Terms of Reference

Recovery Potential Assessment of Eastern Sand Darter

Regional Advisory Meeting

December 2-3, 2009
Burlington Art Centre, Burlington, ON

Co-chairs: Nick Mandrak and Marten Koops

Background

In November 2002, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) designated the Eastern Sand Darter as Threatened. Their designation was based on the loss of this species’ preferred habitat and deteriorating water quality due to siltation, impoundments and chemical pollutants. This species also has a limited disjunct distribution, which may impede the chance of re-colonization if extinction occurs. In June 2003, Eastern Sand Darter 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 Eastern Sand Darter.  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 Eastern Sand Darter. The resulting RPA Science Advisory Report will summarize the current understanding of the distribution, abundance and trend of this species, 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 Eastern Sand Darter, and measures to mitigate these impacts, will also be included in the Science Advisory Report.

Objectives

The intent of this meeting is to assess the recovery potential of the Eastern Sand Darter 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 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

Experts from DFO, conservation authorities, Royal Ontario Museum, academia, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministère des Ressources Naturelles et de la Faune du Québec, and various interest groups, have been invited to this meeting. Participants will not exceed a maximum of 40 people.

Timetable for FY 2009/10

Draft proceedings will be circulated to participants for comments in December 2009 and a final proceedings document is expected to be submitted to CSAS for publication in March 2010. The science advisory document will be finalized and submitted to CSAS for publication in January 2010.