Western silvery minnow (Hybognathus argyritis) COSEWIC assessment and status report: chapter 10
Existing Protection or Other Status Designations
The western silvery minnow was first designated by COSEWIC as “Special Concern” in April 1997. Status was re-examined and designated “Threatened” in 2001. In June 2003 the western silvery minnow was officially listed on Schedule 1 of the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA) as “Threatened”. SARA makes it an offence in section 32 to kill, harm, harass, capture, possess, collect, buy, sell or trade or take an individual of a listed species that is threatened (SARA 2007). The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans must prepare recovery strategies for species listed as extirpated, endangered or threatened fish within three years of the species being listed. Recovery teams use the information gathered by COSEWIC to begin developing a recovery strategy. The recovery strategy for western silvery minnow is in its final review stage and sets out the population goals and objectives and broad approaches to respond to the known threats to the survival of the species, identifies the species' critical habitat, if possible, and sets time lines (2009) for the preparation of an action plan or action plans (Milk River Fish Species at Risk Recovery Team 2007; SARA 2007). The proposed recovery strategy is also intended to benefit other species in the Milk River , including the eastslope sculpin (Cottus sp.), and the stonecat (Noturus flavus). Both species are considered “Threatened” in Alberta, and the eastslope sculpin was recently listed as such under SARA. Measures directed at maintaining stream flows, preventing habitat destruction and avoiding species introductions should benefit these and other species. Habitat protection measures were further described under the section on Habitat protection above.
The national ranking for the United States is N4 (as of August 28, 1998) (NatureServe Explorer 2007). In the United States, the western silvery minnow was formerly considered a candidate for the federal rare and endangered species list, but as of February 28, 1996 was removed from this list, although it remains a “species of management concern.” The western silvery minnow is ranked “S1” in Iowa, “S2” in Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois, “S4” or “S5” in Montana, Nebraska and South Dakota, and is unranked in North Dakota (NatureServe Explorer 2007). Globally, the Nature Conservancy gave this species a status of “G4” (as of November 1998).
The western silvery minnow is currently ranked as “At Risk” in Alberta, according to The General Status of Alberta Wild Species 2005 (Alberta Sustainable Resource Development 2005). The Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre (2002b) tracks provincial and global rankings. Provincially, the western silvery minnow is ranked as “S1” (as of April 2000), which is the highest “S” rank.
No specific management for western silvery minnow exists in Alberta; however, the species was removed from the allowable baitfish list under Alberta’s Baitfish Regulations in order to protect the species. The extremely limited distribution of this species in the Milk River also prompted the Fish and Wildlife Division of Alberta Sustainable Resource Development to commission recent and ongoing surveys in the Milk River. The surveys are intended to help determine the status of the western silvery minnow in Alberta and to provide recommendations with regards to protection. Recommendations include the maintenance of monitoring studies on a regular basis at specific index sites to track abundance, and more detailed studies on the distribution, abundance, and habitat preferences of the western silvery minnow (RL&L 2002b). The identification and protection of critical habitat requirements for juvenile and adult western silvery minnow in the lower Milk River is crucial to the continued existence of this rare species in Alberta.
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