Terms of Reference

Screening-Level Risk Assessment Prioritization Protocol for Aquatic Non-Indigenous Species

National Peer Review Process Meeting – National Capital Region

March 19-21, 2013
Burlington, Ontario

Co-Chairperson: Gilles Olivier and Sophie Foster

Context

Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) aquatic invasive species program has been tasked by both the office of the Auditor General and an internal evaluation to establish a protocol that would provide a scientifically defensible and relatively quick way of screening and prioritizing aquatic non-indigenous species (NIS). The national ranking of aquatic NIS, based on the biological risk they pose to Canadian aquatic ecosystems, is necessary to prioritise the allocation of funds and other resources for national and regional aquatic NIS activities.

As a result, DFO’s Centre of Expertise for Aquatic Risk Assessment (CEARA) undertook the development of a screening-level risk assessment (SLRA) prioritization protocol for aquatic NIS. This protocol will allow the ranking of aquatic NIS for national priorities. As well, it will be used as a biological screening tool for aquatic NIS to determine (in a short time frame) if more detailed-level risk assessment or a risk management evaluation is required based on existing information.

DFO’s Legislative and Regulatory Affairs (LRA), also a client for this process, has requested science advice to support the development of a national regulatory proposal for addressing aquatic NIS. Specifically, they have requested to include in the regulatory proposal: 1) a protocol to prioritise aquatic NIS; and, 2) a list of high risk aquatic NIS including those NIS already present in Canada whose transport into “non-infected” areas in Canada should be limited.

A national Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) science advisory process will be held to provide science advice on the SLRA prioritization protocol for aquatic NIS. This process will consist of at least two peer-review meetings. Part 1 was held in Montreal, Québec on November 22-24, 2011. For Part 1, participants examined the methodological review section of the protocol and developed a framework for a SLRA protocol for aquatic. It was concluded that different SLRA protocols may be required for different aquatic NIS taxa and, hence, prioritization using a single protocol may not be possible. Part 2 will be held in Burlington, Ontario on March 19-21, 2013 and will evaluate and apply SLRA protocols for freshwater NIS.  SLRA protocols will be evaluated and applied to freshwater NIS currently in trade within Canada across multiple taxa (including freshwater fishes, molluscs, and plants). The most appropriate SLRA protocols for freshwater NIS fish taxa will be identified, and previously peer-reviewed and published SLRA protocols for molluscs and plants will be used to screen freshwater NIS currently in trade within Canada. Additional meetings, not yet scheduled, will be required in the future to evaluate SLRA protocols for marine NIS and to assess the ability to prioritize all NIS using the chosen SLRA protocols.

Working papers

Part 2 - Peer-review SLRA prioritization protocol for aquatic NIS

There will be three working papers (WP) for Part 2 of this process. A separate working paper will be produced for the evaluation and application of the SLRA protocols used for each of the specific freshwater NIS taxa (fishes (WP1), molluscs (WP2, plants (WP3)).

Objectives

Based on the working papers presented at the meeting, meeting participants will be asked to fulfill the following objectives:

1. Review the SLRA protocol for freshwater molluscs to identify potential invasive mollusc species in Canada. If deemed suitable, review the list of freshwater mollusc species screened using the SLRA protocol.
2. Review the SLRA protocol for freshwater plants to identify potential plant invasive species in Canada. If deemed suitable, review the list of freshwater plant species screened using the SLRA protocol.
3. Review the evaluation of five SLRA protocols for freshwater fishes. Determine the suitability of the recommended SLRA protocol for freshwater fish to identify potential invasive fish species in Canada. If deemed suitable, review the list of freshwater fish species screened using the SLRA protocol.

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report(s)
• Proceedings
• DFO Research Documents

Participation

• DFO Science, Legislative and Regulatory Affairs, and other sectors
• Experts from other federal and provincial government departments
• Academics

References

Gordon, D.R., Gantz, C.A., Jerde, C.L., Chadderton, W.L., Keller, R.P., Champion, P.D. 2012. Weed Risk Assessment for Aquatic Plants: Modification of a New Zealand System for the United States. PLoS ONE 5(10):e13195doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0013195.

Keller, R.P., Drake, J.M. Lodge, D.M. 2007. Fecundity as a Basis for Risk Assessment of Nonindigneous Freshwater Molluscs. Conserv. Biol. 21(1): 191-200.