Special Concern - Environment and Conservation

A Provincial Policy Regarding the Conservation of Species at Risk

	The province supports as a guiding principle, that all species have the right to exist therefore no species should become extinct or extirpated owing to human actions.
	The province is committed to implementing the provisions of the Accord for the Conservation of Species at Risk to which it is a signatory.
	The province recognizes that as a first step it should manage species so that they do not become at risk.
	The province supports the ‘Precautionary Principle’ with respect to endangered species, that is: “A lack of full scientific certainty must not be used as a reason to delay measures to avoid or minimize threats to species at risk”
	The province recognizes that endangered species protection and recovery is everyone’s business therefore private citizens, municipalities, corporations and interested groups will be encouraged to participate in programs and projects related to the conservation of species at risk such as stewardship initiatives.
	The province recognizes that habitat management and protection will be key to the survival and recovery of many listed species. It will access as appropriate the tools it has available, such as wilderness, ecological and wildlife reserves, critical and recovery habitat, conservation management agreements, stewardship initiatives and resource management planning processes to meet the habitat needs of the species.
	The province will endeavor to implement habitat protection on private lands for species at risk by working with the landowners through stewardship initiatives and/or conservation management agreements.
	The province is committed to carrying out consultation with those who may be directly affected by the implementation of critical habitat protection under the Endangered Species Act and accompanying regulations including private citizens, companies and other government agencies.
	The province recognizes the need to ensure status evaluations for candidate species at risk be conducted in a transparent manner based upon science and traditional ecological knowledge. Those who are appointed to the Species Status Advisory Committee (SSAC) will be recognized scientists, wildlife managers and those most familiar with the gathering and interpretation of traditional ecological knowledge.
	The province will consult with the Inuit and Innu on the management, conservation, protection and recovery of those species in areas under current land claims negotiations.
	The province will endeavor to implement recovery whenever it is feasible and practical. The Province will support partnerships with those interested in carrying out species recovery.
	The province will encourage multi-species recovery efforts particularly where species share the same or similar ecosystems.
	The province supports multi-jurisdictional recovery efforts and is committed to working with other jurisdictions for the conservation of species at risk.
	The province will take into account, as part of any review under the Province’s environmental assessment process, the impacts of projects on listed endangered, threatened, and vulnerable species and their critical habitats.