Regional Priorities

The regional priorities for the Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk (AFSAR) Program are:

Pacific Region:

• Priority species: Eulachon; Northern Abalone; Killer Whales; White Sturgeon; Large Whales
• Priority threats: illegal harvest (direct/indirect); invasive species; vessel traffic in the North and Central Coast areas
• Priority areas: Fraser River watershed; Columbia River watershed

Central and Arctic Region (Prairies and North):

• Priority species: Lake Sturgeon; Cumberland Sound Beluga; Dolly Varden; Atlantic Walrus; Bigmouth Buffalo
• Priority threats: unsustainable harvesting practices - Lake Sturgeon (DU 1-5); dams and barriers resulting in habitat fragmentation, fish mortality and alteration of flow impacting habitat - Lake Sturgeon (DU 1-5); habitat disturbance, West Jones Sound, Nunavut - Atlantic Walrus and Narwhal

Central and Arctic Region (Ontario):

• Priority species: Channel Drater; Pugnose Shiner; Eastern Pondmussel; American Eel; Lake Sturgeon (DUs 4, 5 and 8)
• Priority threats: dams situated on watersheds draining into the Great Lakes or St. Lawrence River (including the Ottawa River), Winnipeg River/English River Watershed and the Moses Saunders Dam on the St. Lawrence River; the continued harvest of Lake Sturgeon in inland lakes and tributaries of the Great Lakes - Upper St. Lawrence Drainage Basin (DU8) and English/Winnipeg River Watershed (DU5); harmful alteration of the remnant coastal wetlands of the Great Lakes/Upper St. Lawrence drainage basin
• Priority areas: Lake St. Clair Drainage Basin (incorporates the delta, Lake St. Clair and watersheds entering into Lake St. Clair, including the Sydenham and Thames); Grand River watershed

Québec Region:

• Priority species: Lake Sturgeon; Lacs des Loups Marins Harbour Seal; Northern Beluga; American Eel; Atlantic Salmon
• Priority threats: overfishing; loss and degradation of spawning sites (including water regime artificialization); collection and harvesting
• Priority areas: St. Lawrence River and Ottawa River watershed (fluvial portion); Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence; Southern James Bay and Hudson Bay

Gulf, Maritimes and Newfoundland & Labrador Regions:

• Priority species: American Eel; Striped Bass; Atlantic Cod; Atlantic Salmon; Atlantic Sturgeon
• Priority threats: barriers to migration; fishery interactions - bycatch; fishery interactions - entanglement; habitat alteration; invasive and introduced species