Salish Sucker Recovery and Management

Salish Sucker Recovery and
Management
Mike Pearson
Pearson Ecological, Agassiz BC
mike@pearsonecological.com
Outline
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Salish sucker biology and distribution
Threats and approaches to stewardship
New information
The legal quagmire
Global Distribution
Canadian Distribution
Distribution Within Watersheds
•A small amount of
habitat supports most of
the population
4
0
4
8 Kilometers
•These ‘hotspots’ are
clumped together
Habitat by Life
Stage
Spawning
Juvenile
Adult
Current Status
• 11 known populations
• Dangerously low numbers in some watersheds
• ‘Endangered’ under Species at Risk Act
• Red Listed in British Columbia
Major Threats to Salish Sucker
Severe Hypoxia
•Major concern in 6
watersheds
Habitat Loss
•Major concern in 6
watersheds
Gordon’s Brook
2001
Gordon’s Brook, Langley,
2004
Salish Sucker Density
30
20
2007 2002
2010
15
10
2004
5
CPUE
8.5
7.5
6.0
5.0
4.0
3.0
1.5
0
0.5
Frequency
25
Bertrand Creek
Salmon River
Salmon River
Salwein Creek
Hypoxia
Hypoxia
Nutrient Loading
Lack of Shade
Dead Zones
Little Campbell River
Photos Courtesy of
A Rocha Canada
Bertrand/Howe’s Creek
Howe’s Creek
Agassiz Slough
The Legal Quagmire
Recovery Strategies for Salish
sucker and Nooksack dace
submitted August 2005
DFO removed critical habitat
maps before publication in
2006
“This is a story about the creation and application of a policy by
the Minister in clear contravention of the law, and a reluctance to
be held accountable for failure to follow the law.”
– Justice Douglas Campbell - September 2009
Critical Habitat Protection
Current DFO Position: Fisheries Act provides
adequate protection to Critical Habitat
Strong resistance from agriculture and local
government officials to any SARA regulation
Thank-you
Discussion/Feedback
Funding
Dr. Michael Healey
Dr. Jordan Rosenfeld
Dr. Todd Hatfield
Recovery Team
Habitat Conservation Trust Fund
Endangered Species Recovery Fund
Habitat Stewardship Program
BC MOE
Field Assistance
John-Paul Palmer
Tyese Patton
Joan Pearson
Monica Pearson
Detmar Schwichtenberg
Kerstin Schwichtenberg
Dr. Vladimir Souchachev
Jill Miners
Field Gear & Facilities
GVRD Parks
Pepindale Nursery
Holberg Farm
BC MOE
ENGO Partners
Langley Environmental Partners Society
Fraser Valley Watersheds Coalition
Fraser-Harrison Smart Growth