Terms of Reference

Recovery Potential Assessment of Lake Sturgeon: Western Hudson Bay (Designated Unit (DU) 1), Saskatchewan River (DU2), Nelson River (DU3), Red-Assiniboine rivers - Lake Winnipeg (DU4) and Winnipeg River - English River (DU5)

Regional Advisory Meeting (Central and Arctic)

Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba
20 October 2009 to 21 October 2009 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Central Daylight Time)
22 October 2009 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. (Central Daylight Time)

Chairperson: Tom Pratt

Background

In November 2006, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) assessed the status of Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens). The populations in western Canada, Western Hudson Bay (Designated Unit (DU) 1), Saskatchewan River (DU2), Nelson River (DU3), Red-Assiniboine rivers - Lake Winnipeg (DU4) and Winnipeg River - English River (DU5), were designated as Endangered based on evidence that the populations had declined significantly from historic levels in each of the DUs primarily as a result of overexploitation. Habitat degradation (e.g., dams) increasingly threatens populations (COSEWIC 2006). Lake Sturgeon are now being considered for legal listing under the Species at Risk Act (SARA).

In advance of making a listing decision for Lake Sturgeon (DUs 1-5), Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science has been asked to undertake a Recovery Potential Assessment (RPA). 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 information 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.

A preliminary fact-finding workshop was held in February/March 2006 to consider information available for recovery planning. A second workshop was held in March 2007 to consider the scientific data available for development of an RPA. This advisory meeting is being held to assess the recovery potential of Lake Sturgeon (DUs 1-5). The resulting RPA Science Advisory Report (SAR) will summarize the current understanding of the distribution, abundance and trend of these DUs, 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 Lake Sturgeon, 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 Lake Sturgeon (DUs 1-5) using 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 including any listing decision for Lake Sturgeon DUs 1-5.

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 on the CSAS website. Also, the advice from the meeting will be published as an RPA SAR. Detailed supporting information for the SAR will be published as a CSAS Research Document.

Participation

DFO, provincial governments, academia, industry and aboriginal experts are invited to this meeting.