Minister of the Environment Makes Recommendations on Adding New Species to the Species at Risk Act

OTTAWA, October 22, 2004 – The Honourable Stéphane Dion, Minister of the Environment, today made recommendations on adding new species to the list of species protected under the Species at Risk Act (SARA).

Seventy-nine mammals, birds and aquatic species and populations have been under review for addition to the list of protected species under SARA, based on the scientific assessments provided by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC).

“Today we have recommended that 76 of these species be added to the Species at Risk Act, under which they will receive the Act’s full protections,” said Minister Dion. “In keeping with the spirit of openness and transparency of the Act, we carefully reviewed each species and consulted with the Canadian public to better understand the impacts of listing these species under SARA.”

The Minister’s proposals to amend the list of protected species will be published in Canada Gazette, Part 1, on Saturday, October 23, 2004. Canadians will have 30 days to provide their comments or concerns. A final decision on adding this set of species to SARA will be made by Cabinet in January 2005.

“With these recommended additions, by early 2005, some 309 species will be protected under SARA and the subject of recovery plans,” said Minister Dion. "This is not cause for celebration. The increasing number of species being added to the SARA list underscores the need for the government’s ongoing commitment to find workable solutions to protecting and conserving our biodiversity. It is my wish to eventually see species removed from the SARA list – that would be something worth celebrating.”

Minister Dion, in consultation with the Honourable Geoff Regan, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, has recommended that Cultus Lake and Sakinaw Lake sockeye salmon not be added to SARA.

Listing Cultus and Sakinaw Lake sockeye salmon – which make up less than one per cent of all B.C. sockeye salmon populations – under SARA could cost the sockeye fishing industry $125 million in lost revenue by 2008. There would also be significant impacts on First Nations Food, Social and Ceremonial fisheries, many coastal communities dependent on the fishing industry, sports fishing, tourism and other related industries.

“It is not possible for fishers to visually distinguish Cultus and Sakinaw Lake sockeye from other larger sockeye populations, and therefore the Fraser River sockeye fishery would have to be virtually shut down if these two populations were listed under SARA,” said Minister Regan. “We have already launched approximately $1 million in initiatives to protect Cultus and Sakinaw Lake sockeye salmon. We have powerful tools in place to protect these species such as the Fisheries Act and our fisheries management plans. We will continue to aggressively pursue our action plan to protect and rebuild Cultus and Sakinaw Lake sockeye populations.”

Minister Dion has also recommended that the assessment of speckled dace be returned to COSEWIC for further review. Since COSEWIC made its original assessment of speckled dace, a proposed hydroelectric dam has been redesigned to lessen potential impacts on important speckled dace habitat.

Minister Dion today also announced that the Government of Canada has posted, on the SARA Public Registry, its intention to review a new set of 51 species. The government will be making a decision, after consultation with the Canadian public, on whether these species will be listed under SARA.

Related Backgrounders:

• What the Government of Canada does to Protect Species at Risk
• Species at Risk Act Listing Process
• List of Species at Risk
• Conservation Measures for 16 Aquatic Species
• Cultus Lake Sockeye Salmon Recovery Initiatives
• Sakinaw Lake Sockeye Salmon Recovery Initiatives
• 76 Species recommended for SARA listing

To view other relevant background documents please visit the Species at Risk web site at: speciesatrisk.gc.ca or the SARA Public Registry site at: sararegistry.gc.ca.

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