Eastern Sand Darter

Species information

The following is a report on progress made towards the protection and recovery of Eastern Sand Darter (Ammocrypta pellucida) in Ontario, from 2007 to 2018, based on species-specific policy. This report meets the legislative requirement for a review of progress under the Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA or “the Act”). Eastern Sand Darter  is listed as endangered on the Species at Risk in Ontario (SARO) List under the ESA.

Eastern Sand Darter has been classified as a species at risk since 2004. It was originally classified as a threatened species, and retained its ‘threatened’ status under the ESA, when it came into force in 2008. Based on a 2010 re-assessment by the Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario (COSSARO), Eastern Sand Darter was up-listed to endangered in 2010.

In 2015, the government developed a regulation under Ontario Regulation 242/08 (section 25.1), to provide clarity to the public and others on what areas are protected as Eastern Sand Darter habitat (known as a habitat regulation). The regulated habitat includes areas that are required by the species to carry out its life processes within its range in Ontario. The habitat regulation was developed based on information about the habitat needs of the species, as well as social and economic factors collected from a variety of sources, including comments received through public consultation.

The species-specific policy for Eastern Sand Darter, known as the Government Response Statement (GRS), was published in 2014, and includes the government’s recovery goal for the species, and the actions and priorities it leads or supports to help achieve that goal. The GRS considers science advice provided in the recovery strategy when developing recovery actions for the species. As legislated in the Act, the purpose of the Review is to report on progress made towards the implementation of the protection and recovery actions in the GRS. The Review can also help identify opportunities to adjust and adapt the implementation of protection and recovery actions to achieve the recovery goal for the species.

Further information about Eastern Sand Darter, including the threats it faces and actions being taken to help protect and recover the species, is available on the Government of Ontario webpage for Eastern Sand Darter. A summary of progress made towards the protection and recovery of Eastern Sand Darter, and an annual update on the species at risk program, are available on the Review of Progress towards the Protection and Recovery of Ontario’s Species at Risk webpage.

Snapshot

Progress towards the protection and recovery of Eastern Sand Darter

• The recovery goal in the Government Response Statement (GRS) for Eastern Sand Darter in Ontario is to maintain and enable natural increases in existing populations, and to improve the quality of the species' habitat.
• Progress has been made towards implementing all GRS government-led actions. Progress has also been made towards achieving all government-supported recovery objectives, and implementing the associated actions. Examples of progress include:
  • Conducting inventory and monitoring at known and historical locations to improve understanding of the status of populations and habitat requirements
  • Supporting partners to undertake activities to protect and recover Eastern Sand Darter and its habitat
  • Increasing awareness about Eastern Sand Darter and its habitat through education and outreach
• In alignment with the GRS, further work needs to be done to investigate the seasonal habitat requirements for all life stages of Eastern Sand Darter, particularly juveniles.

Occurrence and distribution

• Thirteen populations^{footnote 1[1]} of Eastern Sand Darter have been documented in southern Ontario. Currently, seven of these populations are extant, three are historical^{footnote 2[2]}, and three are considered extirpated.
• Since 2008, the status of one population changed from extant to historical based on the date that it was last observed, while three populations changed from either extirpated or historical to extant as their existence was confirmed through monitoring efforts. One population of Eastern Sand Darter has been newly identified in Ontario since 2008, which represents the first detection of Eastern Sand Darter in the Lake Ontario basin.

Government-supported stewardship projects

• Through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program, the Government of Ontario has enabled its stewardship partners to conduct 37 projects ($1,721,247) that have supported the protection and recovery of multiple species at risk, including Eastern Sand Darter.
• The government’s support helped its stewardship partners to involve 1,175 individuals who volunteered 6,524 hours of their time towards protection and recovery activities for species at risk, including Eastern Sand Darter. The estimated value of these voluntary contributions, as well as additional funding and in-kind support, is $2,941,233.
• Stewardship partners reported that, through their actions, 279 hectares of habitat were enhanced for Eastern Sand Darter and other species at risk that inhabit the same ecosystem.
• Stewardship partners reported providing outreach on multiple species at risk, including Eastern Sand Darter, to more than 500,500 individuals.
• Through the Species at Risk Research Fund for Ontario, the Government of Ontario supported research partners to investigate the spread and impact of the invasive species Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus) on Eastern Sand Darter populations, and to conduct an environmental DNA (eDNA) study to detect the presence of multiple species at risk, including Eastern Sand Darter.

Supporting human activities while ensuring appropriate support for species recovery

• The Government of Ontario has issued 16 permits for this species: 1 ‘health or safety’ permit issued under clause 17(2)(a), 14 ‘protection or recovery’ permits issued under clause 17(2)(b), and 1 ‘overall benefit’ permit issued under clause 17(2)(c) of the ESA.
• Twenty-three drainage agreements were entered into for Eastern Sand Darter. These agreements were enabled through Ontario Regulation 242/08 (prior to the July 1, 2013 amendment).
• Twenty-seven activities have been registered for the species under various sections of Ontario Regulation 242/08, under the ESA, including ‘Drainage works’ (section 23.9),‘Ecosystem protection’ (section 23.11), ‘Species protection, recovery activities’ (section 23.17), ‘Threats to health and safety, not imminent’ (section 23.18), and ‘Incidental trapping’ (section 23.19).

Reporting on progress towards the protection and recovery of Eastern Sand Darter

The implementation of government-led and government-supported actions demonstrates progress towards reaching the desired objectives and recovery goal set out in the GRS.

Progress towards implementing government-led actions

Progress has been made towards implementing all the government-led actions in the GRS. Common actions for the government to lead as it works toward achieving a species’ recovery goal include:

• Educate other agencies and authorities involved in planning and environmental assessment processes on the protection requirements under the ESA.
• Encourage the submission of Eastern Sand Darter data to the government's central repository at the Natural Heritage Information Centre (NHIC).
• Undertake communications and outreach to increase public awareness of species at risk in Ontario.
• Protect the Eastern Sand Darter and its habitat through the ESA. Develop and enforce the regulation identifying the specific habitat of the species.
• Support conservation, agency, municipal and industry partners, and Indigenous communities and organizations to undertake activities to protect and recover the Eastern Sand Darter. Support will be provided where appropriate through funding, agreements, permits (including conditions) and/or advisory services.
• Establish and communicate annual priority actions for government support in order to encourage collaboration and reduce duplication of efforts.

Additionally, the government has directly undertaken the following species-specific actions:

• Conduct surveys for Eastern Sand Darter in areas with suitable habitat in Lake Ontario and/or the Upper St. Lawrence River to provide a better understanding of its distribution and population status.
• Evaluate the genetic relationship of newly discovered Eastern Sand Darter populations to other known populations.
• Continue to implement the Ontario Invasive Species Strategic Plan to address the invasive species that threaten Eastern Sand Darter.

Of particular interest is the work carried out by the government to conduct extensive fish sampling in the waters of eastern Lake Ontario, Lake Erie and Lake Huron. The surveys resulted in the first discovery of Eastern Sand Darter in the Lake Ontario basin, at West Lake in 2013. Subsequent sampling in West Lake and surrounding areas from 2013 to 2015 by government and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) staff re-confirmed the species’ presence in this area of the province.

During these surveys, the effectiveness of two types of seine nets (bag and beach) was evaluated for capturing Eastern Sand Darter at multiple sites along the shores of West Lake. The beach seine was determined to be more effective for capturing Eastern Sand Darter in lake habitats than the bag seine. Results of this study could inform the development of a standardized monitoring program for Eastern Sand Darter.

Tissue samples were also collected from Eastern Sand Darter in West Lake in 2013 and genetic analysis suggests that this population is substantially different from all other Eastern Sand Darter populations (N.E. Mandrak pers. comm.). Surveys were also conducted at Big Otter Creek (a historical site), but Eastern Sand Darter was not found at this site. All of this work provided valuable information on the abundance, distribution and genetics of Eastern Sand Darter within the Lake Ontario watershed and contributed to progress on the government-led in the GRS.

In addition to the extensive, targeted survey work for Eastern Sand Darter across it’s distribution in Ontario, the government has also developed a single-species environmental DNA (eDNA) method to sample for Eastern Sand Darter and has successfully detected the species in West Lake (Reid and Haxton, in press).

Key progress towards the implementation of other government-led actions is described in the following sections.

Occurrence and distribution

Thirteen populations^{footnote 1[1]} of Eastern Sand Darter have been documented in Ontario. Seven are considered extant (i.e., observed within the past 20 years), three are considered historical^{footnote 2[2]} and three are considered extirpated. The extant populations are located in Lake Erie (Rondeau Bay), Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River, Sydenham River, Thames River, and Grand River, Big Creek in Norfolk County and West Lake in Prince Edward County.

Since 2008, the government’s central repository at the Natural Heritage Information Centre (NHIC) has received 1,030 records of the species. These records are based on observations between 1922 and 2015 and come from a variety of sources. Records submitted have helped to refine where the species is known and has been known to occur and have provided additional information on the species’ habitat and threats.

Increased monitoring since 2008 in areas where Eastern Sand Darter is found has re-confirmed five populations that were observed before 2008 within Lake St. Clair, the Thames, Sydenham and Grand rivers, Lake Erie (Rondeau Bay) and Big Creek. This monitoring has also resulted in an increase in species records and a change in status for multiple identified populations. As noted above, a new population in Ontario was discovered in West Lake in 2013. Non-targeted sampling in 2013 also led to the discovery of Eastern Sand Darters in the Detroit River, which is a new site in the Lake St. Clair watershed. The newly identified population in West Lake is likely the result of increased search effort and education about Eastern Sand Darter and may not represent actual population increases, but rather increased knowledge about the distribution of the species. The viability^{footnote 3[3]} of populations from West Lake and the Thames, Sydenham, Grand rivers are considered excellent, good or fair. The viability of the remaining three extant populations has not yet been assessed.

It is possible that there are observations of Eastern Sand Darter that have not been submitted to the government. Encouraging the submission of observations of this species is included in the GRS as a government-led action. Submission of species’ observations increases our knowledge of where they occur and can play an important role in assessing the viability of species populations.

Everyone is encouraged, or may be required by an authorization or approval to submit observations of Eastern Sand Darter, and any other species at risk observed, to the NHIC for incorporation into the provincial record of observations. Observations may now be submitted to NHIC via the Rare Species of Ontario project in iNaturalist.

• 1,030
  observations of this species were submitted to the NHIC since 2008

Government-supported stewardship projects

An important government-led action in the GRS for Eastern Sand Darter is to support partners to undertake activities to protect and recover the species. Through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program the government has supported 37 projects ($1,721,247) designed to contribute to the protection and recovery of multiple species at risk, including Eastern Sand Darter^{footnote 4[4]}. In addition to government funding, partners with projects designed for multiple species at risk, including Eastern Sand Darter, reported they were successful in securing additional funding ($2,941,233) from other sources. This amount includes in-kind support in the form of time and expertise provided by volunteers.

Stewardship partners reported that provincial funding helped them to secure in-kind support by involving 1,175 individuals who volunteered 6,524 hours of their time towards protection and recovery activities that focused on Eastern Sand Darter and multiple species at risk, which has an estimated value of $244,890. Partners also reported that, through both their efforts and the efforts of their volunteers to implement actions contained in the GRS, they were successful in enhancing 279 hectares of habitat that will benefit multiple species at risk, including Eastern Sand Darter. In addition, stewardship partners reported providing ecosystem-based outreach on multiple species, including Eastern Sand Darter, to more than 500,500 individuals.

The government also supports stewardship partners in conducting research that addresses important knowledge gaps for species at risk. Through the Species at Risk Research Fund for Ontario, funding was provided to a partner to conduct research on the potential impacts of the invasive species Round Goby on Eastern Sand Darter populations. This research provided important information on the habitat use of Round Goby in Eastern Sand Darter habitat and factors affecting its abundance, spread and impact. Another stewardship partner received funding to conduct an environmental DNA (eDNA) study to characterize the genetic variations of species at risk, including Eastern Sand Darter. The study also involved conducting eDNA surveys to help inform the status and distribution of populations.

The remainder of this section highlights two projects supported through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program.

The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority received stewardship funding in 2017 and 2018, and completed several activities that contributed to progress towards the implementation of multiple GRS actions for Eastern Sand Darter. Activities included conducting targeted surveys for Eastern Sand Darter within the upper, middle and lower Ausable River, in areas with suitable habitat, to confirm if the species is extirpated from this watershed. Despite not finding any Eastern Sand Darters, the surveys provided important information on habitat conditions, fish community composition, and suitable areas for future surveys in the watershed. Habitat restoration was also completed by planting over 14,500 trees, shrubs and native plants to restore approximately 17 hectares of riparian buffer habitat to benefit multiple species at risk. In addition, this partner completed nine education and outreach events in the Ausable River watershed to increase awareness of aquatic species at risk, including Eastern Sand Darter and that encouraged beneficial stewardship actions by landowners. Approximately 1,800 individuals participated in these outreach events. This project contributes to progress toward achieving GRS objectives (and implementing associated actions) to increase knowledge of the species’ population and habitat needs including monitoring habitat conditions and distribution at current and historical locations, improving water quality by restoring degraded habitat through riparian and shorelines rehabilitation, and improving awareness of Eastern Sand Darter and the importance of health aquatic ecosystems through education and outreach.

To increase awareness of Eastern Sand Darter and its habitat, the government has supported the Toronto Zoo since 2007 to develop and deliver curriculum-based interactive outreach, known as the Great Lakes Program (GLP). Students in Grades 1, 2, 6, 7, 8 and 11 learn about the importance of the Great Lakes and local aquatic species at risk that call the Great Lakes home, including Eastern Sand Darter. The aim of the GLP is to inspire and motivate students and community members to take an interest in nature and participate in conservation actions. Throughout the years of funding, the GLP has grown to include additional grades and reach a broader audience from Chatham-Kent to Ottawa. The GLP has developed new interactive content and multilingual education materials to meet educator and community demand. GLP resources available in English, French, Mandarin, Punjabi and Urdu are distributed to classrooms and at community functions to reach a wider audience. In 2017 and 2018 the GLP reached a total of 26,000 participants in school outreach and 3,500 participants in community outreach events, mainly in southwestern Ontario. Outreach included a focus on Eastern Sand Darter biology and ecological significance with bilingual support materials (brochures and lessons plans) distributed to participants. This project contributes to the implementation of the high-priority GRS action to work with landowners, land managers, and conservation authorities to minimize threats to the species’ habitat by sharing information about Eastern Sand Darter and its habitat.

Species at Risk Stewardship Program

• 
  37

  projects included Eastern Sand Darter

• 
  $1,721,247

  for multi-species projects that included Eastern Sand Darter

• 
  $2,941,233

  in additional funding and in-kind support

• 
  1,175

  volunteers

• 
  6,524

  volunteer hours

• 
  500,500

  people received outreach

• 
  279

  hectares of habitat enhanced

Supporting human activities while ensuring appropriate support for species

Supporting partners through permits and their associated conditions is an important government-led action. Sixteen permits have been issued for Eastern Sand Darter since 2008. Of the 16 permits issued, 1 was a health or safety’ (17(2)(a)) permit.

Fourteen ‘protection or recovery’ (17(2)(b)) permits have been issued for Eastern Sand Darter. ‘Protection or recovery’ permits are issued if the purpose of the activity is to assist in the protection or recovery of a species at risk. Four of ‘protection or recovery’ permits were issued exclusively for Eastern Sand Darter, and ten were issued for multiple species, including Eastern Sand Darter. The permits were issued to multiple conservation authorities and others, including federal and municipal partners to enable targeted surveys for the species, at known and historical locations, to increase knowledge of abundance and distribution of Eastern Sand Darter populations and other species at risk. Permits were also issued to undertake habitat restoration and scientific research activities. In particular, one research project was undertaken to examine the genetic diversity and gene flow among populations of Eastern Sand Darter. This research contributed to increasing our understanding of the genetic variation among populations of Eastern Sand Darter within the Great Lakes drainage including the Grand, Sydenham and Thames rivers.

One ‘overall benefit’ permit has been issued for multiple species, including Eastern Sand Darter. Several of the permit conditions were designed to implement government-supported actions identified in the GRS for Eastern Sand Darter, including:

• Rehabilitating degraded habitat by re-stabilizing eroding banks and planting riparian cover in areas along the shorelines
• Creating Eastern Sand Darter habitat
• Installing educational signage to promote stewardship efforts with citizens aimed at protecting aquatic species at risk and their habitat

Other conditions designed to minimize adverse effects include:

• Installing and maintaining non-woven erosion and sediment control fencing at all times during construction with a qualified professional onsite to inspect
• Storing and operating equipment in a way that prevents deleterious substances from entering the watercourse

More detailed information regarding ‘overall benefit’ permits is available through the Environment Registry of Ontario.

Twenty-three drainage agreements were entered into for Eastern Sand Darter, as were enabled through Ontario Regulation 242/08 (prior to the July 1, 2013 amendment). Conditions of the agreements involved implementing actions in the mitigation plan, including, but not limited to:

• Undertaking appropriate mitigation measures for sediment and erosion control and bank stabilization
• Mapping sensitive areas for the species before undertaking any work
• Contacting the government to seek further direction where a proposed activity will occur in a sensitive area for a fish species

Twenty-seven activities that may affect Eastern Sand Darter or its habitat have been registered under various sections of Ontario Regulation 242/08, under the ESA - nine under ‘Drainage works’ (section 23.9), four under ‘Ecosystem protection’ (section 23.11), five under ‘Species protection, recovery activities’ (section 23.17), eight under ‘Threats to health and safety, not imminent’ (section 23.18), and one under ‘Incidental trapping’ (section 23.19) . The registrations require the registrant to comply with all conditions of the Regulation, such as: ensuring that reasonable steps are taken to minimize adverse effects of the activity on the species identified in the notice of activity form; preparing a mitigation plan using best available information on steps that may help minimize or avoid adverse effects on the species; and, submitting observations of the species to the NHIC using the Ontario Species at Risk Observation Reporting Form.

• 1
  health or safety permit
• 14
  protection or recovery permits
• 1
  overall benefit permits

• 23
  agreements
• 27
  registrations

Progress towards implementing government-supported actions

Government-supported actions are organized under overarching recovery objectives. Progress has been made towards achieving all government-supported recovery objectives, and implementing all associated actions identified in the GRS for Eastern Sand Darter.

Under this objective, initial progress has been made towards implementing all actions. Actions No. 1 and 2 have been partially implemented through projects supported by the Species at Risk Stewardship Program, conditions of ESA authorizations, and through research projects completed by the government, academic institutions, and in collaboration with a federal partner. To support the development of a population and distribution monitoring protocol, multiple projects have been undertaken to assess the effectiveness of traditional (bag seine) and novel (eDNA) sampling methods to detect and monitor Eastern Sand Darter populations. These projects have provided important information on the detection probabilities, optimal gear type, and sampling effort required to detect Eastern Sand Darter. An occupancy modeling project also contributed to progress towards implementing these actions, by evaluating the species’ habitat associations and identifying sites with suitable habitat. Targeted and non-targeted sampling at known locations and at additional sites with suitable habitat have identified new occurrences, confirmed extant populations and provided important information on the distribution, abundance and habitat requirements of Eastern Sand Darter.

Under this objective, considerable progress has been made towards implementing all actions, through projects supported by the Species at Risk Stewardship Program, and the conditions of ESA authorizations. Local conservation authorities, municipalities, and non-profit organizations have undertaken multiple outreach and stewardship projects, working directly with landowners in rural areas and encouraging the use of BMPs to improve water quality in Eastern Sand Darter habitat areas. Habitat has also been created, restored and enhanced by creating wetlands, planting trees, shrubs and vegetation, and restoring riparian buffers in areas with Eastern Sand Darter and along municipal drains to improve habitat conditions and reduce erosion and sedimentation. Proponents undertaking habitat restoration activities were also encouraged to use BMPs for the effective control and removal of the invasive European Common Reed (Phragmites australis ssp. australis).

Under this objective, progress has been made towards implementing all actions. Action No. 6 has been implemented through multiple outreach and education campaigns delivered by conservation authorities, and non-profit organizations and industry partners. Presentations, seminars, workshops, education programs and materials (e.g., brochures, newsletters, guidebooks) have been delivered to local landowners, anglers, school groups, non-profit organizations and community members to increase knowledge of species at risk, including Eastern Sand Darter, promote the importance of BMPs to enhance water quality and river health, and encourage involvement in stewardship activities. A Baitfish Primer has been developed by government and DFO staff to help educate anglers and bait harvesters on the appearance and distribution of Eastern Sand Darter while communicating the restrictions around catching this species. Action No. 7 has also been implemented through these outreach and education campaigns by increasing awareness of invasive species and measures to prevent their spread.

Summary of progress towards meeting the recovery goal

The recovery goal for Eastern Sand Darter is to maintain and enable natural increases in existing populations, and to improve the quality of the species' habitat. Effort made towards implementing government-led and government-supported actions has contributed to progress towards this goal. For example, observations submitted to the NHIC have helped refine our knowledge of the status of populations at known and historical locations. Monitoring and sampling efforts have confirmed the continuing presence of seven extant populations, which includes identification of a new population in an area where the species was previously unknown, and confirming three populations (previously considered historic or extirpated) as extant. Considerable effort has been made towards creating, restoring and enhancing habitat for Eastern Sand Darter to improve the quality of the species’ habitat and to support the persistence of its populations in Ontario. Further information on population abundance and trends over time are needed to determine whether natural increases in abundance are noted in existing populations.

A federal report on the progress made towards implementing the Recovery Strategy for Eastern Sand Darter in Canada from 2012 to 2017 has been prepared by DFO. Progress made towards meeting the objectives listed in the federal Recovery Strategy for Eastern Sand Darter can be found on the Government of Canada webpage and the associated actions may contribute towards meeting the species’ recovery goal set out in the GRS.

Recommendations

As stated in the GRS, this Review of Progress can be used to help identify whether adjustments to the implementation of GRS actions are needed to achieve the protection and recovery of the species. Based on progress to date, the overall direction provided in the GRS for Eastern Sand Darter, particularly the implementation of actions identified as high priority, should continue to guide protection and recovery of the species. Although varying levels of progress have been made towards implementing most of the GRS actions for Eastern Sand Darter, further work is needed to fully implement these actions, and contribute to the ongoing protection and recovery of this species.

Although initial progress has been made towards investigating and mapping seasonal habitat requirements of Eastern Sand Darter through occupancy modeling, further work is required to fully implement this action, particularly for juveniles. Considerable work has been done to survey populations at known and historical sites and evaluate the effectiveness of sampling techniques; however, more work is needed to develop and implement a standardized long-term monitoring program to evaluate the health of populations within the species’ range and monitor population abundances to track trends. Additional surveys at historical sites within Lake Erie (i.e., Pelee Island, Long Point and Turkey Point, Holiday Beach and Colchester Beach) would be useful to determine the current status of these populations.

Protecting and recovering Eastern Sand Darter will continue to be a shared responsibility that will require the involvement of many individuals, organizations and communities. Financial support for the implementation of actions may be available through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program. The government can also advise if any authorizations under the ESA or other legislation may be required to undertake a project. By working together, we can continue to make progress towards protecting and recovering Eastern Sand Darter in Ontario.

References

Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario (COSSARO). 2010. Ontario Species at Risk Evaluation Report for Eastern Sand Darter (Ammocrypta pellucida).

Mandrak, N.E. 2019. Email correspondence to N.E. Mandrak. April 15, 2019. Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario.

Reid, S. and Haxton, T. In press. Use of environmental DNA to detect Eastern Sand Darter (Ammocrypta pellucida Putnam 1863) in large Laurential Great Lakes