Transcript Slide 1

Species At Risk
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Legislation - Update on Status
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Bill C-5 currently before the Senate
Has been given 1st and 2nd readings
Bill is now before the Senate Committee
(Energy, the Environment and Natural
Resources) for review
Royal Assent could occur later this year
followed by proclamation in late spring 2003
SARA in a nutshell
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Prevents Canadian wildlife from becoming extirpated or
extinct
Provides for the recovery of Endangered or Threatened
species
Makes the Committee on the Status of Endangered
Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) responsible for
designating status of species
Creates prohibitions to protect species and their habitat
Recognizes the potential for compensation for
landowners
Creates a public registry
A
A ASSESSMENT
ASSESSMENT
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Status
Status Reports
Reports
Review
Review
COSEWIC
COSEWIC Decision
Decision
B
B RESPONSE
RESPONSE
STATEMENTS
STATEMENTS
Process under
Proposed
Species at Risk Act
C
C LEGAL
LEGAL LISTING
LISTING
•• Endangered
Endangered
•• Threatened
Threatened
D
PROTECTION
Automatic
Prohibitions
Safety Net
IHPs
Exemptions
Mandatory
Recovery Planning
E
RECOVERY
Stewardship Programs /
Incentives
Critical Habitat (Safety Net )
Assessment
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Main function of COSEWIC to designate
status of species - arm’s length scientific
process
Members appointed by the Minister of the
Environment
 13
provincial/territorial representatives
 4 federal government representatives
 8 species specialist group (SSG) representatives
 3 “at large” representatives chosen through public
nomination
COSEWIC Assessment Process
• Priority list: established by Specialist Group, published
• Status Reports: prepared on contract (open bidding) for
Specialist Group, or received from outside
• Status Report Review: reviewed for scientific quality by
SSG, ATK SG, responsible jurisdiction(s)
• COSEWIC Decision: at COSEWIC meeting; based on
objective criteria and all available information.
• List Made Public: COSEWIC publishes its list of
assessments independently, with justification.
Legal Listing Process
 COSEWIC continues to make assessments
on the status of species
COSEWIC Status Designations
EXTINCT - A species that no longer exists.
EXTIRPATED - A species that no longer exists in the wild in Canada, but occurring
elsewhere.
ENDANGERED - A species facing imminent extirpation or extinction.
THREATENED - A species that is likely to become endangered if limiting factors are not
reversed.
SPECIAL CONCERN - A species of special concern because of characteristics that
make it is particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events.
NOT AT RISK - A species that has been evaluated and found to be not at risk.
Legal Listing Process
2 COSEWIC reports to CESCC (Canadian
Endangered Species Conservation Council)
followed by Press Release
3 Response Statements released by
responsible Minister within 90 days
4 Federal Governor In Council (GIC) will have 9
months to:
Legal Listing Process
 Accept the assessment and add the species to
the legal list under SARA
 Decide not to add the species to the legal list
 Refer the matter back to COSEWIC for further
information or consideration
6 If GIC does not take one these courses of
action, the Minister of the Environment is
required to legally list the species
Protection
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Species added to legal list by GIC receive
immediate protection under the automatic
prohibitions
Prohibitions may apply to:
 Federal
lands (including reservation lands)
 Migratory birds and aquatic species
 Provincial and territorial lands under certain
conditions
 Portions of federal lands for species listed by
Provinces or Territories
Protection
 “No
person shall kill, harm, harass, capture or
take an individual of a wildlife species that is listed
as an extirpated, endangered or threatened
species...
 No person shall damage or destroy the residence
of one or more individuals of a wildlife species
that is listed as endangered, threatened or
extirpated...
 No person shall destroy any part of the critical
habitat of a listed endangered species or a listed
threatened species”
Exemptions/Permits
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Sec. 74 under SARA indicates the Minister may
enter into an agreement or issue a permit if:
Activity scientific research related
 Activity benefits species
 If affecting species is incidental to carrying out
activity, then only if
 Reasonable alternatives have been considered
 Impacts minimized
 Activity will not jeopardize species survival or
recovery
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Recovery Planning in Canada
Canadian Endangered Species Conservation Council
(CESCC)
Canadian Wildlife Directors Committee
(CWDC)
National Recovery Working Group
(NRWG)
RENEW Secretariat
National Recovery Teams
Individuals
Stakeholders
Communities
Recovery Action Groups
(RAGS)
Recovery Planning
Recovery Team
formed
Recovery
Strategy
Recovery Projects
are implemented
Recovery Action
Groups (RAGs)
may be formed
Recovery
Action Plan
(RAP)
Recovery Plan =
Recovery Strategy +
Recovery Action Plan
Recovery Strategy
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If a wildlife species is listed as an Ex, EN, or
Th, the competent minister must prepare a
strategy for its recovery
This includes (partial list):
description of the species and its needs
 identification of threats
 identification of critical habitat
 population and distribution objectives
 when one or more action plans will be completed
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Action Plan
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The competent minister in respect of a
recovery strategy must prepare one or more
action plans based on the recovery strategy
This includes:
Identification of species’ critical habitat
 Measures proposed to protect the critical habitat
 Identification of portions of critical habitat not
protected
 Evaluation of socio-economic costs and benefits
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Recovery and Schedules
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Upon proclamation there are 4 lists of
species
3 schedules and ‘newly listed’ species
each with different timelines for protection
and mandatory recovery strategies
Recovery - Schedule 1
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All species for which SARA will apply upon
proclamation
Species have undergone reassessment
under new guidelines
20 pacific region aquatic species
 16
are listed as EN and TH
Schedule 1 - Legal
Requirements
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Automatic Prohibitions upon proclamation
Completion of Recovery Strategy (RS) or
Management Plan (MP):
ENDANGERED - Recovery Strategy completed within 3 years
THREATENED - Recovery Strategy completed within 4 years
EXTIRPATED - Recovery Strategy completed within 4 years
SPECIAL CONCERN - Management Plan completed within 5
years
Recovery - Schedule 2
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All endangered and threatened species on
COSEWIC that have not yet been assessed
against new criteria
Once COSEWIC reassess and designates a
status species go through normal GIC
process (has 30 days to do so)
4 aquatic species waiting reassessment
Recovery - Schedule 3
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Contains species of special concern that are on
COSEWIC but need to be reassessed
Upon proclamation no automatic requirement
for reassessment
8 Pacific region aquatic species
Once legally listed automatic prohibitions apply
and MP to be completed within 3 years
Newly Listed Species
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Species that have been newly listed (May
02, Nov 02, May 03)
After proclamation normal listing process
required (GIC 9 months)
Once legally listed:
ENDANGERED - Recovery Strategy within 1 year of legal listing
THREATENED - Recovery Strategy within 2 years of legal listing
SPECIAL CONCERN - Management Plan within 3 years of legal
listing
Summary of Timelines
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Response statements - 90 days from
COSEWIC listing
GIC has 9 mo. From date of COSEWIC
listing to legally list (or not)
Recovery Plans from date of legal listing:
1, 2, & 3 yrs for En, Th & SC (once act in place)
 3, 4, & 5 yrs for Schedule 1 upon proclamation
 1, 2, & 3 yrs for ‘newly listed’ upon proclamation
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DFO SARA Program - 2002/03
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Core Program
 4-5
people (coordinator, recovery planner, action
planner, 2 science)
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Recovery strategies (2/yr.) - $120K
Species recovery work (5 species) - $325K
Decisions on which species driven by
timelines in SARA and National Prioritization
Scheme
Other Funding
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Habitat Stewardship Program
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Endangered Species Recovery Fund
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by Environment Canada
World Wildlife Fund/Environment Canada
Interdepartmental Recovery Fund
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Environment Canada - for federal departments