Space for the Redside Dace
In clear, slow-flowing streams and ponds of southern Ontario live minnows with characteristic red stripes on their sides – the redside dace (Clinostomus elongatus).
Redside dace are insect hunters. They need plants overhanging their streams, to ensure that prey insects will be available. They need clear water so they can see their prey and leap out of the water to catch when the time is right. Unfortunately, redside dace are classified as an endangered species in Ontario, largely due to the loss of habitat.
Redside dace occur in the most highly populated and rapidly growing areas of the province. Urban development continues to be the major factor in reducing available habitat for the species, and redside dace have disappeared completely from some watersheds. Increased stream flow and decreased water quality have made streams less hospitable for the fish, due to higher volumes of runoff from new urban developments. The availability of prey insects has been reduced, due to the removal of streamside vegetation for reinforcement or construction of bridges. For example, major infrastructure upgrades, such as the Highway 407 expansion in the GTA, will require direct and indirect changes to redside dace streams.
A recovery strategy was finalized for the redside dace in February 2010. This document was the work of the redside dace recovery team, including both MNR staff and external experts. It provides information about the threats to the survival of the species, objectives for the protection and recovery of the species, the habitat needs of the species, and recommendations to the Minister of Natural Resources on the area that should be considered in developing a habitat regulation under the Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA).
The recovery strategy’s definition of habitat and its recommendation of what should be protected will be the most controversial elements of this strategy, because of the perceived restrictions on current and future building and land development projects.
As all government action will build on the recovery strategy, it is crucial that it is an unbiased, science-based document. Recovery teams should be able to speak and write freely without feeling they are being censored or under internal pressures to move in a particular direction by their own organizations. They have the critical job of describing what habitat is necessary for continued existence and recovery of a species – in the case of the redside dace, a difficult job as its habitat is in rapidly developing areas. MNR has taken a leadership role in drafting and finalizing the redside dace recovery strategy. Without formal, transparent policies to guide recovery teams, the ministry’s high level of involvement threatens to undermine the credibility of the recovery planning process.
Monitoring of redside dace populations is necessary to provide baseline status data, and also to determine the success of ongoing recovery efforts. Some members of the recovery team have been denied research permits by MNR for redside dace monitoring activities. In contrast, MNR issued a permit in 2010 allowing the destruction of redside dace habitat and harm to the species in order to build a school, though mitigating measures in place are intended to provide benefit to the species over the long term. MNR also entered into agreements with various municipalities to allow harm to redside dace and their habitat, related to the maintenance of municipal drains.
The government response to the redside dace recovery strategy is required to be posted on the Environmental Registry by November 18, 2010. This response will outline what the Ontario government will do to protect and recover the redside dace.
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| This is an article from the 2009/10 Annual Report to the Legislature from the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. |
Citing This Article:
Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. 2010. "Space for the Redside Dace." Redefining Conservation, ECO Annual Report, 2009/10. Toronto, ON : Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. 52-3.
