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Terms of Reference

Science Advisory Process on
Pre-COSEWIC review of DFO information for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Feb. 10 – 13, 2009
Halifax, NS

Context

The implementation of the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA), proclaimed in June 2003, begins with an assessment of a species’ risk of extinction by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). COSEWIC is a non-government scientific advisory body that has been established under Section 14(1) of SARA to perform species assessments which provide the scientific foundation for listing species under SARA.

An assessment initiates the regulatory process whereby the competent Minister must decide whether to accept COSEWIC’s assessment and add a species to Schedule 1 of SARA, which would result in legal protection for the species under the Act. DFO, as the primary generator and archivist of information on aquatic species, is to provide COSEWIC with the best information available to ensure that an accurate assessment of the status of a species can be undertaken.

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) was listed on COSEWIC’s January 2008 Call for Bids to produce a status report and thus has commenced the assessment process for this species.

Objectives

The overall objective of the meeting is to peer-review DFO information relevant to the COSEWIC status assessment for Atlantic salmon in Canadian waters, considering the most recent data related to the status and trends of, and threats to Atlantic salmon inside and outside of Canadian waters, and the strengths and limitations of the information. This information will be available to COSEWIC, the authors of the status report, and the Chairs of the Marine Fishes COSEWIC Species Specialist Subcommittee. Output from the peer-review (see below) will be posted on the CSAS website.

The following DFO Science information will be assembled and reviewed to the extent possible:

  1. Life history characteristics
    • Growth parameters: age and/or length at maturity, maximum age and/or length
    • Total and natural mortality rates and recruitment rates (if data is available)
    • Fecundity
    • Generation time
    • Early life history patterns
       
  2. Review of designatable units

    Discussion on the species will consider available information on population differentiation, which could support a COSEWIC decision of which populations below the species’ level would be suitable for assessment and designation.

  3. For the species in Canada as a whole, and for designatable units identified (if any), to the extent possible with the information from the most recent assessments available and taking account of uncertainties, provide information which can be used to assess the status relative to the criteria defined by COSEWIC. Specifically:
     
    • Declining Total Population
      1. Summarize overall trends in population size (both number of mature individuals and total numbers in the population) over as long a period as possible and in particular for the past three generations (taken as mean age of parents). Additionally, present data on a scale appropriate to the data to clarify the rate of decline.
      2. Identify threats to abundance - where declines have occurred over the past three generations, summarize the degree to which the causes of the declines are understood, and the evidence that the declines are a result of natural variability, habitat loss, fishing, or other human activity.
      3. Where declines have occurred over the past three generations, summarize the evidence that the declines have ceased, are reversible, and the likely time scales for reversibility.
         
    • Small Distribution and Decline or Fluctuation:
      1. Summarise the current extent of occurrence (in km2) in Canadian waters
      2. Summarise the current area of occupancy (in km2) in Canadian waters
      3. Summarise changes in extent of occurrence and area of occupancy over as long a time as possible, and in particular, over the past three generations
      4. Summarise any evidence that there have been changes in the degree of fragmentation of the overall population, or a reduction in the number of meta-population units.
      5. Summarise the proportion of the population that resides in Canadian waters, migration patterns (if any), and known breeding areas.
         
    • Small Total Population Size and Decline and Very Small and Restricted:
      1. Tabulate the best scientific estimates of the number of mature individuals;
      2. If there are likely to be fewer than 10,000 mature individuals, summarize trends in numbers of mature individuals over the past 10 years or three generations, and, to the extent possible, causes for the trends.
         
    • Summarise the options for combining indicators to provide an assessment of status, and the caveats and uncertainties associated with each option.
       
    • For transboundary stocks, summarise the status of the population(s) outside of Canadian waters. State whether rescue from outside populations is likely.
       
  4. Describe the characteristics or elements of the species habitat to the extent possible, and threats to the habitat

    Habitat is defined as “in respect of aquatic species, spawning grounds and nursery, rearing, food supply, migration and any other areas on which aquatic species depend directly or indirectly in order to carry out their life processes, or areas where aquatic species formerly occurred and have the potential to be reintroduced”.

    • Provide functional descriptions of the properties that a species’ aquatic habitat must have to allow successful completion of all life history stages.
    • Provide information on the spatial extent of the areas that are likely to have the necessary properties.
    • Identify the activities most likely to threaten the properties that give the sites their value, and provide information on the extent and consequences of those activities.
    • Recommend research or analysis activities that are necessary in order for an RPA, if needed for the species, to complete its Terms of Reference on habitat issues for the species.
       
  5. Describe to the extent possible whether the species has a residence as defined by SARA.

    SARA s. 2(1) defines Residence as “a dwelling-place, such as a den, nest or other similar area or place, that is occupied or habitually occupied by one or more individuals during all or part of their life cycles, including breeding, rearing, staging, wintering, feeding or hibernating.”

  6. Threats

    A threat is any activity or process (both natural and anthropogenic) that has caused, is causing, or may cause harm, death, or behavioural changes to a species at risk or the destruction, degradation, and/or impairment of its habitat to the extent that population-level effects occur.

    List and describe threats to the species considering:

    • Threats need to pose serious or irreversible damage to the listed species. It is important to determine the magnitude (severity), extent (spatial), frequency (temporal) and causal certainty of each threat.
    • Naturally limiting factors, such as aging, disease and predation, that limit the distribution and/or abundance of a species are not normally considered threats unless they are altered by human activity or may pose a threat to a critically small or isolated population.
    • Distinction should be made between general threats (e.g. agriculture) and specific threats (e.g. siltation from tile drains), which are caused by general activities.
    • The causal certainty of each threat must be assessed and explicitly stated as threats identified may be based on hypothesis testing (lab or field), observation, expert opinion or speculation.
       
  7. If time allows, review status and trends in other indicators that would be relevant to evaluating the risk of extinction of the species. This includes the likelihood of imminent or continuing decline in the abundance or distribution of the species, or that would otherwise be of value in preparation of COSEWIC Status Reports.

Working paper(s) related to these terms of reference will be submitted for review.

Outputs

The meeting will produce:

  1. Research documents for Atlantic salmon summarizing the overall status and regional or DU specific status and the data and information held by DFO which could be used by COSEWIC in making status designations.
  2. Proceedings summarizing the decisions, recommendations and major points of discussion at the meeting, including reflection of the diversity of opinion.

Participation

Participation will be solicited from the following:

The meeting will be chaired by Gérald Chaput, DFO, Gulf Region Science Advisory Process Coordinator.

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