Atlin Warm Springs Lake Chub: Consultations on listing under the Species at Risk Act

Engagement

Let your opinions be heard

Canada’s Species at Risk Act (SARA) provides legal protection for wildlife species at risk to conserve biological diversity. It also acknowledges that all Canadians have a role to play in the conservation of wildlife species. Atlin Warm Springs Lake Chub are being considered for addition to the List of Species at Risk as threatened. We would like to hear your opinion, comments, and suggestions on the possible ecological, cultural, social, and economic impacts and benefits of listing this species under SARA to inform a listing decision.

Adding a species to the List of Wildlife Species at Risk

The process of listing a species under SARA is triggered by a status assessment by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and ends with a Government of Canada decision on whether or not to add a species to the List of Species at Risk. Public engagement is conducted to gather the opinions of Canadians, and is an important step in this process.

Facts about Atlin Warm Springs Lake Chub

Lake Chub are widely distributed in North America and typically are considered a cold-water species, often found in Arctic watersheds and exhibiting adaptations for cold environments. In northern British Columbia, 2 unique, warm water-adapted designatable units (DUs) of Lake Chub are recognized: Liard Hot Springs populations, occurring in the Liard River Hot Springs, and Atlin Warm Springs populations, occurring in the Atlin Warm Springs (Figure 2). Each DU exhibits local adaptations to their year-round warm water environments.

The Atlin Warm Springs complex is a series of geothermally warmed pools and their outlet streams, which flow into Warm Bay, Atlin Lake. The complex is separated into eastern and western areas by Warm Bay Road. Lake Chub occur in the pools and outlet streams of both areas. The headwater pool in the eastern area has been periodically excavated for public bathing use. Invasive Goldfish (Carassius auratus) and Cherry Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi) have been introduced into western and eastern areas of Atlin Warm Springs, respectively.

Research on Atlin Warm Springs Lake Chub is limited, but their biology is likely similar to cold-water Lake Chub populations. Lake Chub are broadcast spawners. Spawning occurs from late May to July, and females lay a total of 500 to 2,400 eggs over several spawning events. Lake Chub in thermal environments have shorter life spans and mature earlier than cold-water populations. Atlin Warm Springs Lake Chub typically live 3 to 4 years and can mature by September of their first year.

Atlin Warm Springs Lake Chub feed on snails; introduced Cherry Shrimp have also become an important food source in the eastern area. Lake Chub are prey for fishes, birds, small mammals, amphibians, and predatory insects.

Atlin Warm Springs Lake Chub may decline rapidly if a new species is introduced that preys on, competes with, or hybridizes with the species, or alters the environment. Thermal environments are fragile ecosystems, due to their small size and reliance on constant spring-fed water. 

Who assigned threatened status to Atlin Warm Springs Lake Chub?

COSEWIC is an independent committee of experts that assesses which wildlife species are in danger of disappearing from Canada and assigns a risk status to these species. COSEWIC assessed Atlin Warm Springs Lake Chub as threatened in 2018. A threatened species is defined as one that is likely to become endangered if nothing is done to reverse the factors leading to its extinction.

Why are Atlin Warm Springs Lake Chub at risk?

COSEWIC assessed Atlin Warm Springs Lake Chub as threatened because they only occur in Atlin Warm Springs and are vulnerable to severe decline or extinction if a new species is introduced. Pollution from public use for bathing is also a potential threat to Atlin Warm Springs Lake Chub.

Current abundance of Atlin Warm Springs Lake Chub is estimated between 1,000 to 2,000 and appears stable. The COSEWIC assessment considers potential risk of rapid decline or extinction, rather than observed declines.

If a species is listed under SARA

If Atlin Warm Springs Lake Chub are listed as threatened:

• SARA prohibitions against killing, harming, harassing, capturing, taking, possessing, collecting, buying, selling, or trading would take effect
• A recovery strategy and action plan would be developed to identify measures to address threats, such as introduction of non-native species
• Funding would be available through SARA grants and contributions programs to support conservation measures
• Critical habitat would be identified and protected from destruction
• Activities affecting the species may be eligible for permits or exemptions under SARA, provided the activities do not jeopardize survival or recovery of the species

Additional information

• COSEWIC Assessment and Status Report on the Lake Chub (Couesius plumbeus) in Canada (2018)
• Recovery Potential Assessment (2021)
• Management scenarios summary
• Socioeconomic analysis summary