Canada s Policy for the Conservation of Wild Pacific Salmon: conservation planning for an uncertain future.

Transcription

1 Canada s Policy for the Conservation of Wild Pacific Salmon: conservation planning for an uncertain future. Brian Riddell and Blair Holtby, Dept. Fisheries & Oceans, Science Branch, Pacific Biological Station, Nanaimo, BC Kristi Ciruna, Nature Conservancy of Canada, Victoria, BC Nanaimo, B.C. November 3,

2 Why wasn t the Stock Concept in Pacific salmon sufficient? 1) while the diversity amongst Pacific salmon populations was acknowledged, the concept was misused and misunderstood. In practice, stocks had become identifiable management units and the composition within them not fully appreciated or protected. 2) B.C/Yukon Region has ~ 8,200 combinations of streams and salmon species ( stocks in Slaney et al 1996), but these are not individual lineages or stocks and the Department does not, and can not, manage each individually! 3) The use of the Stock Concept to emphasize differences between populations emphasizes current adaptations but not the underlying processes (adaptability). (P Larkin 1974!) 4) And more recently as biodiversity become important the Departmental response was to question how much do you really need?

3 The WSP at a Glance Goal Restore and maintain healthy and diverse salmon populations and their habitats for the benefit and enjoyment of the people of Canada in perpetuity Objectives Safeguard the genetic diversity of wild Pacific salmon Maintain habitat and ecosystem integrity 1) Standardized monitoring of wild salmon status Manage fisheries for sustainable benefits 2) Assessment of habitat status Strategies 3) Inclusion of ecosystem values and monitoring 4) Integrated strategic planning 5) Annual program delivery 6) Performance Review (new) Guiding Principles Conservation of wild salmon and their habitat is the highest priority Obligations to First Nations Sustainable Use Open Transparent Processes

4 WSP Strategy 1 Monitoring of Salmon Status, Step 1: Identify Spatial Units Hierarchy of biological diversity within Pacific Salmonids ~ 8,200 spawning locations in BC and Yukon organized into Conservation Units will define the geographic or genetically distinct populations describe networks of spawning locations that are the genetic and production basis for Pacific salmon are largely irreplaceable evolutionary lineages of salmon but allow for natural re-colonization of local extinctions within CU s. SPECIES SUB-SPECIES, ECO-TYPES BIOLOGICAL RACES POPULATIONS (Neighbourhoods) DEMES Families Stock concept TEMPORAL VARIABILITY SPATIAL VARIABILITY

5 What is a Conservation Unit of Pacific Salmon? A Conservation Units is defined as: Groups of wild salmon living in an area sufficiently isolated from other groups that, if extirpated, that area is very unlikely to be recolonized naturally within an acceptable time frame. pg. 38 WSP See: Holtby, L.B. and Ciruna, K.A Conservation Units for Pacific salmon under the Wild Salmon Policy. CSAS Research Document 2007/070: 367p.

6 The WSP acknowledges: the natural spatial organization of salmon (Networks of populations across varying habitats = intra-specific diversity) the need to manage uncertainty (be precautionary) due to high uncertain in data with related management limitations significant environmental impacts with unpredictable interactions expectations of climate change (unpredictable rates and extent) the essential need to protect adaptability in salmon. to conserve diversity the WSP must result in preservation of both pattern and process ( Holtby and Ciruna 2007). The definition of CU s presumes (i) similar adaptations locally, and (ii) greater likelihood of populations being ecologically exchangeable within a CU than between CU s.

7 CU Methods diagram, step 1 All habitat the landscape Freshwater and marine base maps Ecotypology (no salmon considerations yet) Joint Adaptive Zones (JAZ) Salmon species occurrence Ecotypic CUs Geographic distribution of species only. (Biological attributes of local populations not yet considered)

8 BC s Freshwater Adaptive Zones (FAZ) 32 freshwater adaptive zones with anadromous salmon in BC o Similar climate, geography, hydrology & connectivity o Common zoogeographic history so distinct freshwater species assemblage o Salmon populations within each zone are more likely to be ecologically exchangeable than with populations in different zones See: K.A. Ciruna, B. Butterfield, J.D. McPhail, and BC Ministry of Environment EAU BC: Ecological Aquatic Units of British Columbia. Nature Conservancy of Canada, Toronto, Ontario. 200 pp. plus DVD-ROM.

9 Ecotypology Marine Adaptive Zones (MAZ) 13 ocean zones in BC Pacific Region, 12 with anadromous salmon o Similar estuarine, near-shore marine environments The Marine Adaptive Zones were derived with some modifications from Level 3 of the Ocean Ecoregional Classification of Augerot et al. (1999).

10 Ecotypology - Joint Adaptive Zones Combining Freshwater and Marine zones results in 38 Joint Adaptive Zones in BC Distribution of salmon in JAZ s defines the Ecotypic CU s

11 Method diagram, Step 2, Biological Attributes by Ecotypic CU s Ecotypic CUs, end of Part 1 Life history variants Distribution of salmon by species only in JAZ s Step 2 Lineage Genetic distinctiveness Migratory/Spawn timing differences Fine-scale ecological differences WSP Conservation Units Conservation Units will differ by spatial scale and information content, to be periodically revised with new information but the delineations do NOT dependent on status.

12 Number of CUs by species in BC species pink-odd pink-even chum coho chinook sockeye-river sockeye-lake number of CUs Sub-total 423 Additional CUs will be described in the Yukon River. Although additional CUs are possible in the Mackenzie River, they would be outside of the geographic purview of the Wild Salmon Policy at this time.

13 Fraser River Sockeye Salmon 229 spawning locations / streams 41 Lake-based CU s (ESTU - 3, ESum -16, Sum - 9 Lates - 13) 5 Ocean-type CU s Compares to 151 Stocks in four Run-timing groups in previous management groupings.

14 Even-year Pink CUs in Pacific/Yukon 13 CUs no Pink salmon in Yukon or Mackenzie rivers Absent in the Alsek R.

15 Odd-year Pink CUs in Pacific/Yukon 19 CUs absence of pink in Alsek no pink in Yukon or Mackenzie greater diversity than even-year race

16 Chum CUs in Pacific/Yukon 38 CUs notable diversity: SFj, CC, NC, QCI

17 Coho CUs in Pacific/Yukon 43 CUs notable diversity: WVI, CC, NC

18 Chinook CUs in northern BC 28 CUs (68 total) notable diversity: Skeena, TBFj more CUs to come in Yukon & Mackenzie Rivers

19 Chinook CUs in southern BC 40 CUs (68 total) notable diversity: WVI, Fraser!

20 River-type sockeye CUs in Pacific/Yukon 24 CUs notable diversity: CC, Widgeon uncertainty of interior Fraser & Skeena CUs

21 Lake Sockeye CUs in Pacific/Yukon 218 CUs notable diversity: NC CC, NVI, SFj Diversity = Production

22 Strategy 1, Step 2: Assess Status of CU s WSP: Benchmarks and Biological Status Zones Spawner Abundance and Spatial Distribution low high Lower Benchmark Higher Benchmark Red Zone Amber Zone Green Zone high Probability of Production loss and extinction low Three fundamental changes to past assessments: 1. Definition of a conservation or Lower Benchmark 2. Explicit consideration of diversity within CU s during assessment 3. Incorporation of precaution ( buffers ) to account for uncertainty in definition of benchmarks.

23 Strategy 1, Step 3: Monitor and assess. Stock assessment frameworks are required for each Cons Unit based on a tiered monitoring approach: Indicator systems: Comprehensive quantitative programs including spawning adults, juveniles produced, mature progeny produced from the specific system (expensive but information rich). Intensive monitoring: Annual surveys of the numbers of salmon in specific subsets of streams or habitats within a geographic area. These surveys involve quantitative designs that can be replicated annually to provide consistent indices of spawners between years. Extensive monitoring: Surveys that are the least expensive but enable the broadest coverage of streams & habitats within a geographic area. These surveys are qualitative but useful for examining salmon distribution, consistency of patterns throughout the region, and checks on habitat changes.

24 U. Washington Thanks Any file problems contact me: or

25 How does the full WSP address an Uncertain Future? 1. Definition of Conservation Units to include all spawning demes in BC and Yukon (all CU s must be conserved, but may exist at different degrees of status) 2. More precautionary assessment bases (two benchmarks) plus multiple criteria for assessment ( must consider distribution of spawners) fall, 2008 paper. 3. New assessment frameworks required for every CU... More credible monitoring coverage and reporting. 4. Inclusion of habitat trends and assessment (Strategy 2) and inclusion of freshwater and marine ecosystem indicators in annual management planning (Strategy 3). 5. Open and transparent processes and data sharing part of a more local community-based, regional planning process (Strategy 4).

26 Plus, there are new pressures the WSP is to address? 1. Climate Change magnitude and rate of change in the aquatic habitats (FW and marine), impacts in terrestrial ecosystems (MPB), and unforeseen risks from disease and aquatic invasive species. Marine survivals ranging over 100 fold in last decade, and can change very rapidly. Thermal stresses on Fraser sockeye already. Mountain Pine Beetle has killed the pine forest in the interior of BC (since late 90 s) to an area equal to New York state or PEI. 2. First Nation agreements and requirements for food, social, and ceremonial fishes (98 Bands within Fraser River drainage alone). 3. Public accountability and market incentives (MSC)

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