Science Advisory Report 2011/074
Recommendations for Cultus Pygmy Sculpin Critical Habitat
Summary
- Cultus Pygmy Sculpin (Cottus aleuticus) is a sub-population of the commonly found Coastrange sculpin and is only found in Cultus Lake, near Chilliwack, British Columbia
- Cultus Pygmy Sculpin is listed under the Species At Risk Act as threatened. Critical habitat must be identified for threatened and endangered Species.
- Critical habitat is recommended as the entire wetted area of Cultus Lake.
- The features of the recommended critical habitat are the benthic environment and the water column of the lake. The functions supported by critical habitat are spawning, feeding, rearing and predator refuge.
- Activities likely to destroy critical habitat include: excessive nutrient inputs and deliberate or inadvertent introduction of aquatic invasive species
- Further research is recommended on temporal and spatial use of the lake by Cultus Pygmy Sculpin, including the littoral zone. Also, the impacts of Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) and its possible control measures should be assessed.
This Science Advisory Report has resulted from the Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat Pacific Regional Advisory Meeting of October 12th, 2011 Cultus Pygmy Sculpin Critical Habitat.Additional publications from this process will be posted as they become available on the DFO Science Advisory Schedule.
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