Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus): Progress report on recovery strategy implementation 2012 to 2017

Official title: Report on the progress of recovery strategy implementation for the Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) in Canada for the period 2012 to 2017

This report provides an update on the work done for the Spotted Gar from 2012 to 2017.

List of figures

• Figure 1. Historical distribution and recent detections of Spotted Gar in southwest Ontario

List of tables

• Table 1. Recovery objectives and corresponding performance indicators for Spotted Gar, found in the recovery strategy
• Table 2. Details of activities supporting the recovery of Spotted Gar from 2012 to 2017
• Table 3. Status and details of the implementation of the Schedule of Studies outlined in the recovery strategy
• Table 4. Progress and details of the progress made toward meeting the performance indicators outlined in the recovery strategy

Spotted Gar 2018

Recommended citation:

Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 2018. Report on the progress of recovery strategy implementation for the Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) in Canada for the period 2012 - 2017. Species at Risk Act Recovery Strategy Report Series. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ottawa. iv + 23 pp.

For copies of the progress report, or for additional information on species at risk, including COSEWIC Status Reports, recovery strategies, residence descriptions, action plans, and other related recovery documents, please visit the Species at Risk Public Registry.

Cover illustration: Joseph R. Tomelleri

Également disponible en français sous le titre
« Rapport sur les progrès de la mise en œuvre du programme de rétablissement du lépisosté tacheté (Lepisosteus oculatus) au Canada pour la période 2012-2017 »

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 2018. All rights reserved.
ISBN 978-0-660-24691-8
Catalogue no. En3-4/146-1-2018E-PDF

Content (excluding the cover illustration) may be used without permission, with appropriate credit to the source.

Preface

The federal, provincial, and territorial government signatories under the Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk (1996) agreed to establish complementary legislation and programs that provide for effective protection of species at risk throughout Canada. Under Section 46 of the Species at Risk Act (S.C. 2002, c.29) (SARA), the competent ministers are responsible for reporting on the implementation of the recovery strategy for a species at risk, and on the progress towards meeting its objectives within five years of the date when the recovery strategy was placed on the Species at Risk Public Registry and in every subsequent five-year period, until its objectives have been achieved or the species’ recovery is no longer feasible.

Reporting on the progress of recovery strategy implementation requires reporting on the collective efforts of the competent minister(s), provincial and territorial governments and all other parties involved in conducting activities that contribute to the species’ recovery. Recovery strategies identify broad strategies and approaches that will provide the best chance of recovering species at risk. Some of the identified strategies and approaches are sequential to the progress or completion of others and not all may be undertaken or show significant progress during the timeframe of a Report on the Progress of Recovery Strategy Implementation (progress report).

The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and the Minister responsible for the Parks Canada Agency are the competent minister(s) under SARA for the Spotted Gar and have prepared this progress report.

As stated in the preamble to SARA, success in the recovery of species at risk depends on the commitment and cooperation of many different constituencies that will be involved in implementing the directions set out in the recovery strategy and will not be achieved by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Parks Canada Agency, or any other jurisdiction alone. The cost of conserving species at risk is shared amongst different constituencies. All Canadians are invited to join in supporting and implementing the recovery strategy for the Spotted Gar for the benefit of the species and Canadian society as a whole.

Acknowledgments

This progress report was prepared by P.L. Wong (DFO) and Joshua Stacey (DFO). To the extent possible, this progress report has been prepared with inputs from Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans would also like to express its appreciation to all individuals and organizations who have contributed to the recovery of the Spotted Gar.

Executive summary

The Spotted Gar was listed as Threatened under the Species at Risk Act in 2003. The recovery strategy for the Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) in Canada was finalized and published on the Species at Risk Public Registry in 2012.

The main threats identified for Spotted Gar include: overall habitat loss due to dredging, filling and harbour improvements, aquatic vegetation removal, turbidity, sediment and nutrient loading, invasive species, incidental harvest, and climate change.

The population and distribution objective for Spotted Gar is to maintain current distributions and densities of extant populations in the three coastal wetlands of Lake Erie (Point Pelee National Park, Rondeau Bay and Long Point Bay/Big Creek National Wildlife Area). Spotted Gar has continued to be detected in these three coastal wetlands; however, the results of genetic analyses indicate that the Long Point Bay population appears to be a sink, suggesting this population will not be viable in the long-term. This should be taken into consideration in the future when population and distribution objectives are being re-evaluated.

A Spotted Gar individual has been confirmed at a new location (i.e., Muddy Creek), although it is unknown whether the single specimen was a transient or represents a new population. The presence of Spotted Gar populations at historical locations such as East Lake and the upper St. Lawrence River near Kingston in Lake Ontario remains unconfirmed. Additionally, the presence of a population in Hamilton Harbour remains unconfirmed despite the detection of an individual in 2010.

During the time period reported by this progress report, progress has been made including:

• targeted surveys of historical and potential new locations in the Lake Erie and Lake Ontario watersheds
• targeted surveys of extant populations of Spotted Gar in the Lake Erie watershed
• research on Spotted Gar habitat use in Rondeau Bay and Long Point Bay that characterized spawning and juvenile rearing habitats, as well as habitat utilised by other life stages in Rondeau Bay
• research on Spotted Gar habitat use in Rondeau Bay that led to an extension of identified spawning areas to include tributaries up to the first permanent barrier to fish passage
• studies have been conducted that investigate the genetics of Spotted Gar in Ontario in relation to southern populations, as well as genetic differences present among the Ontario populations
• stewardship activities, including habitat improvement projects such as riparian restoration, vegetation planting, removal of invasive non-native vegetation, and other habitat improvement activities have been conducted in several watersheds where Spotted Gar occurs
• outreach activities involving presentations to landowners, cottagers, farmers, environmental students, Ontario Aboriginal Lands Association, and Ontario First Nations Economic Development Association to raise awareness about critical habitat, threats and protection measures, and recovery of Spotted Gar

Taken together, these ongoing and/or completed activities indicate that progress is being made toward the goal of recovering Spotted Gar populations in Canada. However, there are still a number of areas where further information is required. For example, sampling methods need to be refined and a habitat monitoring program still needs to be developed. Furthermore, sources of nutrients and sediments that threaten Spotted Gar have not been identified, and lastly, the response of Spotted Gar to the management and removal of invasive non-native vegetation remains to be investigated.  

1. Introduction

This progress report outlines the progress made from 2012 to 2017 towards meeting the objectives listed in the recovery strategy for the Spotted Gar and should be considered as one in a series of documents for this species that are linked and should be taken into consideration together, including the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) Status Report (COSEWIC 2015), the Recovery Potential Assessment (Fisheries and Oceans Canada [DFO] 2010), the recovery strategy (Staton et al. 2012), and, if available, one or more action plan(s).

Section 2 of the progress report reproduces or summarizes key information on the threats to the species, population and distribution objectives for achieving its recovery, approaches to meeting the objectives, and performance indicators to measure the progress of recovery. For more details, readers should refer back to the Recovery Strategy for the Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) in Canada. Section 3 reports the progress of activities identified in the recovery strategy to support achieving the population and distribution objectives. Section 4 summarizes the progress toward achieving the objectives.

2. Background

2.1 COSEWIC assessment summary

The listing of Spotted Gar under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) in 2003, which led to the development and publication of the recovery strategy for Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) in Canada in 2012, was based on the information provided in the COSEWIC Status Report (COSEWIC 2005). This information has also been included in Section 1.1 of the recovery strategy. In 2015, COSEWIC re-examined and changed the status of the Spotted Gar from Threatened to Endangered (COSEWIC 2015).

Assessment summary – November 2015

Common name
Spotted Gar

Scientific name
Lepisosteus oculatus

Status
Endangered

Reason for designation
This species has a very limited distribution in Canada and populations are known from only three coastal wetlands of Lake Erie. Shallow vegetated habitats that are required for all life stages continue to be degraded and are at risk from invasive aquatic vegetation, removal of native vegetation, filling, dredging, and siltation.

Occurrence
Ontario

Status history
Designated Special Concern in April 1983. Status re-examined and confirmed in April 1994. Status re-examined and designated Threatened in November 2000 and in May 2005. Status re-examined and designated Endangered in November 2015.

2.2 Distribution

Figure 1. Historical distribution and recent detections of Spotted Gar in southwest Ontario

2.3 Threats

For information regarding threats to Spotted Gar as well as the species’ critical habitat refer to the recovery strategy section 1.5.

2.4 Recovery

This section summarizes the information, found in the recovery strategy (Staton et al. 2012), on the population and distribution objectives that are necessary for the recovery of Spotted Gar and on performance indicators that provide a way to define and measure progress toward achieving the population and distribution objectives.

2.4.1 Population and distribution objectives and performance indicators

Section 2.3 of the recovery strategy identified the following population and distribution objective necessary for the recovery of the species. The population and distribution objective is to maintain current distribution and densities of extant populations of Spotted Gar in the three coastal wetlands of Lake Erie (Point Pelee National Park [PPNP], Rondeau Bay and Long Point Bay/Big Creek National Wildlife Area [NWA]).

In support of the long-term goal, short/medium-term recovery objectives that will be addressed over a 5-10 year period are listed in Table 1 along with the performance indicators:

3. Progress towards recovery

The Recovery Strategy for the Spotted Gar divides the recovery effort into three broad strategies: 1) Research and monitoring; 2) Management and coordination; and, 3) Stewardship, outreach and awareness. Progress in carrying out these broad strategies is reported in Section 3.1. Section 3.2 reports on the activities identified in the Schedule of Studies to Identify Critical Habitat. Section 3.3 reports on the progress on meeting the performance indicators and other commitments (e.g., Action Plan and Critical Habitat Order) identified in the recovery strategy and information obtained through implementing the Recovery Strategy.

3.1 Activities supporting recovery

Table 2 provides information on the implementation of activities undertaken to address the approaches and broad strategies identified in the recovery planning table of the recovery strategy.

3.2 Activities supporting the identification of critical habitat

Table 3 provides information on the implementation of the studies outlined in the Schedule of Studies to Identify Critical Habitat of the recovery strategy.  Each study has been assigned one of four statuses:

Completed: The study has been carried out and concluded
In progress: The planned activity is underway and has not concluded
Not started: The activity has been planned but has yet to start
Cancelled: The planned activity will not be started or completed

3.3 Summary of progress towards recovery

3.3.1 Status of performance measures

Table 4 provides a summary of the progress made toward meeting the performance indicators outlined in Table 1. Each indicator has been assigned one of four statuses:

Not met: The performance indicator has not been met, and little to no progress has been made
Not met, underway: The performance indicator has not been met, but there has been moderate to significant progress made
Met: The performance indicator has been met and no further action is required
Met, ongoing: The performance indicator has been met, but efforts will continue until such time the population is considered to be recovered (i.e., the indicator will be reported against in the next five-year progress report)

3.3.2 Completion of action plan

One or more action plans for the Spotted Gar were supposed to be developed with five years of the publication of the recovery strategy. Currently, the Multi-species Action Plan for Point Pelee National Park of Canada and Niagara Natural Historic Sites of Canada (2016), that includes Spotted Gar, has been published; however, a species-specific Action Plan for the Spotted Gar in Canada is currently being developed, and is expected to be completed in 2018.

3.3.3 Critical habitat identification and protection

Critical habitat was identified within the recovery strategy in PPNP as well as Rondeau Bay and Big Creek NWA within Long Point Bay. Descriptions of critical habitat within Big Creek NWA (Long Point Bay) and PPNP were published in the Canada Gazette Part 1, to establish legal protection pursuant to subsection 58(2) of SARA. In 2017, a Critical Habitat Order made under subsections 58(4) and (5) of SARA was published in the Canada Gazette Part 2. The Descriptions and Order are intended to satisfy the obligation to legally protect critical habitat by triggering the prohibition in subsection 58(1) of SARA against the destruction of any part of the species’ critical habitat. The Spotted Gar is listed as a Threatened species under Ontario’s Endangered Species Act, 2007. Under the Act, the species itself is currently protected, and the habitat of the Spotted Gar has been protected under the general habitat protection provisions of the Act since June 20, 2013. Since the publication of the recovery strategy, research has been conducted that has potentially refined the functions, features and attributes of critical habitat in terms of habitat features and further documents the importance of tributaries to coastal wetlands as spawning areas. These new findings may be reflected through a revised version of the recovery strategy on the federal registry.

3.3.4 Recovery feasibility

Currently, there is no need to review the recovery feasibility for this species as no new information has been gathered that would suggest that Spotted Gar populations, within Canadian waters, no longer meet the feasibility criteria laid out in the recovery strategy. For example, there are still enough reproducing individuals and suitable habitat to support recovery objectives and threats to the species in many areas can be or have been addressed through restoration efforts and the promotion of BMPs.

4. Concluding statement

Since the publication of the recovery strategy for the Spotted Gar there has been a substantial degree of progress in terms of activities that have been implemented as components of the broad strategies for recovery. For example, a number of surveys specifically targeting Spotted Gar have been conducted in historical, potential new locations, as well as areas where the species was known to be extant. Of particular interest, a positive eDNA detection occurred in Spencer Creek, a tributary of Coote’s Paradise, which could potentially represent the discovery of another population. This detection of Spotted Gar within Spencer Creek, combined with the detection in Hamilton Harbour in 2010 by the OMNRF, suggests that further sampling is required to confirm the presence of a population within this area and potentially identify further critical habitat. Similarly, the detection of Spotted Gar within Muddy Creek warrants further sampling within this watershed to determine whether a population exists there, as well as other suitable watersheds located between areas known to have populations of Spotted Gar. In addition, radio telemetry studies conducted in Rondeau Bay have demonstrated the importance of tributaries to this coastal wetland as spawning grounds that are critical to the survival and growth of the Spotted Gar population found therein. Genetic analyses have been conducted that characterize the degree of population structure and gene flow among populations in Ontario. Threat assessments have also been undertaken within the watersheds of Rondeau and Long Point bays as components of the Essex-Erie Species at Risk Recovery Program and Restoring Rondeau Bay’s Ecological Integrity Program.

The population and distribution objective for Spotted Gar is to maintain current distributions and densities of extant populations in the three coastal wetlands of Lake Erie (PPNP, Rondeau Bay and Long Point Bay/Big Creek NWA). Spotted Gar has continued to be detected in these three coastal wetlands; however, the results of genetic analyses indicate that the Long Point Bay population appears to be a sink, suggesting this population will not be viable in the long term. Although the population and distribution objectives were to be refined by 2015, as per the first performance measure, this new information pertaining to the Long Point Bay population should be taken into consideration in the future when population and distribution objectives are being re-evaluated. In addition, populations have yet to be confirmed in Hamilton Harbour and Muddy Creek. If these populations are confirmed through follow-up sampling, then this information will lead to additions to the population and distribution objectives. Furthermore, these findings have implications for the third performance measure, which states: the current distribution and density of Spotted Gar in three extant Great Lakes coastal wetland populations is maintained or enhanced. The potential lack of viability for the Long Point population may preclude the achievement of this measure.

Stewardship activities, including habitat improvement projects such as riparian restoration, vegetation planting, removal of invasive non-native vegetation have been conducted in several watersheds where Spotted Gar occurs, and outreach activities that benefit this species have been delivered to a number of audiences. More specifically, an information package has been developed and distributed to commercial fishers that may incidentally harvest in occupied wetlands in Long Point Bay.

There are a number of recovery activities that still remain to be implemented and/or may take longer to be completed. For example, targeted surveys have not been conducted at Turkey Point, Tremblay Beach and the Bay of Quinte. With regard to research, there are a number of measures that need to be implemented including: the response of Spotted Gar to wetland management practices (Common Reed control); the effects of climate change on coastal habitats occupied by Spotted Gar; potential interactions between Spotted Gar and Longnose Gar where they coexist; and, a number of coordination and management measures. 

5. References

• Alexander, K. 2012. Phragmites australis in coastal environments. Prepared by the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation. 57 p + Appendix.
• Boothroyd, M., N.E. Mandrak, M. Fox, and C. Wilson. 2016. Environmental DNA (eDNA) detection and habitat occupancy of threatened Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus). Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 26(6): 1107-1119.
• COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada). 2005. COSEWIC assessment and update status report on the Spotted Gar Lepisosteus oculatus in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada: Ottawa. vi + 17 p.
• COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada). 2015. COSEWIC assessment and status report on the Spotted Gar Lepisosteus oculatus in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada: Ottawa. xii + 40 p.
• DFO. 2010. Recovery potential assessment of Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) in Canada. DFO Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat Science Advisory Report 2010/047.
• EERT (Essex-Erie Recovery Team). 2008. Recovery strategy for the fishes at risk of the Essex-Erie region: an ecosystem approach. July 2008. Draft. 110 p.
• Glass, W.R. and N.E. Mandrak. In review. First evidence of spawning site fidelity in Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus). Submitted to Transactions of the American Fisheries Society.
• Glass, W.R., L.D. Corkum, and N.E. Mandrak. 2012. Spring and summer distribution and habitat use by adult Threatened Spotted Gar in Rondeau Bay, Ontario, using radiotelemetry. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 141: 1026-1035.
• Glass, W.R. and N.E. Mandrak. 2014. Distribution of Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) adults and juveniles in the Rondeau Bay, Long Point Bay and Hamilton Harbour watersheds. Canadian Manuscript Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 3048. 21 p.
• Glass, W.R., R.P. Water, D.D. Heath, N.E. Mandrak, and L.D. Corkum. 2015. Genetic structure and diversity of Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) at its northern range edge: implications for conservation. Conservation Genetics 16: 889-899.
• Gray, S.M., L.J. Chapman, and N.E. Mandrak. 2012. Turbidity reduces hatching success in Threatened Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus). Environmental Biological Fisheries 94: 689-694.
• Hoving, C.L., Y.M. Lee, P.J. Badra, and B.J. Klatt. 2013. Changing climate, changing wildlife. A vulnerability assessment of 400 species of greatest conservation need and game species in Michigan. Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Division Report No. 3564.
• Mortsch, L., J. Ingram, A. Hebb, and S. Doka (eds.). 2006. Great Lakes coastal wetland communities: vulnerability to climate change and response to adaptation strategies. Final report submitted to the Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Program, Natural Resources Canada. Environment Canada and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Toronto, Ontario. 251 p. + appendices.
• Staton, S.K., A.L. Boyko, S.E. Dunn, and M. Burridge. 2012. Recovery strategy for the Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) in Canada. Species at Risk Act Recovery Strategy Series. Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Ottawa. vii + 57 p.

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