Report on Outstanding Species at Risk Last update November 2007

Under the Species at Risk Act (SARA), the Governor in Council can, within nine months of receiving an assessment of the status of a species by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), either;

  1. accept the assessment and add the species to Schedule 1;
  2. decide to not add the species to Schedule 1; or
  3. refer the assessment back to COSEWIC for further information or consideration.

The current status of species under extended consultations or for which a Not List decision was made by the GiC to accommodate further consultations. Decisions to Refer species back to COSEWIC for further consideration are also included.

Batch 1 Terrestrial, Not Listed (2 species)
Species Range COSEWIC Status Current Situation
Grizzly Bear
(Ursus arctos)
Northwestern population
YT NT NU BC AB Special Concern Governor in Council Decision: 12 Jan 2005. Not listed at this time, pending completion of a consultation process with the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board. See Rationale for decision
Wolverine
(Gulo gulo)
Western population
YT NT NU BC AB SK MB ON Special Concern Governor in Council Decision: 12 Jan 2005. Not listed at this time, pending completion of a consultation process with the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board. See Rationale for decision
Batch 1 Terrestrial, Referred back (1 species)
Species Range COSEWIC Status Current Situation
Polar Bear
(Ursus maritimus)
YT NT NU MB ON QC NL Arctic Ocean Special Concern
  • Governor in Council Decision: 12 Jan 2005. Not listed at this time, pending completion of a consultation process with the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board. See Rationale for decision
  • Governor in Council Decision: 14 Jul 2005. Referred back to COSEWIC for further information or consideration. See Rationale for decision
Batch 1 Aquatic, Referred back (7 species)
Species Range COSEWIC Status Current Situation
Atlantic Cod
(Gadus morhua)
Arctic population
Arctic Ocean Special Concern
  • Governor in Council Decision: 06 Apr 2006. Referred back to COSEWIC for further information or consideration. See Rationale for decision
  • 15 Dec 2006: COSEWIC reaffirmed their original assessment. Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Bocaccio
(Sebastes paucispinis)
Pacific Ocean Threatened
  • Governor in Council Decision: 06 Apr 2006. Referred back to COSEWIC for further information or consideration. See Rationale for decision
  • 15 Dec 2006: COSEWIC reaffirmed their original assessment. Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Cusk
(Brosme brosme)
Atlantic Ocean Threatened
  • Governor in Council Decision: 06 Apr 2006. Referred back to COSEWIC for further information or consideration. See Rationale for decision
  • 15 Dec 2006: COSEWIC reaffirmed their original assessment. Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Harbour Porpoise
(Phocoena phocoena)
Northwest Atlantic population
Atlantic Ocean Special Concern See below under Batch 4.
Lake Winnipeg Physa Snail
(Physa sp.)
MB Endangered
  • Governor in Council Decision: 06 Apr 2006. Referred back to COSEWIC for further information or consideration. See Rationale for decision
  • 15 Dec 2006: COSEWIC reaffirmed their original assessment. Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Shortjaw Cisco
(Coregonus zenithicus)
NT AB SK MB ON Threatened Governor in Council Decision: 06 Apr 2006. Referred back to COSEWIC for further information or consideration. See Rationale for decision
Speckled Dace
(Rhinichthys osculus)
BC Endangered See below under Batch 4.
Batch 2 Terrestrial Not Listed (4)
Species Range COSEWIC Status Current Situation
Barren-ground Caribou
(Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus)
Dolphin and Union population
NT NU Special Concern Governor in Council Decision: 14 Jul 2005. Not listed at this time, pending completion of a consultation process with the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board. See Rationale for decision
Peary Caribou
(Rangifer tarandus pearyi)
NT NU Endangered Governor in Council Decision: 14 Jul 2005. Not listed at this time, pending completion of a consultation process with the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board. See Rationale for decision
Plains Bison
(Bison bison bison)
BC AB SK MB Threatened GiC decision: 14 July 2005. Not listed at this time, for potential economic implications for the Canadian bison industry. See Rationale for decision
Porsild's Bryum
(Mielichhoferia macrocarpa)
NU BC AB NL Threatened Governor in Council Decision: 14 Jul 2005. Not listed at this time, pending completion of a consultation process with the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board. See Rationale for decision
Batch 2 Terrestrial Referred back (1)
Species Range COSEWIC Status Current Situation
Dwarf Woolly-heads
(Psilocarphus brevissimus)
Southern Mountain population
BC Endangered Governor in Council Decision: 14 Jul 2005. Referred back to COSEWIC for further information or consideration.

See Rationale for decision

COSEWIC re-assessment: April 2006.
Governor in Council ReceiptFootnotea: 26 Apr 2007, decision required by 26 Jan 2008.
Batch 2 - Aquatic species not added to Schedule 1 of SARA (5 species)
Species Range COSEWIC Status Current Situation
Beluga Whale
(Delphinapterus leucas)
Cumberland Sound population
NU Arctic Ocean Threatened Governor in Council Decision: 15 Aug 2006. Not listed at this time, pending completion of a consultation process with the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board. See Rationale for decision
Beluga Whale
(Delphinapterus leucas)
Eastern High Arctic - Baffin Bay population
NU Arctic Ocean Special Concern Governor in Council Decision: 15 Aug 2006. Not listed at this time, pending completion of a consultation process with the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board. See Rationale for decision
Beluga Whale
(Delphinapterus leucas)
Eastern Hudson Bay population
NU QC Arctic Ocean Atlantic Ocean Endangered Governor in Council Decision: 15 Aug 2006. Not listed at this time, pending completion of a consultation process with the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board. See Rationale for decision
Beluga Whale
(Delphinapterus leucas)
Ungava Bay population
QC Arctic Ocean Atlantic Ocean Endangered Governor in Council Decision: 15 Aug 2006. Not listed at this time, pending completion of a consultation process with the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board. See Rationale for decision
Beluga Whale
(Delphinapterus leucas)
Western Hudson Bay population
NU MB ON Arctic Ocean Atlantic Ocean Special Concern Governor in Council Decision: 15 Aug 2006. Not listed at this time, pending completion of a consultation process with the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board. See Rationale for decision
Batch 3 Terrestrial, Referred back (1 species)
Species Range COSEWIC Status Current Situation
Verna's Flower Moth
(Schinia verna)
AB SK MB Threatened
  • Governor in Council Decision: 15 Aug 2006. Referred back to COSEWIC for further information or consideration.
  • 15 Dec 2006: COSEWIC reaffirmed their original assessment. Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea. See Rationale for decision
Batch 3 Aquatic, Extended Consultations complete (6 species)
Species Range COSEWIC Status Current Situation
Bering Cisco
(Coregonus laurettae)
YT Special Concern Governor in Council Receipt: 26 Apr 2007, decision required by 26 Jan 2008.
Black Redhorse
(Moxostoma duquesnei)
ON Threatened Governor in Council Receipt: 26 Apr 2007, decision required by 26 Jan 2008.
Bowhead Whale
(Balaena mysticetus)
Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort population
Arctic Ocean Special Concern Governor in Council Receipt: 26 Apr 2007, decision required by 26 Jan 2008.
Copper Redhorse
(Moxostoma hubbsi)
QC Endangered Governor in Council Receipt: 26 Apr 2007, decision required by 26 Jan 2008.
Shortnose Cisco
(Coregonus reighardi)
ON Endangered Governor in Council Receipt: 26 Apr 2007, decision required by 26 Jan 2008.
Upper Great Lakes Kiyi
(Coregonus kiyi kiyi)
ON Special Concern Governor in Council Receipt: 26 Apr 2007, decision required by 26 Jan 2008.
Batch 3 Aquatic, Extended Consultations still ongoing (10 species)
Species Range COSEWIC Status Current Situation
Bowhead Whale
(Balaena mysticetus)
Hudson Bay-Foxe Basin population
Arctic Ocean Threatened Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Bowhead Whale
(Balaena mysticetus)
Davis Strait-Baffin Bay population
Arctic Ocean Threatened Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Narwhal
(Monodon monoceros)
Arctic Ocean Special Concern Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Shortnose Sturgeon
(Acipenser brevirostrum)
NB Special Concern Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Striped Bass
(Morone saxatilis)
Bay of Fundy population
NB NS Atlantic Ocean Threatened Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Striped Bass
(Morone saxatilis)
Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence population
QC NB PE NS Atlantic Ocean Threatened Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Striped Bass
(Morone saxatilis)
St. Lawrence Estuary population
QC Atlantic Ocean Extirpated Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Winter Skate
(Leucoraja ocellata)
Eastern Scotian Shelf population
Atlantic Ocean Threatened Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Winter Skate
(Leucoraja ocellata)
Georges Bank-Western Scotian Shelf-Bay of Fundy population
Atlantic Ocean Special Concern Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Winter Skate
(Leucoraja ocellata)
Southern Gulf population
Atlantic Ocean Endangered Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Batch 4 - Terrestrial species following Extended consultations (3 species
Species Range COSEWIC Status Current Situation
Ivory Gull
(Pagophila eburnea)
NT NU NL Endangered Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Lake Erie Watersnake
(Nerodia sipedon insularum)
ON Endangered Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Rusty Blackbird
(Euphagus carolinus)
YT NT NU BC AB SK MB ON QC NB PE NS NL Special Concern Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Batch 4 - Aquatic species following Extended consultations (13 species)
Species Range COSEWIC Status Current Situation
American Eel
(Anguilla rostrata)
ON QC NB PE NS NL Atlantic Ocean Special Concern Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Atlantic Salmon
(Salmo salar)
Lake Ontario population
ON Extirpated Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Atlantic Walrus
(Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus)
NU MB ON QC NB PE NS NL Arctic Ocean Special Concern Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Blue Shark
(Prionace glauca)
Atlantic population
Atlantic Ocean Special Concern Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Chinook Salmon
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
Okanagan population
BC Pacific Ocean Threatened Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Harbour Porpoise
(Phocoena phocoena)
Northwest Atlantic population
Atlantic Ocean Special Concern
  • Governor in Council Decision: 06 Apr 2006. Referred back to COSEWIC for further information or consideration. See Rationale for decision
  • COSEWIC re-assessment: April 2006.
  • Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Mapleleaf Mussel
(Quadrula quadrula)
Great Lakes - Western St. Lawrence population
ON Threatened Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Mapleleaf Mussel
(Quadrula quadrula)
Saskatchewan - Nelson population
MB Endangered Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Northern Fur Seal
(Callorhinus ursinus)
BC Pacific Ocean Threatened Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Rainbow Mussel
(Villosa iris)
ON Endangered Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Shortfin Mako
(Isurus oxyrinchus)
Atlantic population
Atlantic Ocean Threatened Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
Speckled Dace
(Rhinichthys osculus)
BC Endangered
  • Governor in Council Decision: 12 Jan 2005. Referred back to COSEWIC for further information or consideration. See Rationale for decision
  • COSEWIC re-assessment: April 2006.
  • Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.
White Shark
(Carcharodon carcharias)
Atlantic population
Atlantic Ocean Endangered Consultations occur prior to Governor in Council receiptFootnotea.

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