Ottawa proposes Species at Risk changes for 15 aquatic populations

The federal government is proposing to add or reclassify 15 aquatic species populations under the Species at Risk Act and has opened a 30-day public comment period.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced the proposal October 9. Eleven populations would be added to the federal list, including porbeagle, the Gulf of St. Lawrence population of winter skate and the Great Lakes–Upper St. Lawrence population of river darter.

Other populations would change status, including warmouth. A listing can lead to legal protections and recovery planning, but the October notice is a proposal rather than a final designation.

The formal proposal is to appear in the Canada Gazette on October 10. People and organizations can use the Gazette consultation process to comment during the 30-day window; the government says submissions will be considered before a final decision.

Sources: Fisheries and Oceans Canada, proposed aquatic-species listings, published October 9, 2026; Canada Gazette consultation dated October 10, 2026.

Featured image: Janko Ferlič / Unsplash, under the Unsplash Licence. Illustrative fish photo; it does not identify a population in the proposal. Cropped and resized.