Terms of Reference

National Aquatic Invasive Species Screening-level Risk Assessment Tool for Watch Lists

National Peer Review - National Capital Region

August 13-15, 2024

Virtual Meeting

Chairpersons: Keith Clarke and Roanne Collins

Context

Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) pose significant ecological and economic risks to Canadian ecosystems. Thousands of non-native species routinely reach Canada daily due to human-mediated activities. To most effectively utilize limited resources, it is essential that Fisheries and Ocean Canada (DFO) prioritize potential AIS based on the risks they pose to Canadian aquatic ecosystems. This prioritization is necessary to inform both national and regional AIS activities.

Watch lists are one approach that can be used for multiple priority-setting purposes, ranging from education and outreach (i.e., identifying what species are of concern) to regulatory lists (i.e., prohibited species under law). Furthermore, these lists can be used for horizon scanning, identifying higher risk species that are not yet present in an area, or managing AIS at risk of expanding their distribution and increasing impacts. AIS managers and policy advisors have identified the need for a scientifically defensible watch list that prioritizes high-risk AIS (including both established species and those not yet present) to inform decision-making in Canada. Through two national workshops, DFO Science has created a framework to guide the development of watch lists for AIS. To better implement this framework, a new risk assessment tool has been developed as one method to support the creation of AIS watch lists while addressing limitations and gaps identified in other similar tools (such as: taxonomic or ecosystem specificity, limited socio-economic and climate change considerations, and high inter-assessor variability). This new tool is primarily based on the Canadian Marine Invasive Screening Tool (CMIST), a peer-reviewed screening-level risk assessment tool for marine invasive species (DFO 2015, Drolet et al. 2016) and other similar tools in the primary literature.

The objective of this Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) peer-review process is to evaluate the newly developed tool’s ability to generate prioritized lists of AIS to inform the creation of watch lists, and to test the tool with a subset of Canadian AIS belonging to different taxonomic groups and representing different stages of invasion for prioritization. This screening-level risk assessment tool is intended as a method to prioritize existing aquatic AIS and potential new invaders but can also be used as a screening tool to determine, over a relatively short timeframe, if a more detailed-level risk assessment or risk management evaluation is required for assessed species.

Objectives

Participants will review the Working Paper and other information with the following objectives:

1. Review the structure and function of the screening-level risk assessment tool being proposed for the development of AIS watch lists. This review should include consideration of:
1. How the components of risk are evaluated; and
2. How those components are combined into an assessment of risk.
2. Evaluate if the tool meets the following criteria through the evaluation of new and previously assessed species’ outputs:
1. Is scientifically defensible (conceptually represents invasion risks) and results are consistent (inter-assessor variability is low);
2. Can be used for AIS already present in Canada, and for those not yet introduced;
3. Is applicable across a range of taxa (e.g., fish, invertebrates, plants) and ecosystems (e.g., marine, estuarine, freshwater), given the client requested an approach that was not taxa- or ecosystem-dependent;
4. Provides a prioritized list of species and the associated uncertainties; and
5. Is user-friendly and generally quick to apply.

Although not part of this process’ review, the DFO Science AIS Watch List framework will be presented for context. This will ensure participants are aware of the multifaceted goals of creating AIS Watch Lists for DFO. This CSAS process will focus solely on reviewing the capability of the new screening-level risk assessment tool being proposed to meet the above objectives.

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Research Document

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Ecosystems and Oceans Science
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Ecosystems and Fisheries Management
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Regulatory and International Economics
• Experts from other federal and provincial government departments/agencies
• Academia

References

• DFO. 2015. Marine Screening-Level Risk Assessment Protocol for Marine Non-Indigenous Species. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2015/044.
• Drolet, D., DiBacco, C., Locke, A., McKenzie, C.H., McKindsey, C.W., Moore, A.M., Webb, J.A., and T. W. Therriault. 2016. Evaluation of a New Screening-Level Risk Assessment Tool Applied to Non-Indigenous Marine Invertebrates in Canadian Coastal Waters. Biol. Invasions. 18: 279-294.