Process to Include Wildlife Management Boards¹ (WMBs) in the COSEWIC Status Assessment process.

May 2004

General

Wildlife Management Boards (WMBs) in British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Quebec were established under land claims agreements to manage wildlife in their jurisdictions. Because COSEWIC has been mandated to evaluate the status of species at risk in Canada, it is important that COSEWIC and the Wildlife Management Boards work together for species that fall into their joint jurisdictions. Recent discussions between COSEWIC and the Wildlife Management Boards resulted in a process to ensure that the WMBs have opportunity for input during the preparation and review of status reports for species within their management area.

As a first step, COSEWIC prepared a list for each WMB showing the species assessed by COSEWIC in the jurisdiction of each WMB, and the species' scheduled assessment updates. Each WMB was asked to verify that the species occurred in their jurisdiction. COSEWIC will add to and amend the lists of "WMB species" as necessary.

COSEWIC will continue to provide information to the Wildlife Management Boards on assessment procedures, meetings, calls for bids for reports and calls for membership. Meetings with WMBs will be scheduled when required, upon request. These measures will ensure that the Wildlife Management Boards remain apprised of COSEWIC's activities, and facilitate their involvement in the process of species assessment.

Wildlife Management Boards will be involved in each stage of species assessment, as detailed below.

Species proposed for designation

1. WMBs will be kept informed by COSEWIC about the schedule of species expected to be examined. This information will be provided to the WMBs by the Secretariat, together with background information on why the species should be assessed.

2. COSEWIC will seek and welcome input from WMBs to its candidate list and scheduling of assessment.

Status report commissioned

1. At least one month before posting its annual call for bids, for each species, the COSEWIC secretariat will ask the WMBs how they want to be involved in report production. Responses received from the WMBs will be forwarded to the relevant SSC Co-chair, who will take it into account.

2. WMBs may provide input on the Call for Bids for each report, amount of funding likely required to complete the report, and the selection of authors. Final selection of report writer remains a responsibility of each SSC.

Status report prepared and reviewed

1. For the purpose of status report preparation and review, WMBs are considered range jurisdictions: i.e., WMBs will be contacted by report writers to request available information on species, including harvest studies and other surveys or reports.

2. WMBs will have at least 3 months to review and provide comments on draft status reports and may suggest additional sources of information.

3. WMBs will have 4 months to provide additional comments after receiving the Interim Status report. WMBs may waive their right to a 4-month review to expedite the assessment process. COSEWIC requires a response by all jurisdictions two months before its meeting.

4. ATK inclusion will be coordinated with the ATK Subcommittee.

5. WMBs and SSC and ATK SC co-chairs will communicate directly regarding incorporation of comments into species status reports.

6. The COSEWIC Secretariat will assist with requests from WMBs to circulate their review comments to other WMBs.

7. Two months before each Species Assessment Meeting, COSEWIC will provide WMBs with the revised copy of the Interim Status Report that will be sent to all members. The WMBs will be invited, by letter to the Chairperson from the COSEWIC Secretariat, to provide the relevant SSC Co-Chair their comments, recommendation for a national designation and the reason for their recommendation.

Species status assessment

1. WMBs wishing to be involved in the status report review process will be invited to send observers to SSC meetings or to participate via teleconference.

2. WMBs that have been involved in the review process may send observers to COSEWIC Assessment meetings. Observers will be welcomed at the discretion of the Chair of COSEWIC.

3. WMBs will be included in conference calls or any other means of communications employed with Canadian Wildlife Directors Committee to communicate assessment results after the COSEWIC Assessment meetings.

¹…any board or other body established under a land claims agreement that is authorized by the agreement to perform functions in respect of wildlife species', Species at Risk Act, S.C. 2002, c.29.