A ASSESSMENT (COSEWIC)

A ASSESSMENT (COSEWIC)

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SARA - aquatic species SARA Schedule 1 now includes 34 endangered and threatened

aquatic species (29 in Pacific) - prohibitions will be in effect June 2004 (unless modified by permits or recovery strategy provisions) and recovery strategies must be developed

COSEWIC (Committee on Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada) has assessed an additional 28 species (10 in Pacific) since January 2002 - addition to Schedule 1 must be considered by GIC

An additional 12 SARA Schedule 2 species must be reassessed by COSEWIC and considered by GIC

COSEWIC candidate list includes a number of aquatic species to be assessed in coming years

Definition of “species” includes “distinct populations”; some of the above are populations

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SARA - aquatic species (2) A wide range of aquatic species assessed or likely to be assessed

as endangered or threatened by COSEWIC are candidates for protection and recovery under SARA, for example:

Marine widespread species taken in fisheries (northern abalone, bocaccio,

salmon, northern and spotted wolffish, cusk) marine mammals important for aboriginal subsistence (beluga whales,

eastern Arctic bowhead) marine mammals important for ecotourism or impacted by human

activities (killer whales, right whale, blue whale)

Freshwater widespread species impacted by fisheries (white sturgeon) fish and molluscs impacted by agriculture, urban development,

transportation ( salish sucker, nooksack dace)

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Fisheries implications Potential restrictions on commercial and recreational

fisheries (target or bycatch species), for example:

change fishing seasons or areas

need to develop selective gear or live release methods

Potential restrictions on other activities impacting fish and fish habitat

marine: navigation, tourism (whale-watching)

inland waters: forestry, agriculture, mining, urban development

Potential impacts for Aboriginal economic self-sufficiency and food/social/ceremonial harvests

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Fisheries implications (2)

Delivery on new SARA obligations will be, as much as possible, in context of existing programs for aquatic species

fisheries management plans will have to include measures to protect and recover listed species

habitat issues for listed species will have to be addressed

Overall goal is to develop cooperative approaches to implementation

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Implementing SARA: coho example

Interior Fraser coho widely distributed throughout Pacific coast abundance declined through 80s & 90s strict conservation measure established in 98 incidental catch in many fisheries

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SARA Implementation - CohoAssessment: previous assessments (DFO 1998) expressed concern

about stock status assessed as “endangered” by COSEWIC May 2002 Status Report available on SARA Public Registry Legal listing:

DFO will lead consultations with provincial government, First Nations, industry, other interested stakeholders on adding interior coho to Schedule 1 of SARA

Minister of Environment (consult with Minister of F+O) must recommend to GIC whether to add to list, not to add to list, or refer back to COSEWIC for further information or consideration

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SARA Implementation - CohoAutomatic prohibitions: will enter into force when the species is added to the list:

forbidden to kill or harm except under permit or consistent with provisions of a recovery strategy

Permits: harm to the species can be authorised under certain

conditions: “incidental harm” (eg bycatch); harm allowable under recovery strategy; scientific research

must show that the harm would not jeopardise survival or recovery of the species

will be based on scientific assessments of whether the extent of harm is biologically allowable

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SARA Implementation - Coho

Recovery strategy development must be complete within one year of listing for

“endangered” species will be based on available scientific information and on

input from stakeholders, provincial governments a recovery team has been established, led by DFO SARA specifies required contents:

identify threats, strategy to address threats identify critical habitat, to extent possible… population and distribution objectives timing of action plan

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Habitat protection: COSEWIC referred to damage to habitat as a threat

SARA requires us to identify critical habitat in recovery strategy; or, if not possible, to provide a schedule of studies to determine critical habitat

Implementation of recovery strategies and action plans

Will require cooperation of industry, to operate in accord with recovery strategy provisions

Possible access to stewardship funding to help adapt fishing methods

Fisheries management plans, permits will be modified in accordance with provisions of recovery strategy

SARA Implementation - Coho

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Other species relevant to the Pacific

Bocaccio ‘threatened’, COSEWIC Nov 2002 listing proposal must be developed would require recovery strategy high fishery impacts

Northern abalone “threatened”, COSEWIC 1999 On Schedule 1 recovery strategy and action plan completed Fishery closed since 1990

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Other species relevant to the Pacific

Sakinaw Lake and Cultus Lake sockeye “endangered”, COSEWIC by emergency May 2003 listing proposal must be developed would require recovery strategy – recovery team

established, process underway High fishery impacts

Killer whales – southern resident population “endangered”, COSEWIC 2001 on Schedule 1 Recovery strategy development underway

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Other species relevant to the Pacific

Leatherback turtle “endangered” on Schedule 1 must develop measures to limit harm to sustainable levels,

as prohibitions will begin June 2004 recovery strategy completed in 2003

Sea Otter “threatened” on Schedule 1 Recovery strategy completed in 2002 Action plan development under way multi-stakeholder recovery team limited fishery impacts

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Other species relevant to the Pacific

29 endangered or threatened Some others include:

White sturgeon Northern and transient killer whales Northern right whale Blue whale Sei whale Several freshwater species (3 dace populations, 2

lamprey, Salish sucker, 3 sculpin, 9 stickleback)

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SARA implementation - summary Cooperative approach with fishing industry will be

essential to successful implementation This is a new Act and we don’t have all the answers: your

feedback is important as we move to implement Recovery strategies must be based on practical measures,

in line with sound fisheries management: could include bycatch restrictions, changes to gear, areas,

seasons need to ensure that integrated fishery management plans

support protection and recovery will require developing measurable objectives for recovery and

means to determine progress toward these

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Conclusions SARA implementation will require balancing protection and

recovery of species at risk with maintaining sustainable fisheries

Decisions must be based on sound science and assessment of risks

Full involvement of affected people will be key to making sound decisions input to decisions on whether to list modify fishery management plans in accordance with SARA

requirements contribute to development and implementation of recovery

strategies and action plans operate in accordance with agreed measures

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Conclusions (2)

SARA implementation is approaching prohibitions for Schedule 1 threatened and endangered

species begin June 2004 (eg northern abalone, sea otters, killer whales)

recommendation on whether to add further species to list (salmon, bocaccio,)

ensure 2004 fishery management plans accommodate SARA requirements (groundfish, pelagic, shellfish, others ?)

development of recovery strategies, action plans, management plans (salmon, killer whales, blue whale, freshwater species)