Mapleleaf mussel (Quadrula quadrula) COSEWIC assessment and status report: chapter 11
Existing Protection or Other Status Designations
Quadrula quadrula is listed as secure (G5) in North America; its national status is N5 in the United States and N3 in Canada (NatureServe 2004). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species categorizes the species as LR/lc, which means Lower Risk/least concern (The IUCN Species Survival Commission 2004). The national general status of freshwater mussels in Canada was completed in 2004 (CESCC 2004) and Q. quadrula was ranked as 2 (May be at Risk) nationally and in both jurisdictions (Manitoba and Ontario) where it occurs. The species is provincially ranked as S2 (Rare) by the Manitoba Conservation Data Centre (Duncan 1999) and S3 (Uncommon) by Ontario’s Natural Heritage Information Centre (D. Sutherland, pers. comm. 2004). According to NatureServe (2004), current state ranks for Q. quadrula are: Alabama (S5), Arkansas (S5), Illinois (S5), Indiana (S4), Iowa (SNR), Kansas (S4), Kentucky (S4S5), Louisiana (S5), Michigan (SNR), Minnesota (SNR), Mississippi (S5), Missouri (SNR), Nebraska (SNR), New York (SH), North Dakota (S2), Ohio (SNR), Oklahoma (S5), Pennsylvania (S1S2), South Dakota (S2), Tennessee (S5), Texas (SNR), West Virginia (S2) and Wisconsin (S2S3). Contact with the relevant state agencies confirms most of these designations with the following exceptions. Ranked S2 in South Dakota, this species is considered to be stable and a more accurate rank is considered S2/S3 (Steve Backlund pers. comm.). Ranked S2/S3 in Wisconsin this species is considered healthy and to have commercially harvestable populations (Karl Scheidegger pers. comm.).
Manitobais a province with its own Endangered Species Act. The purpose of this Act is to designate indigenous species as endangered, threatened, extinct or extirpated, to protect and enhance survival of species considered endangered or threatened and to permit the reintroduction of extirpated species. Under this Act no person can cause harm, possess, disturb or interfere with species that are recognized as endangered, threatened or reintroduced. Furthermore, habitat or required resources of such species cannot be destroyed, disturbed or interfered with. It is not permitted to kill, capture, collect or hold alive such species. Exceptions to this require a permit and include reasons such as scientific investigations and purposes related to protection or reintroduction of such species. Another exception is ministerial discretion based on assurance of protection and preservation of the species, or appropriate measures being established to minimize impact of whatever the activity under consideration might be. Mussels are considered shellfish in Manitoba and fall under the jurisdiction of the Fisheries Branch. Currently, the collection of freshwater mussels in Manitoba requires a permit from the Fisheries Branch. Mussels are considered shellfish and defined under the provincial and federal Fisheries Act as fish. This means that all federal and provincial licensing and permitting regulations apply. Day-to-day management over fisheries has been placed under provincial jurisdiction. In Manitoba a permit under the Fisheries Act is required to collect mussels with a possession limit of 25 for any single species. At present, there is no specific protection afforded Quadrula quadrula under either the provincial Endangered Species Act, or the Fisheries Act other than requiring a permit to collect.
Ontario is one of six provinces that have stand-alone Endangered Species Acts. Species designated as endangered are protected from willful destruction under these Acts. Since freshwater mussels are not regulated in Ontario at the present time, Quadrula quadrula would not benefit from endangered species legislation in this province. The federal Fisheries Act may represent the most important legislation protecting mussel habitat in Canada. Freshwater mussels are considered to be shellfish and, as such, are included in the definition of “fish” under the Act. Collection of live mussels is considered “fishing” and falls under the Ontario Fishery Regulations made under the federal Fisheries Act. This means that mussels cannot be collected in Ontario without a permit from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Threatened and endangered species in Ontario receive policy level protection from development and site alteration through the Provincial Policy Statement under the provincial Planning Act. The Ontario Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act (prohibiting the impoundment or diversion of watercourses that would lead to siltation) and the voluntary Land Stewardship II program of OMAFRA (designed to reduce the erosion of agricultural lands) also protect mussel habitat. Stream-side development in Ontario is managed through flood plain regulations enforced by local Conservation Authorities.
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