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Research Document - 2013/044

Information in support of a recovery potential assessment of Plains Minnow (Hybognathus placitus) in Canada

By C.D. Sawatzky and D.A. Watkinson

Abstract

In May 2012, a meeting of the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) recommended that Plains Minnow (Hybognathus placitus) be designated Threatened. The reason given for this designation was that Plains Minnow “has a very limited distribution in Canada at only one or two locations, both of which are small streams subject to drought. The species requires long stretches of flowing water to complete its life cycle. Further threats to water supply from additional irrigation dams and excessive drought would increase risks to this species” (COSEWIC 2012). Plains Minnow has not yet been listed under the Species at Risk Act (SARA).

The Recovery Potential Assessment (RPA) provides information and scientific advice needed to fulfill various requirements of the SARA, including informing both scientific and socio-economic elements of the listing decision and permitting activities that would otherwise violate SARA prohibitions and the development of recovery strategies. This Research Document describes the current state of knowledge of the biology, ecology, distribution, population trends, habitat requirements and threats to Plains Minnow. Mitigation measures and alternative activities related to the identified threats, which can be used to protect the species, are also presented. The information contained in the RPA and this document may be used to inform the development of recovery documents and for assessing permits, agreements and related conditions, as per section 73, 74, 75, 77, and 78 of the SARA. The scientific information also serves as advice to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada regarding the listing of the species under the SARA and is used when analyzing the socio-economic impacts of adding the species to the list as well as during subsequent consultations, where applicable. This assessment considers the available scientific data pertaining to the recovery potential of Plains Minnow in Canada.

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