Alberta Rocky Mountain Sculpin Recovery Plan 2012-2022
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Alberta Rocky Mountain Sculpin Recovery Plan 2012-2022 Alberta Species at Risk Recovery Plan No. 27 Alberta Rocky Mountain Sculpin Recovery Plan 2012-2022 Prepared by: The Alberta Rocky Mountain Sculpin Recovery Team Roy Audett, Milk River Ranchers’ Association Michael Bryski, Aquatic Biologist, Water Management Operations, Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development Terry Clayton (Co-chair), Fish Biologist, Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development Warren Cunningham, Councilor for the County of Warner and member of the Milk River Watershed Council of Canada Lori Goater, Southern Alberta Environmental Group Ken Miller, Milk River Watershed Council of Canada Shane Petry (Co-chair), Senior Species at Risk Biologist, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Central and Arctic Region Richard Quinlan, Provincial Species at Risk Specialist, Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development Bruce Stewart (Secretariat), Arctic Biological Consultants, Winnipeg, MB March 2013 Publication No.: I/603 ISBN No. 978-1-4601-0229-9 (On-line Edition) ISSN: 1702-4900 (On-line Edition) Cover photos: Terry Clayton, Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, Lethbridge, and Karen Scott, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg. For copies of this report, contact: Information Centre – Publications Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development Main Floor, Great West Life Building 9920 – 108 Street Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5K 2M4 Telephone: (780) 422-2079 OR Visit the Species at Risk Program web site at: http://srd.alberta.ca/FishWildlife/SpeciesAtRisk/Default.aspx This publication may be cited as: The Alberta Rocky Mountain Sculpin Recovery Team. 2013. Alberta Rocky Mountain Sculpin Recovery Plan: 2012-2022. Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, Alberta Species at Risk Recovery Plan No. 27. Edmonton, AB. 61 pp. ii PREFACE Albertans are fortunate to share their province with a diverse variety of wild species. Populations of most species of plants and animals are healthy and secure. However, a small number of species are either naturally rare or are now imperiled because of human activities. Alberta recovery plans establish a basis for cooperation among government, industry, conservation groups, landowners and other stakeholders to ensure these species and populations are restored or maintained for future generations. Alberta’s commitment to the Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk and to the National Framework for the Conservation of Species at Risk, combined with requirements established under Alberta’s Wildlife Act and the federal Species at Risk Act, has resulted in the development of a provincial recovery program. An overall goal of the recovery program is to restore species identified as Threatened or Endangered to viable, naturally self-sustaining populations within Alberta or to maintain species at naturally low levels. The policy document: Alberta’s Strategy for the Management of Species at Risk (2009-2014) provides broader program context for recovery activities. Alberta species at risk recovery plans are prepared under the Species at Risk Program within Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development. This may include involvement of a recovery team composed of a variety of stakeholders including conservation organizations, industry, landowners, resource users, universities, government agencies and others. Membership is by invitation from the Director of Wildlife Management, and may include representation from a diversity of interests unique to each species and circumstance. Conservation and management of these species continues during preparation of the recovery plan. Alberta recovery plans are provided as advice to the Minister responsible for fish and wildlife management and to all Albertans. Alberta’s Endangered Species Conservation Committee reviews draft recovery plans, and provides recommendations to the Minister. In some cases, additional opportunities for review by the public may also be provided. Plans accepted and approved for implementation by the Minister are published as government recovery plans. Approved plans are a summary of the Department’s commitment to work with involved stakeholders to coordinate and implement conservation actions necessary to restore or maintain these species. Recovery plans include three main sections: background information that highlights species biology, population trends, and threats; a recovery strategy section that outlines goals, objectives, and strategies to address the threats; and an action plan that profiles priority actions required to maintain or restore the Threatened or Endangered species. Each approved recovery plan undergoes an annual progress review. Implementation of each recovery plan is subject to the availability of resources, from within and from outside government. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................................VI EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................... VII 1.0 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Provincial and Federal Status ........................................................................................................................1 1.2 Recovery Team ................................................................................................................................................1 2.0 SPECIES BIOLOGY............................................................................................................. 2 2.1 Species Description..........................................................................................................................................2 2.2 Environmental Setting ....................................................................................................................................3 2.3 Population and Distribution Context.............................................................................................................6 2.4 Biology and Life History..............................................................................................................................10 3.0 THREATS AND LIMITING FACTORS........................................................................... 18 3.1 Limiting Factors ............................................................................................................................................18 3.2 Threat Classification.....................................................................................................................................19 3.3 Description of Threats...................................................................................................................................19 4.0 CRITICAL HABITAT ......................................................................................................... 32 5.0 KNOWLEDGE GAPS AND RESEARCH PRIORITIES ................................................ 33 6.0 RECENT RECOVERY AND CONSERVATION EFFORTS ......................................... 34 7.0 RECOVERY STRATEGY................................................................................................... 35 7.1 Biological and Technical Feasibility of Recovery .......................................................................................35 7.2 Guiding Principles.........................................................................................................................................36 7.3 Recovery Goal................................................................................................................................................37 7.4 Recovery Objectives......................................................................................................................................38 7.5 Strategies for Recovery.................................................................................................................................38 8.0 ACTION PLAN..................................................................................................................... 41 8.1 Introduction...................................................................................................................................................41 8.2 Research.........................................................................................................................................................42 8.3 Monitoring .....................................................................................................................................................44 8.4 Management and Regulation .......................................................................................................................45 8.5 Education and Outreach...............................................................................................................................46 9.0 IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE ................................................................................... 49 10.0 SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS.................................................................... 52 11.0 MULTIPLE SPECIES AT RISK AND RELATED RECOVERY STRATEGIES...... 52 12.0 PLAN EVALUATION AND AMENDMENT.................................................................. 52 13.0 LITERATURE CITED .....................................................................................................