Science Response 2020/034

Updated Guidelines for the Removal of Aquatic Vegetation within Spotted Gar Critical Habitat

Context

The removal of aquatic vegetation via chemical or mechanical means may be pursued for socioeconomic reasons, such as to create swimming areas, improve boat access, or facilitate the retrieval of commercial or recreational fishing gear. Vegetation removal, both large and small scale, has occurred in Rondeau Bay and Long Point Bay, Lake Erie (Ontario), including areas inhabited by Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus), a species listed as Endangered under Canada’s Species at Risk Act. Because vegetation removal has the potential to impact Spotted Gar and its habitat, the 2012 Recovery Strategy for Spotted Gar (Staton et al. 2012) outlined interim guidelines for the removal of aquatic vegetation in Spotted Gar habitat (Appendix), which were created to minimize harm to the species when small-scale vegetation removals take place. Although the interim guidelines have been in place since 2012, considerable research on Spotted Gar and its habitat in Canada has occurred since the guidelines were published, particularly in Rondeau Bay. Critical Habitat Order(s) have also been established within areas where vegetation removal has occurred in the past, raising questions about the consequence of this activity to Spotted Gar. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Species at Risk Program has requested that DFO Science review the 2012 interim guidelines to ensure that best management practices are scientifically defensible in light of recent research on Spotted Gar and its habitat.

This Science Response Report results from the Science Response Process “Updated Guidelines for the Removal of Aquatic Vegetation within Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) Critical Habitat”, July 16, 2019, held in Burlington, Ontario.

Science Response 2020/034 (PDF, 433 KB)

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