Copper redhorse (Moxostoma hubbsi) proposed recovery strategy: appendix A

Appendix A: Effects on the Environment and Other Species

A strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is conducted on all SARA recovery planning documents, in accordance with the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals. The purpose of a SEA is to incorporate environmental considerations into the development of public policies, plans, and program proposals to support environmentally sound decision-making.

Recovery planning is intended to benefit species at risk and biodiversity in general. However, it is recognized that strategies may also inadvertently lead to environmental effects beyond the intended benefits. The planning process based on national guidelines directly incorporates consideration of all environmental effects, with a particular focus on possible impacts upon non-target species or habitats. The results of the SEA are incorporated directly into the strategy itself, but are also summarized below in this statement.

This recovery strategy will clearly benefit the environment by promoting Copper Redhorse recovery. Possible inadvertent negative impacts on other species of this strategy were considered. The SEA concluded that this strategy benefits the environment and would have no significant negative impacts.

Protection of Copper Redhorse habitat and the measures taken to improve that habitat will also benefit several other species which share the same environment. Some of these species appear on the List of Wildlife Species at Risk, such as the river redhorse (Moxostoma carinatum), the eastern sand darter (Ammocrypta pellucida), the channel darter (Percina copelandi) and the bridle shiner (Notropis bifrenatus). For example, the monitoring of redhorse recruitment in the Richelieu River, intended to evaluate the efficiency of the measures implemented to support the Copper Redhorse population and the restoration of its habitat, will also contribute to our knowledge of other fish populations (diversity, channel darter, eastern sand darter) and to our understanding of phenomena such as the factors influencing growth in Copper Redhorse young-of-the-year and those suspected of influencing reproductive success. The Vianney-Legendre fish ladder at Saint-Ours was designed to provide passage for the Copper Redhorse and four other species at risk. Work done in monitoring and optimizing operational procedures has confirmed that this structure is being used by more than thirty different species. Water quality improvement projects that aim to reduce the erosion of banks and cultivated fields benefit all species that live in aquatic and riverside habitats such as the northern map turtle (Graptemys geographica), the muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) or the least bittern (Ixobrychus exilis).

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