Proceedings 2009/040
Proceedings of the National Workshop on Six Invasive Fishes Risk Assessment in British Columbia; 4-6 March, 2008
Chairperson: N.E. Mandrak
Editors: Erica Reese and Dave Marson
Summary
Many of the science issues facing Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) are associated with significant knowledge gaps and uncertainties. This, however, does not relieve the department of the need to make decisions on these issues. Under these conditions, decisions must balance the risks and uncertainties while ensuring the sustainability of Canada’s aquatic ecosystems.
By forming the Centre of Expertise for Aquatic Risk Assessment (CEARA), DFO has taken the first steps toward developing the necessary expertise in risk assessment across the country, building on expertise developed in Burlington at the Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. To this end, one of the mandates and objectives of CEARA is to coordinate and advise on national biological risk assessments conducted on priority aquatic invasive species of concern. One of the risk assessment projects undertaken in 2007/08 has been to assess the biological risk associated with Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens), Walleye (Sander vitreus), Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus), Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) and Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) and the Northern Pike (Esox lucius). This mandate was addressed at the National Workshop on Six Invasive Fishes Risk Assessment in British Columbia held March 4-6, 2008 in Richmond, BC. Although the geographic scale of this risk assessment focuses on the province of British Columbia, these species are, or may be, introduced into other parts of Canada and, therefore, the risk assessment process follows the national standard set by CEARA.
These proceedings focus on the key points from the presentations and the various discussions and decisions held after the presentations which allowed participants to provide comment on the draft risk assessment for these six invasive fishes.
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