COSEWIC Arrives!
The following is from the Atlantic Salmon Federation’s website, reference:
http://asf.ca/news.php?id=614
COSEWIC ASSESSES MORE WILD ATLANTIC SALMON POPULATIONS ENDANGERED
December 1st, 2010
COMMUNIQUE
Wild Atlantic Salmon Assessments
– COSEWIC – November 2010
The Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF) is studying the report by the independent scientific
body COSEWIC that provides assessments pertaining to the state of health of wild Atlantic salmon populations throughout eastern
Canada.
Five wild Atlantic salmon population segments have been assessed as endangered, one as threatened, four
as of special concern, one as extinct , four as not at risk and one data deficient. For a listing of the assessments, including
the meaning of the terms, go to:
http://asf.ca/docs/uploads/1-cosewic-assessments.pdf
There is also a listing of the geographical limits of each population, and some of
the rivers included:
http://asf.ca/docs/uploads/2-cosewic-populations.pdf
Download a map of the population segments and their proposed designations:
http://asf.ca/docs/uploads/4-map-assessments.pdf
For two of the segments (Inner and Outer Bay of Fundy), which
have been assessed as endangered, poor marine survival and the negative impacts of salmon aquaculture are stated as
among current threats.
The south Newfoundland population segment, including the Conne River, has been assessed
as threatened. Among the stated threats are poor marine survival, illegal fishing in some rivers, and the presence of
salmon aquaculture in a small section of this area.
Canada’s process for listing a species or population
at risk is an extended one that allows public, industrial, and political consultation. The Minister of Environment must
publish a response statement within 90 days. Government has a further 9 months within which to take a decision re listing;
it is within these 9 months that there is public consultation. Based on this, a decision on the listing of the various
populations of wild Atlantic salmon would not be expected before 2012. To check out the process:
http://asf.ca/docs/uploads/3-sara-process.pdf
ASF, our Regional Councils, and affiliates will participate in the consultation process before the Environment
Minister makes a final decision.
Presently there are 32 populations of wild Atlantic salmon in the inner Bay of Fundy that are listed as endangered.
ASF and our Regional Councils are disappointed with the federal government’s process and lack of action in regard to
the endangered inner Bay of Fundy (IBoF) populations.
Problems with decreasing numbers of inner Bay of Fundy salmon
were identified 20 years ago. Populations in these 32 rivers declined from 40,000 in the 1980s to 200 by 2001. COSEWIC
indicated that these populations were endangered in 2001, and they were listed under the Species at Risk Act in 2003.
It took until December 2009 for Fisheries and Ocean Canada to issue a draft recovery plan to which the public was invited
to provide input. The recovery plan was approved Fisheries and Oceans Canada Minister in May, 2010. DFO expects
it to take another four years to develop and finalize action plans! This is unacceptable.
ASF and our Regional
Councils constantly recommend that DFO dedicate and provide the additional funding that is needed to carry out the recovery
strategy for the inner Bay of Fundy populations, and confirm the importance of the Live Gene Bank Program to recovery by including
it in the department’s annual A-based budget. We recommend that marine critical habitat work become a priority
and that the required resources be directed at this work, particularly regarding post-smolts, in order to give recovery the
greatest chance of success.
These actions become even more appropriate and relevant as we face the prospect of
more listings. Future listings must be followed by timely development and implementation of effective and sufficiently-funded
recovery plans.
What does Slim make of this? Well, it’s not
what we wanted this Christmas! It’s bad news, generally, with the remote possibility of some good news, someday. The
bad news may include more restrictions, the good news may include a realistic recovery plan that includes effective hatchery
supplementation and effective control of fish farms. Remember that this development is all based upon DFO’s questionable
assessment data, and DFO’s gross mismanagement has led us to this point. Focus your thoughts on DFO, please.
More on this as the story unfolds!
Please send comments and suggestions to slim@rivermagic.ca
Please
stay on the line …