Red Knot Listing Changes and Other Species

Summary#

The government published a proposed Order Amending Schedule 1 to the Species at Risk Act (Certain Wildlife Species of Red Knot and Four Other Wildlife Species) in the Canada Gazette, Part I on December 21, 2024. The proposal would update the Species at Risk list to match recent science from COSEWIC, including delisting two species, changing the risk level for several others, and splitting one Red Knot grouping into three separate populations.

What it does#

• Removes (strikes from Schedule 1)

  • Aweme Borer (Papaipema aweme) — currently listed as endangered; COSEWIC reassessed it as data deficient.
  • Red Knot islandica subspecies (Calidris canutus islandica) — currently listed as special concern; COSEWIC reassessed it as not at risk (delist).

• Reclassifies species (changes their legal risk category under Species at Risk Act)

  • Cobblestone Tiger Beetle (Cicindela marginipennis) — endangered → special concern.
  • Lakeside Daisy (Tetraneuris herbacea) — threatened → special concern.
  • Seaside Centipede Lichen (Heterodermia sitchensis) — endangered → threatened.

• Reorganizes Red Knot listings (splits one unit into three separate wintering populations with different statuses)

  • The former Red Knot roselaari type is split into:
    • Red Knot roselaari subspecies (Calidris canutus roselaari) — remains threatened.
    • Red Knot rufa subspecies (Northeastern South America wintering population) — newly classified as special concern.
    • Red Knot rufa subspecies (Southeastern USA / Gulf of Mexico / Caribbean wintering population) — newly classified as endangered.
  • Renames one existing group without changing its status:
    • Red Knot rufa subspecies (Tierra del Fuego / Patagonia wintering population) — name update only (remains endangered).

• Technical updates to Schedule 1 entries (striking and adding specific line items to reflect the above changes).

Note: this is a proposed Order (Part I). Interested people were invited to comment for 30 days after publication.

Who's affected#

• Environment and Climate Change Canada — will update recovery and management documents and handle consultations, permitting, compliance and enforcement.
• Researchers and others who need permits for activities affecting listed species on federal land. Some species being downlisted or delisted would no longer trigger SARA permits.
• Indigenous communities and organizations where species ranges overlap. The Department consulted with Indigenous groups and found no expected impacts to rights, and the species in question are not known to be commonly harvested.
• Provincial and territorial governments — many provinces already have their own listings and some raised concerns. One province opposed some Red Knot listings because it uses its own conservation tools.
• Conservation groups, birdwatchers and recreational users — changes can affect recovery planning, monitoring and eco‑tourism interests.
• Landowners and land managers on federal lands (including Parks Canada sites and some First Nation reserves) where SARA general prohibitions would apply differently depending on the change.

If you want to know exactly how one of the nine species is affected, the proposal lists each species by name and the specific change.

Why it matters#

• Legal protections on federal lands will change for certain species. Some will lose SARA protections (delisted/struck), some will be eased (downlisted to special concern), and others will become subject to the same or stronger protections.
• Recovery planning will be updated. Species that remain listed will keep recovery strategies or management plans. Species delisted or downlisted will not require the same recovery documents anymore.
• Fewer permits and lower administrative burden for some stakeholders. The government estimates avoided administrative costs of $75,000 over 10 years because some species would no longer need permits or updated recovery documents.
• Government cost and net impact. The Department estimates total costs to the federal government of about $310,000 over 10 years to update plans and documents, with a net cost of $235,000 after avoided costs. Expected permitting-related costs (not incremental to this Order) are estimated at $18,500 for applicants and $35,000 for the federal government over the same period.
• Migratory bird protections: for species that are migratory birds, nests and eggs remain protected under the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 even when other listing changes occur.
• Some uncertainties and trade-offs remain. Provincial protections differ by province. Splitting Red Knot groups into smaller populations may help target conservation actions in specific wintering areas, but it also changes which populations are covered by SARA prohibitions.

If you want to comment or see the detailed species-by-species reasons, the full Canada Gazette notice and the Species at Risk Public Registry hold the technical documents and consultation materials.