20/07/2005 - The Honourable
Stéphane Dion, Minister of the Environment,
and the Honourable Geoff Regan, Minister of
Fisheries and Oceans, today announced the
addition of 32 terrestrial species and 7 aquatic
species to Schedule 1, the list of species
protected under the Species at Risk Act (SARA).
This is the second group of species added
to the list since the Act was proclaimed in
2003.
"Canada's biological diversity plays
an important part of our country's natural
resources," said Environment Minister
Stéphane Dion. "The Government
of Canada recognizes that protecting Canada's
natural legacy is vital to our country's long-term
economic sustainability. Protecting species
is a responsibility that we take very seriously."
To date, 345 species are protected under
the Species at Risk Act. The Government of
Canada is committed to ensuring the protection
of species at risk and consequently, recovery
strategies and action plans are developed
for species listed as threatened or endangered,
while management plans are prepared for species
of special concern. These plans and strategies
are prepared in cooperation with affected
provinces, territories, Aboriginal organizations,
wildlife management boards, landowners and
affected parties.
"Listing seven aquatic species under
SARA is part of the Department of Fisheries
and Oceans' (DFO) commitment to protecting
and recovering aquatic species at risk and
preventing species of special concern from
becoming endangered or threatened," added
Minister Regan. "DFO works with stakeholders
to ensure any new protective measures are
practical, effective and environmentally sustainable."
The addition of new species to SARA is based
on scientific assessments by the Committee
on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada
(COSEWIC), and on consultations with Canadian
governments, wildlife management boards, landowners,
conservationists, Aboriginal peoples, stakeholders
and the Canadian public. The decision to list
a species under SARA also includes an analysis
of the costs and benefits to Canadians.
The Plains Bison will not be listed under
SARA at this time because of the inability
to genetically distinguish wild and domestic
Plains Bison and the potential economic implications
for the Canadian Bison industry. Successful
Plains Bison recovery initiatives are already
underway in some of Canada's National Parks.
The Peary Caribou, the Dolphin-Union population
of Barren-Ground Caribou and the moss, Porsild's
Bryum, will also not be listed under SARA
at this time, in order for Environment Canada
to consult further with the Nunavut Wildlife
Management Board.
Aboriginal peoples in Northern Canada have
been responsible stewards of the environment
for thousands of years, and it is because
of their responsible conservation efforts
that we have the populations of species in
the North that we do today. Unfortunately,
because of global issues like climate change,
we are concerned about the long term survival
of these species.
Environment Canada's Canadian Wildlife Service
will work with Aboriginal peoples to develop
management plans to achieve our shared objectives
of maintaining healthy populations of the
Peary Caribou, the Dolphin-Union population
of Barren-Ground Caribout and the Porsild's
Bryum. Wildlife management boards and the
territorial governments are closely monitoring
the caribou and harvesting restraints were
set in place over a decade ago. Colonies of
Porsild's Bryum will continue to be protected
in Provincial Parks.
The Polar Bear and the plant species of Dwarf
Wooly-Heads are being referred back to COSEWIC
for further review. The Polar Bear was proposed
to be listed as a species of special concern
under SARA in October 2004. On the recommendation
of the Minister of the Environment, the Governor-in-Council
decided not to list the Polar Bear at that
time in order to consult further with the
Nunavut Wildlife Management Board. Following
the completion of the consultations, the Polar
Bear is being referred back to COSEWIC for
additional analysis. Given that Dwarf Wooly-Heads
have recently been discovered in locations
other than British Columbia, COSEWIC has requested
to re-assess its level of risk.
The implementation of the Species at Risk
Act reinforces the Government of Canada's
commitment to ensure the protection of species
at risk and is a component under the Government
of Canada's Project Green initiative for environmental
sustainability and a competitive economy.
Under the Species at Risk Act, stewardship
is the first response to habitat protection.
Hundreds of stewardship projects are underway
across Canada, many of them funded by the
Habitat Stewardship Program. The Accord for
the Protection of Species at Risk endorsed
by provinces and territories is also part
of the comprehensive strategy to protect species
at risk.
The announcement of the listing of 39 species
will appear in the July 27, 2005 edition of
the Canada Gazette, Part II.
More information regarding the Species at
Risk Act is available on the SARA Public Registry
on the Internet at: http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/default_e.cfm.
Information on the Habitat Stewardship Program
for species at risk, and on Canada's Strategy
for the Protection of Species at Risk, can
be found on the Internet at: http://www.speciesatrisk.gc.ca/default_e.cfm.
Related Document:
What the Government of Canada does to Protect
Species at Risk [Backgrounder]
Species at Risk Act Listing Process [Backgrounder]
The list of the 39 species being added to
the Species at Risk Act [Backgrounder]
