Terms of Reference

Recovery Potential Assessment of Pugnose Shiner

Regional Advisory Meeting – Central and Arctic Region

6 October, 2009

Burlington Art Centre, Burlington, ON

Chairperson: N. Mandrak and M. Koops

Background

In November 2002, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) designated the Pugnose Shiner as Endangered. Their designation was based on the species’ limited, fragmented Canadian distribution, where it is subject to declining habitat quality. COSEWIC also considered that its isolated habitat may prevent connectivity of fragmented populations, prevent gene flow between existing populations and inhibit re-colonization of other suitable habitats. In January 2005, Pugnose Shiner was added to Schedule I of the Species at Risk Act (SARA). 

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science has been asked to undertake a Recovery Potential Assessment (RPA) for the Pugnose Shiner.  DFO Science developed the RPA framework to provide the information and scientific advice required for the Department to meet various requirements of the SARA including listing decisions, authorizations to carry out activities that would otherwise violate the SARA and development of recovery strategies.  The advice in the RPA may be used to inform both scientific and socio-economic elements of the listing decision, as well as development of a recovery strategy and action plan,  and to support decision-making with regards to the issuance of permits, agreements and related conditions, as per section 73, 74, 75, 77 and 78 of SARA.

This advisory meeting is being held to assess the recovery potential of Pugnose Shiner.  The resulting RPA Science Advisory Report will summarize the current understanding of the distribution, abundance and trend of this species in Ontario, along with recovery targets and times to recovery while considering various management scenarios.  The current state of knowledge about habitat requirements, threats to both habitat and Pugnose Shiner, and measures to mitigate these impacts, will also be included in the SAR. 

Objectives

The intent of this meeting is to assess the recovery potential of the Pugnose Shiner. It is a science-based peer review of the designatable unit assigned by COSEWIC and the 17 steps in the RPA framework outlined in the Summary section of the Revised Protocol for Conducting Recovery Potential Assessments. The advice will be provided to the DFO Minister for his consideration in meeting various requirements of SARA for this species.

Products

The meeting will generate a proceedings report summarizing the deliberations of the participants. This will be published in the Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) Proceedings Series. There will be CSAS Research Document(s) produced in relation to the working paper(s) presented at the workshop. The advice from the meeting will be published in the form of a Science Advisory Report. 

Participants

DFO, Conservation Authorities, Parks Canada, Royal Ontario Museum, University of Toronto, and Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources experts are invited to this meeting. Participants will not exceed a maximum of 30 people.

Timetable for FY 2009/10

The draft RPA will be distributed to participants in advance of the meeting. Draft proceedings will be circulated to participants for comments in November 2009 and a final proceedings document is expected to be submitted to CSAS for publication in January 2010. The science advisory document will be finalized and submitted to CSAS for publication in December 2009.