Liard Hot Springs Lake Chub: Consultations on listing under the Species at Risk Act
Current status: Closed
Consultation period: July 28, 2025 to September 29, 2025
Engagement
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. Liard Hot 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 Liard Hot 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: Atlin Warm Springs populations, occurring in the Atlin Warm Springs, and Liard Hot Springs populations, occurring in the Liard River Hot Springs (Figure 2). Each DU exhibits local adaptations to their year-round warm water environments.
The Liard Hot Springs complex is comprised of geothermally warmed springs, pools, swamps, and rivulets. The complex is not connected to other waterbodies, and drains into adjacent swamps and flooded forests. Lake Chub occur in the Alpha swamp and Delta-Epsilon pools of the complex, occupying water temperatures ranging from 15⁰C to 26⁰C. The complex is within Liard Hot Springs Provincial Park, and the Alpha pool has been developed for public bathing use and is regularly maintained. Liard Hot Springs Lake Chub co-occur with Hotwater Physa (Physella wrighti), an endemic snail that is listed as endangered under SARA.
Research on Liard Hot Springs Lake Chub is limited, but their biology is likely similar to cold-water Lake Chub populations. Lake Chub are broadcast spawners with females laying a total of 500 to 2,400 eggs over several spawning events. Liard Hot Springs Lake Chub spawning timing is unknown, but likely occurs from May to August. Lake Chub in thermal environments have shorter life spans and mature earlier than cold-water populations. Liard Hot Springs Lake Chub rarely live longer than 2 years and can mature by September of their first year.
Liard Hot Springs Lake Chub eat a herbivorous diet of filamentous algae, unlike cold-water populations that mainly feed on invertebrates. Lake Chub are prey for fishes, birds, small mammals, amphibians, and predatory insects.
Liard Hot 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.
Long description
Sketch map of the Liard Hot Springs complex highlights pools, swamps, ponds, and features developed for recreational use within the complex. The map also features key geographic elements including the Alaska Highway.
Who assigned threatened status to Liard Hot 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 Liard Hot 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 Liard Hot Springs Lake Chub at risk?
COSEWIC assessed Liard Hot Springs Lake Chub as threatened because they only occur in Liard Hot 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 Liard Hot Springs Lake Chub.
Current population size of Liard Hot Springs Lake Chub is unknown, but observations indicate they are abundant (likely in the thousands) and appear stable. The COSEWIC assessment considers potential risk of rapid decline or extinction, rather than observed declines.
If a species is listed under SARA
If Liard Hot 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