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I have worked and consulted for industry, both in the fisheries and in the wind energy sectors. To support Andy's analysis, I have found that COSEWIC provides the best science-based and least politically-motivated assessment and classification process among federal agencies. Without putting on blinders, it is my view that we should focus on supporting COSEWIC assessments and calling for full implementation of its recommendations and the development of effective recovery plans. -----Original Message----- From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] On Behalf Of Andrew Horn Sent: April-23-14 11:11 To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Harper government's move on humpback whale is an epic fail - The Globe and Mail Hi Dusan et al., Marty's the chair of COSEWIC. The CBC piece got it right. There's various things that aren't ideal with Canada's Species at Risk Act (SARA), but one good thing is that the assessment of a species' populations status (done by COSEWIC using population size, distribution, trends, threats, etc) is kept separate from its listing (done by the government, which takes not just the status assessment but also economic and social factors into account). As it happens, COSEWIC is meeting in Halifax next week. Anyone who wants to sit in as an observer and see the assessments in action can email Marty (mleonard@dal.ca). I think I know the problems Fred refers to, but overall the people on the committee are extremely good and dedicated, and the quality of the status reports that they base their decisions on (the reports that summarize all the available info on population size, trends, threats, etc) have actually improved since SARA. I reckon the weaker links in SARA are at the listing stage (e.g., still no listing of our bats years after COSEWIC's emergency assessment) and (as many environmental groups have noted) the recovery stage (which is a totally separate process again - and overwhelmed and poorly funded). Full disclosure: I've written several status reports and, of course, my spouse just happens to be chair of COSEWIC. Cheers, Andy Horn On Apr 23, 2014, at 9:51 AM, Dusan Soudek <soudekd@ns.sympatico.ca> wrote: > Halifax's (and Dalhousie's) own Dr. Marty Leonard was on CBC TV's The National last night, and she seemed to be OK with the recent reclassification of the status of humpback whales. Unfortunately the interview was far, far too short. What is her exact position with COSEWIC? Andy? > Dusan Soudek > > > > On April 23, 2014 at 9:13 AM Fred Schueler <bckcdb@istar.ca> wrote: > > > > > > > On 2014-04-23, at 6:38 AM, Richard Stern wrote: > > > > > >> From The Globe and Mail: > > >> http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/editorials/why-is-the > > >> -humpback-only-special-now-that-gateway-beckons/article18113453/ > > > > * evidently this is just following a COSEWIC reclassification of the > > species - though it's hard to imagine that any of the great Whales > > could be anything less than Special Concern. I don't know anything > > about the COSEWIC Mammal subcommittee, but I've heard from people on > > the Herps and Mollusc subcommittees that since the Species at Risk > > Act has come in there's been various bureaucratic pressures on the > > personnel that tend to dissuade dedicated folks from serving, and > > the process of bidding on reports - rather than inflicting them on > > the person who knows the species best - must compromise the quality > > of the reports, even if it gets them finished more promptly. Someone > > in the press should look into the status of COSEWIC in the SARA era. > > > > fred. > > ------------------------------------------------------------ > > Frederick W. Schueler & Aleta Karstad Bishops Mills Natural History > > Centre - http://pinicola.ca/bmnhc.htm Mudpuppy Night in Oxford Mills > > - http://pinicola.ca/mudpup1.htm Daily Paintings - > > http://karstaddailypaintings.blogspot.com/ > > South Nation Basin Art & Science Book > > http://pinicola.ca/books/SNR_book.htm > > RR#2 Bishops Mills, Ontario, Canada K0G 1T0 on the Smiths Falls > > Limestone Plain 44* 52'N 75* 42'W > > (613)258-3107 <bckcdb at istar.ca> http://pinicola.ca/ > > ------------------------------------------------------------ > > > >
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