Science Advisory Report 2020/033

Recovery Potential Assessment of Channel Darter (Percina copelandi) in Canada, Lake Erie (DU1) and Lake Ontario (DU2) Populations

Summary

• The November 2016 COSEWIC re-assessment of Channel Darter (Percina copelandi) prompted DFO to re-evaluate certain elements of the 2010 Recovery Potential Assessment (RPA) with respect to the revised designatable unit (DU) structure. This RPA summarizes additional research on Channel Darter DUs 1 & 2 that has been undertaken since the 2010 RPA (Bouvier and Mandrak 2010).
• There are six locations where Channel Darter is known to occur in the Lake Erie designatable unit (DU1): Detroit River, St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie Western basin (restricted to the confluence of the Detroit River with Lake Erie and the Point Pelee area), and Lake Erie Central basin (Rondeau Bay and Port Burwell).
• In the Lake Ontario designatable unit (DU2), Channel Darter is known from the Trent River (from Glen Ross to the town of Trenton), the Moira River system (including tributaries Skootamatta and Black rivers), and the Salmon River (from Kingsford to Shannonville).
• Adult Channel Darter inhabit small to large sized rivers or connecting channels with moderate current, and nearshore areas of large lakes with gravel or coarse-sand beaches.
• Lake Ontario (DU2) populations are riverine and confined to tributaries of eastern Lake Ontario, while Lake Erie (DU1) populations are primarily lacustrine, relying on nearshore beach habitat of large lakes, but also reside within the flowing waters of connecting channels.
• Spawning occurs from late May to July in areas dominated by cobble and gravel.
• Four of five Lake Erie populations (DU1) have been assigned a population status of Poor while two out of three Lake Ontario (DU2) populations were assigned a population status of  Good.
• The greatest threats to Channel Darter are altered flow regimes and the invasion of Round Goby. Multiple dams alter flow in the Trent and Moira River systems in DU2; flow-related impacts to spawning have been documented. Round Goby is pervasive throughout much of the occupied range of Channel Darter in DU1 and 2. Round Goby is anticipated to compete directly with Channel Darter for food resources; behavioural effects and spawning interference may also occur. For DU1, shoreline modifications may also degrade Channel Darter habitats. Common shoreline modifications include the creation of docks, jetties, marinas, breakwaters, and groynes, which have occurred on the north shore of Lake Erie.

This Science Advisory Report is from the July 9th, 2019 Recovery Potential Assessment – Channel Darter, Percina copelandi, Lake Erie (Designatable Unit 1) and Lake Ontario (Designatable Unit 2) Populations. Additional publications from this meeting will be posted on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science Advisory Schedule as they become available.

Science Advisory Report 2020/033 (PDF, 624 KB)

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