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NLIS 4 July 25, 2003 (Tourism, Culture and Recreation) Minister accepts recovery plans under the Endangered Species Act Julie Bettney, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, today announced that she has released recovery plans for the endangered Piping Plover and Newfoundland Marten and the threatened Peregrine Falcon. These are in addition to the plan for the Long�s Braya and Fernald�s Braya which she released last fall. On July 30, 2002, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador listed these species under the Endangered Species Act, along with the Barrens Willow, the Wolverine and the Eskimo Curlew. "Government is committed to protecting and preserving species that are at risk," said Minister Bettney. "These recovery plans include a review of the issues, goals and objectives, and an outline for the series of actions to facilitate species recovery. The plans also help establish recovery priorities and identify who should lead a recovery action. I thank the recovery teams - including managers, researchers and stakeholders - who conducted a great deal of work to prepare these recovery plans." The provincial Endangered Species Act requires that recovery plans for endangered species be released within one year of listing. The Act allows for some exceptions, including a six month extension for the release date, if needed, or exemption from recovery planning where recovery is not considered feasible. Plans prepared with other jurisdictions can satisfy the requirements of the Act. Plans for the Newfoundland Marten and Piping Plover were previously prepared under the national recovery planning process Recovery of Nationally Endangered Wildlife or RENEW. The Marten plan was prepared in 1995 and the Plover Plan in 2002. "I am also accepting these plans as recovery plans under the Act, since they form the basis for the recovery of these species," said Minister Bettney. "However, older plans such as the one for the Newfoundland Marten will have to be revised in the future to reflect new information and changing goals and priorities." Therefore, all plans should be considered living documents in that they are under constant review. Recovery Plans for the Barrens Willow and Wolverine have only recently been drafted and are undergoing final revisions. The minister will delay the release of these plans for six months, as is allowed under the Act. The Wolverine plan is a joint plan with the Province of Quebec. "Unfortunately, a recovery plan for the Eskimo Curlew is currently not technically feasible," said Minister Bettney. "It has been almost 50 years since the last Curlew was seen and this species may indeed be extinct. The coastal areas of Newfoundland and Labrador were important to this bird during fall migration. However, if birds are found in the future, we will consider a recovery plan." Plans for threatened species have to be released within two years of listing. Plans were prepared for the threatened Fernald�s Braya in 2002 and for the Peregrine Falcon in 1988, and have been accepted for these species. "Newfoundland and Labrador is home to an abundance of diverse and unique species," said Minister Bettney. "Government will take appropriate measures to give our at-risk species a chance to recover." Copies of the recovery plans for the Newfoundland Marten, the Piping Plover, the Peregrine Falcon and Long�s Braya/Fernald�s Braya can be obtained from the Inland Fish and Wildlife Division, P.O. Box 2007, Corner Brook, NL or by phoning (709) 637-2025. Media contact: Vanessa Colman-Sadd, Communications, (709) 729-0857 Highlights from the Recovery Plans Piping Plover
Newfoundland Marten
Long�s Braya/Fernald�s Braya
Peregrine Falcon
2003 07 25 2:30 p.m. |
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