Permits issued under Endangered Species Act

Environment and Conservation Minister Tom Osborne said today that a total of seven permits were issued under the Endangered Species Act over the past year. The permits were issued under Section 18 of the act which allows the minister to issue permits under certain conditions and activities such as possession and research.

Since April 2003, five permits were issued for possession and two for research of listed threatened and endangered species. Possession permits were given to Memorial University of Newfoundland and the Newfoundland Museum, both of whom maintain reference collections of threatened and endangered plants. Possession permits were also provided to several organizations who have mounts of the endangered Newfoundland Marten and are primarily used for educational purposes.

Research permits were issued for Woodland caribou in Labrador and Long�s and Fernald�s Braya in Newfoundland. In each case, the applicant had to complete an application form and provide an acceptable rationale for the research activity. The possession and research permits were for five listed species: Long�s Braya, Fernald�s Braya, Barrens Willow, Newfoundland Marten, and the Woodland caribou.

Minister Osborne said the listed species were not put at further risk as a result of the permits, adding that, in most cases, the permits dealt with existing collections that contain listed species. The minister added that research activities carried out under permit assist in the management and recovery of the listed species.

For further information on permitting under the Endangered Species Act or any other aspect of species at risk management and recovery, contact the Endangered Species and Biodiversity Program of the Inland Fish and Wildlife Division at (709) 637-2026.

Media contact: Sonia Glover, Communications, (709) 729-2575

2004 05 04                                        11:40 a.m.