Plan St-Laurent - Pour un développement durable

• The St. Lawrence
  River in good hands
  • Governmental
    actions
  • St. Lawrence Plan
  • 
    • Already 20 years!
    • Highlights
    • Achievements
    • Testimonies
    • Photo album
    • Activity schedule

Achievements

Biodiversity and ecosystem conservation

Protection of biodiversity and conservation of the ecosystems of the St. Lawrence was one of the four areas of intervention of the first phase of the SLP, and has always been one of its priorities thereafter.

• Protection of more than 100,000 ha of natural habitats by creating and expanding parks, ecological reserves and wildlife reserves as well as by establishing conservation agreements which call on the participation of non-governmental organisations (phases 1, 2, 3).

• Mapping the whole of Quebec to identify priority wildlife habitats (phase 1).

• Publication of a list of species likely to be designated as threatened or vulnerable and which could gain protective status pursuant to Quebec’s Act Respecting Threatened or Vulnerable Species (phase 1).

• Adoption of protection measures and recovery plans for some 20 animal species and almost 30 plant species considered a priority (phases 1, 2, 3). – Among the species covered: Beluga, Piping Plover, Atlantic Sturgeon and Eastern Spiny Softshell among animals; Green Dragon, False Hop Sedge and Anticosti Aster among plants. The measures range from knowledge acquisition to the implementation of recovery plans.
•  Drawing up a list of 155 species with populations that are threatened or in decline in the St. Lawrence corridor (phase 2). – “Rapport sur les espèces de faune et de flore prioritaires au Plan d'action Saint-Laurent Vision 2000”.

• Creation of the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park, with an area of 1138 km² (phase 2). – This is the first marine park in Canada and the first park co-managed by the governments of Canada and Quebec, in close partnership with the area.

• Design of two Marine Protected Areas (MPA) in the St. Lawrence, under Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s MPA program (phase 3). – In the Manicouagan peninsula to protect its rich marine and estuarial ecosystems, and in the estuary to protect belugas in their marine territory (non-coastal) as a complementary measure to the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park.

• Promoting ten sensitive areas by creating integrated management committees in the coastal communities of Gaspésie, Magdalen Islands and the North Shore (phase 3).

• Installation of a multispecies migratory passage at the Saint-Ours dam, on the Richelieu river (phase 3). – The aim is to re-establish free upstream passage for five fish species with special concern status: Lake Sturgeon, American Eel, American Shad, River Redhorse and Copper Redhorse.

• Assessment of the environmental impact of artificial fluctuations in the water levels in the fluvial section of the St. Lawrence (phase 3). – With a view to reassessment of the regulation criteria of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River by the International Joint Commission.

• Establishment of three management plans for priority-classed migratory birds (phase 4). – Common Eider, Greater Snow Goose and shorebirds, within activities involving 15 species.

• Implementation of a wild animal and plant survey program for species at risk in federal and provincial protected areas along the St. Lawrence (phase 4). – By three Departments and owners of private sites.