Good morning Mr. Chair and committee members.
My name is Nicole Bouchard and I am the Director General of Biodiversity Management at Fisheries and Oceans Canada. I appreciate the opportunity to appear before this committee on behalf of the department to speak to the follow-up audit on the recovery of species at risk.
The Commissioner’s report raises awareness of the global biodiversity crisis and challenges the government and its partners face in delivering the best possible conservation outcomes. On behalf of my department, I'd like to thank the Commissioner for his work and acknowledge the report’s conclusions.
Moreover, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has agreed with the recommendations put forth in the audit report and is taking action to address them. These measures will help the department more effectively plan and report on the recovery of species listed under the Species at Risk Act. This will contribute to species recovery and, in turn, to the commitments Canada made under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.
Recovery documents are planning documents that describe what needs to be done to arrest or reverse the decline of a species. These documents can be seen as the building blocks for recovery, the foundation. The department relies on robust scientific information to guide the recovery planning and implementation process.
Moreover, recovery planning doesn't happen in a vacuum. Rather, it depends on the co-operation and meaningful participation of a number of partners and stakeholders, including indigenous people and communities, provincial and territorial governments, wildlife management boards, industry, academic institutions, NGOs and the public.
Engaging partners and stakeholders through the recovery planning process sets the stage for the successful implementation of recovery measures. Per the Species at Risk Act, the protection and recovery of aquatic species at risk is a shared responsibility. Partner and stakeholder buy-in is essential to future leadership, collaboration and participation in advancing water stewardship and recovery projects across Canada.
The audit report highlighted the need for continued efforts to complete outstanding recovery documents and progress reports. Fisheries and Oceans Canada is working diligently and has made progress on recovery planning. For example, as of March 31, 2023, 90% of listed aquatic species had a published recovery strategy, compared to 80% in March 2020. Since 2018, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has also produced 48 additional progress reports. In addition, as of March 31, 2023, 98% of aquatic species with a critical habit identified in a recovery document have a protection order, compared to 54% in March 2020.
Internally, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has undertaken a review of its recovery document processes with a focus on implementing efficiencies, strengthening guidance, maintaining program capacity and enhancing collaboration. In response to the audit's recommendation, DFO has started an analysis of available data and information to estimate the timelines and resources required to address overdue recovery documentation. This analysis will further inform improvements to the current recovery planning process.
The nature legacy initiative helped to lay the foundation for work that is under way to transition the department from the historical use of species-by-species approaches to multispecies approaches, where it makes sense to do so.
In closing, Fisheries and Oceans Canada is committed to fulfilling its obligations under the Species at Risk Act, including with regard to recovery planning. The department will continue to develop recovery documents within the timelines set out in the Act and to work in close collaboration with all partners and stakeholders to support species at risk protection and recovery.
Thank you.