Terms of Reference

Pre-COSEWIC Assessment of Southern British Columbia Chinook Salmon – Part II

Regional Peer Review - Pacific Region

November 5-7, 2013
Nanaimo, BC

Chairperson: Sean MacConnachie

Context

Vancouver Island, Sunshine Coast, and Fraser River Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) are currently being assessed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), as a generator and archivist of information on marine species, is to provide COSEWIC with the best information available to ensure that an accurate assessment of the status of a species can be undertaken.  The standard objective of a pre-COSEWIC review by DFO is to:

1. Provide information on life history characteristics
2. Identify and provide rationale for Designatable Units (DUs),
3. Review the COSEWIC quantitative criteria (COSEWIC 2010)
4. Describe the characteristics or elements of the species habitat to the extent possible, and threats to that habitat
5. Describe, to the extent possible, whether the species has a residence as defined by SARA
6. Identify and describe threats (other than those related to habitat),
7. Provide other information particular to the species that may be relevant to assessing status, and
8. Assemble and provide the best available abundance and other data for use by COSEWIC. 

In March 2013, a pre-COSEWIC assessment reviewed through a Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) Regional Peer Review (RPR) process.  It was determined that the draft document submitted for review did not sufficiently address all of the required criteria outlined in the standard terms of reference for a pre-COSEWIC assessment. The sections that did meet COSEWIC criteria have been compiled into a CSAS Research Document, ”Part I” Pre-COSEWIC Assessment (Brown et al. in prep.).  The Part I document focuses primarily on describing the life history characteristics of Chinook salmon occurring in southern British Columbia, the basis for DUs, an evaluation of whether Chinook salmon meet the residence criteria in Canada as defined by SARA and reviews information concerning threats to this species.  A second “Part II” Pre-COSEWIC Assessment has been prepared to address the remaining deficiencies.

The objective of this Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) Regional Peer Review is to review the draft Part II Pre-COSEWIC Assessment for Southern BC Chinook Salmon, which will include: the time series of abundance data for each of the proposed DUs of the mature spawners, a description of the  methods used to determine annual mature spawner abundance and data treatments, contextual information which aid the assessment of data uncertainty,  and provide the results of the application of the COSEWIC quantitative criteria.

This assessment is also intended to support future work respecting the implementation of the DFO Wild Salmon Policy (WSP); therefore, utilizing previously reviewed and accepted  methodologies (Holt et al. 2009; Parken et al. 2006), quantified values of WSP metrics used for status assessment will also be reviewed.  A determination of WSP status will not be considered.

Results of this Regional Peer Review (RPR) will be made available to COSEWIC, the author(s) of the species status report, and the co-chairs of the applicable COSEWIC Species Specialist Subcommittee and is intended to inform a subsequent WSP status assessment scheduled for February 2014.

Objectives

The objective of this RPR is to review available DFO information relevant to the COSEWIC criterion to assess a species risk of becoming extirpated, endangered or threatened for Chinook salmon occurring in southern British Columbia that were not previously accepted.

Specific objectives include: 

1. Provide data tables of the time series of annual spawner abundance data.
2. Describe the methods used to obtain the time series of annual spawner abundance data, including data selecting criteria and data treatments (i.e. procedures applied to in-fill missing data).
3. Provide, by system and summarized by Wild Salmon Policy Conservation Unit, trends in abundance (over as long a period as possible and in particular for the past three generations) and additional data and analysis relevant to the determination of WSP status.
4. Identify threats to abundance and habitat.

Expected Publications

• CSAS Research Document
• CSAS Proceedings

Participation

• DFO Sectors (Science, Oceans, Habitat and Species at Risk)
• Aboriginal Communities
• Province of British Columbia
• Academia
• Industry
• Non-government Organizations
• Other Stakeholders
• COSEWIC status report author
• Members of COSEWIC (Co-Chairs and/or SSC experts)

Sources of Information

COSEWIC. 2010. COSEWIC's Assessment Process and Criteria.

Holt, C., Cass, A., Holtby, B., and Riddell, B. 2009. Indicators of status and benchmarks for conservation units in Canada’s Wild Salmon Policy. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2009/058. viii + 74 p.

Parken, C. K., R. E. McNicol, and J. R. Irvine. 2006. Habitat-based methods to estimate escapement goals for data limited Chinook salmon stocks in British Columbia, 2004. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2006/083. vii + 67 p.