The growing number of species of concern in the Salish Sea suggests ecosystem decay is outpacing recovery

Species of concern are native species, sub-species or ecologically significant units that warrant special attention to ensure their conservation. The number of species of concern within the Salish Sea is used by the US Environmental Protection Agency and Environment Canada as a transboundary ecosystem indicator (called "Marine Species at Risk"). Within the Salish Sea, four jurisdictions assess which species require special efforts to ensure protection and survival of the population: the Province of British Columbia, the State of Washington, the Canadian Federal Government, and the United States Federal Government. As of December 1, 2015, there were 125 species at risk in the Salish Sea. Between 2002 (when the list was first compiled) and 2008, the number of listed species grew at an average annual rate of 1% from 60 to 64. It then made a precipitous jump to 113 listed species in 2011 (an average annual growth rate of 15% for 3 years) and has since continued to grow at an average annual rate of 2.6%. Some of the increase seen can be attributed to better understanding of the number of fish, reptile, bird and mammal species known to use the Salish Sea; however, most additions represent new listings due to concern about population declines. The number of species of concern provides a crude indicator of ecosystem health, permits cross checking of species of concern between jurisdictions, suggests where more research is needed to assess species status or causes of decline, and highlights where transboundary approaches could benefit species recovery. Assuming listing efforts have been consistent, the increasing number of species of concern within the Salish Sea over the last 13 years suggests ecosystem recovery efforts are being outpaced by ecosystem decay. Introduction Species of concern are native species, sub-species or ecologically significant units that warrant special attention to ensure their conservation. Also known as marine species at risk, the number of species of concern in the Salish Sea is used by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Environment Canada as a transboundary ecosystem indicator (Marine Species at Risk; http://www2.epa.gov/salish-sea/marine-species-risk). For ecosystems like the Salish Sea that span international boundaries and include multiple jurisdictions, an ecosystem-based list of species of concern serves many functions. It acts as a crude indicator of ecosystem health, permits cross checking of species of concern between jurisdictions, suggests where more research is needed to assess species status or causes of decline, and highlights where transboundary approaches could benefit species recovery (Gaydos and Gilardi, 2003). Four jurisdictions within the bi-national, 16,925 square kilometer Salish Sea (Gaydos et al., 2008) have processes for assessing and listing species that require special initiatives to ensure protection and survival of the population. These include the Province of British Columbia, the State of Washington, the Canadian Federal Government, and the United States Federal Government. This work reviews invertebrates, fish, reptiles, birds and mammals that use the Salish Sea marine ecosystem and are listed as species of concern by one or more jurisdiction. Also it compares listings between jurisdictions and between current findings and prior lists developed in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2013 (Gaydos and Gilardi, 2003; Brown and Gaydos, 2005; Brown and Gaydos, 2007; Gaydos and Brown, 2009; Gaydos and Brown, 2011; and Gaydos and Zier, 2014). Methods Species that use the Salish Sea marine ecosystem and were listed by one or more jurisdiction as of December 1, 2015 were included. Listed fish, bird, and mammal species were included if they occurred on published lists of birds, mammals (Gaydos and Pearson, 2011) and fishes (Pietsch and Orr, 2015) dependent upon the Salish Sea. Listed reptiles were included if the listing agency identified the Salish Sea as critical habitat for the species. Invertebrates were included if listing data indicated their distribution included the Salish Sea. Specifically, listing classifications and the processes for listing in each jurisdiction are described below. British Columbia In the Province of British Columbia, species are assigned a risk of extinction. Species are placed on Red, Blue or Yellow lists. Red-listed species are those that have been legally designated as Endangered or Threatened under the Growing number of species of concern in the Salish Sea, Proceedings of the 2016 Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference, April 13-15, 2016 Vancouver, BC 2 provincial Wildlife Act, are extirpated, or are candidates for such designation. Blue-listed species are those not immediately threatened, but are of concern because of characteristics that make them particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events. Yellow-listed species are all species not included on the Red or Blue lists. For the purpose of this study, Red and Blue-listed species were considered species of concern (http://speciesatriskbc.ca/). When British Columbia ranks species, each species is assigned a global rank (applies across its range), a national rank (for each nation within its range, such as Canada), and a sub-national rank (for each province). In British Columbia, the Conservation Data Centre within the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management assigns the provincial rank. Within the marine ecosystem, British Columbia currently only assesses mammals, birds, reptiles and freshwater fishes that also use marine habitat. Important to this study, conspicuously absent are marine fishes and marine invertebrates. All credible sources of information concerning species distribution, abundance, trends, and threats are considered in provincially ranking species in British Columbia. Washington State In Washington State, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission (Commission) lists species of concern under the provisions of Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 232-12-297 (Endangered, Threatened, and Sensitive Wildlife Species Classification). Listing occurs in much the same stepwise procedure as occurs at the U.S. federal level. Species can be listed as either endangered (seriously threatened with extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range within the state), threatened (likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout a significant portion of it range within the state) or sensitive (vulnerable or declining and likely to become endangered or threatened in a significant portion of its range within the state). Listing can be initiated in one of three ways: (1) the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) initiates a species status review; (2) the WDFW receives a petition from a citizen (at which point the agency has 60 days to either initiate the classification process or deny the petition, based on the best available scientific data); or (3) the Commission requests the WDFW to review a species of concern. Listings are based solely on the biological status of the species in the wild, as indicated by the preponderance of scientific data available. When the listing process is initiated, the WDFW publishes a public notice in the Washington State Register and calls for scientific information relevant to the species’ status. Then WDFW prepares a draft species status report, which reviews relevant information on the status of the species in Washington, addresses factors affecting its status, and makes a preliminary listing recommendation. The public and the scientific community is given 90 days to review and comment on the draft status report and listing recommendation, and the WDFW can hold one or more public meetings during the public review period. At the close of the public comment period, WDFW addresses comments, completes the final status report and listing recommendation and submits them to the Commission. The final species status report, agency classification recommendation, and State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) documents are made available to the public at least 30 days prior to the Commission meeting. Once a species is listed, WDFW writes and implements a recovery plan for threatened or endangered species, or a management plan for sensitive species. A review of the species’ status is conducted by the WDFW at least once every five years. The WDFW maintains a list of Candidate species, which are those species that will be reviewed for possible listing as endangered, threatened, or sensitive. Important to this study, marine invertebrates and fishes can only receive candidate status in Washington State as (WAC) 232-12-297 does not permit State listing of marine invertebrates and fishes. Species listed as candidates, sensitive, threatened or endangered are included in this study (http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/endangered/). Canada In Canada, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) creates a federal assessment of species at risk using an international ranking system adapted from the World Conservation Union in Switzerland. COSEWIC is composed of government and non-government members, members from academic institutions, and one member with expertise in Aboriginal traditional knowledge. Species designations are made using a formal status report review process. Experts are commissioned to write status reports on the biology, population status, range, and possible threats facing the species or subspecies in question using the best available scientific, community, and Aboriginal traditional knowledge. COSEWIC meets at least once annually to consider new and updated status reports and to make status determinations. If deemed necessary and appropriate, emergency listing can be made ahead of COSEWIC's regular general meeting and decisions made are later ratified based upon a full report. As listed by COSEWIC, risk categories for species include extinct (a species that no longer e