Species at Risk Act: management plans

A management plan differs from a recovery strategy and action plan, as it sets goals and objectives for maintaining sustainable population levels of one or more species that are particularly sensitive to environmental factors, but which are not in danger of becoming extinct. Whenever possible, these management plans will be prepared for multiple species on an ecosystem or landscape level.

The competent minister, in cooperation with others, must prepare a management plan within 3 years of wildlife species being listed as a species of special concern.

Interested parties may include federal, provincial, and territorial ministers, wildlife management boards, Aboriginal organizations, landowners, leasees, and any other person or organization that the competent minister considers appropriate. In preparing a management plan, the competent minister may adopt a multi-species or ecosystems approach. Similar to recovery strategies and action plans, the management plan is a dynamic document that can be changed to accommodate new information.

Under the Act, proposed management plans allow for a 60-day comment period, in which time any person may file written comments with the competent minister. Within 30 days of the closing of the public comment period, the proposed management plan must then be finalized. Management plans are evaluated every 5 years and updated as necessary.

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