Species at Risk Act annual report for 2017: chapter 7

7. Monitoring

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) collects information on species at risk from its protected areas and through its migratory bird program. Federal funding programs administered by ECCC and, in some cases, co-managed by the department, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and Parks Canada Agency (PCA) (including the Habitat Stewardship Program, the Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk and the Interdepartmental Recovery Fund), also support monitoring activities. Information from these initiatives, along with information from partner organizations and researchers, allows the tracking of progress toward meeting recovery goals.

Species at risk monitoring is ongoing within PCA protected heritage places, to assess the long-term condition of the ecosystems as well as the conservation status of species at risk. In 2017, the national database system that tracks the long term condition of species was also used to track the progress towards the completion of activities in final multi-species action plans. The information obtained from monitoring activities and action plan targets is used to determine progress towards achieving both the population and distribution objectives and recovery measure goals as committed to in the multi-species action plans.

Monitoring of endangered SARA species - Prairie and Northern Region

In the fall of 2017, ECCC Wildlife Enforcement officers in the Saskatoon office actively patrolled and encountered numerous sightings of Whooping cranes. Over a two week period, the officers observed 29 whooping cranes - 3 of which were a breeding pair with a juvenile. These sightings were reported to the Whooping Crane Hotline so that the ECCC can monitor the migration.

Whooping cranes are spotted feeding in Saskatchewan during the spring and fall migrations every year. The whooping crane is listed as an endangered species under the Species at Risk Act.

Joint Coastal Operation to Protect Piping Plover – Atlantic Region

The Piping Plover is listed as endangered under SARA. Piping plovers nest above the normal high-water mark on exposed sandy or gravel beaches. On the Atlantic coast they often nest in association with small cobble and other small beach debris on ocean beaches, sand spits, or barrier beaches. They also forage for food there. Wildlife enforcement in New Brunswick received numerous complaints from the public regarding high volumes of motorized vehicles on beaches throughout the province. Part of ECCC’s strategy to mitigate the vehicle traffic is to increase enforcement presence on New Brunswick’s beaches by working with provincial partners.

In July 2017, building on the success from previous years, wildlife enforcement officers in New Brunswick partnered with the provincial Department of Justice and Public Safety (DJPS) and organized a coastal blitz during peak nesting season. Over the course of two days, officers patrolled the Acadian Peninsula beaches by boat and identified ATV’s and trucks in sensitive habitat areas that would not normally have been easily accessible by land. Officers recorded video and photo evidence of vehicle operators from the patrol boat and tasked their land based patrol units with intercepting violators as they attempted to leave the beach. Through this joint initiative, over $3200 in fines (13 tickets) and 20 warnings were issued by the province under the federal Fisheries Act, Motor Vehicle Act, Off Road Vehicle Act, and Trespass Act.