SPECIES AT RISK ACT UPDATE

1. SPECIES AT RISK ACT UPDATE BC SEAFOOD ALLIANCE SUMMIT IV VANCOUVER, B.C. NOV. 1, 2005 JOHN C. DAVIS SPECIAL ADVISOR TO DEPUTY MINISTER, SPECIES AT RISK, DFO

2. Contents 1. Background 2. DFO Approach to Listing Decisions 3. Status of Aquatic Species Listings, Timelines 4. Implications, Considerations

3. Background • The Species at Risk Act, SARA, came into force in June 2004 • Act protects wildlife species at risk in Canada • Prohibitions apply for listed endangered (E) or threatened (T) species; Recovery Strategy required. • Recovery strategy may allow by-catch, possibly limited fishery

4. The intent of SARA is to protect species at risk and to allow them to recover: Principles for Listing Species • Listing must be based on sound science, sufficient information, clear identification of threats • Consider magnitude of socio-economic costs and benefits to Canadians who buy and sell such species; impacts on coastal communities, those with few options • Ensure consultation with stakeholders, first nations, wildlife management boards, inclusion of aboriginal viewpoints, traditional knowledge, community knowledge • Consider federal-provincial-territorial relationships and results of consultations with those jurisdictions

5. Guiding Principles For Decisions - continued • Build recovery strategies in partnership with others, encourage stewardship and cooperation • Build effective federal-provincial-territorial collaboration on endangered species issues • Consider costs to government, stakeholders, clarity of threats and challenges to rebuilding • Use the Fisheries Act, Oceans Act, DFO policies (e.g. wild salmon policy) and other measures in a complementary fashion with SARA to rebuild weak stocks, and foster sustainable resource use • Consider unintended costs and impacts on aquaculture industry

6. Status of Aquatic Species Listings, Timelines • 47 aquatic species listed when Act came into force (e.g. killer whales, sticklebacks, Inner Bay of Fundy salmon) • Additional 20 aquatic species listed, Sakinaw and Cultus Sockeye not listed, Speckled Dace sent back to COSEWIC – Total 67 listed now • 12 aquatic species now under consideration by Ministers- including Bocaccio Rockfish, Interior Fraser Coho, Atlantic cod • Process started on these mid-July 2005- Recommendations public in early December, Final decisions by April 2006

7. Species to Come Forward in Future • Likely to start 9-month process in November 2005: • 5 Artic beluga populations, White sturgeon, Porbeagle shark (Atl.) • Following species likely to start in next 9-18 months: • Finback whales (Atlantic & Pacific populations), Bowhead whales (3 Arctic pops), Narwhal, North Pacific Right whale, 11 species of freshwater fish, 3 Atlantic skate pops, 3 Eastern Striped bass pops

8. Species to Come Forward in Future • Pacific species likely to come forward depending on COSEWIC recommendations: • Westslope and Coastal Cutthroat Trout • Rockfish species • Skates and sharks • Northern fur seal • Whitefish (2 species) • More sticklebacks

9. Implications, Considerations • Need for good information, sound science • Consultations, Aboriginal traditional knowledge, community knowledge; socio-economic assessment • Ecosystem and watershed approach where practicable, multi-species approach • SARA working in coordination with Fisheries Act, Oceans Act, other government initiatives • Partnerships, collaboration, sharing recovery actions, innovation.