Recovery Strategies

Recovery Strategy for the Eastern Sand Darter (Ammocrypta pellucida) in Canada: Ontario Populations

The Eastern Sand Darter is a small benthic and translucent fish whose North American range is discontinuous and composed of two disjunct areas. One element occurs in the Great Lakes and Ohio River drainage, while the other occurs in Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence River. In Ontario, it has been recently collected in Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair, the Grand, Sydenham and Thames rivers, and Big Creek.

There are limited data available on the Eastern Sand Darter throughout its Canadian range. Nevertheless, the data that are available suggest that Eastern Sand Darter populations are declining throughout their entire range. In Canada, total numbers have been declining since 1950. The silting of sandy habitats represents the main cause for the decline in abundance and range of Eastern Sand Darter. Threats to Canadian populations include: sediment loading, nutrient loading and pollution resulting from agricultural and urban development.  Barriers to movement (e.g. dams and impoundments) and alterations in flow regimes and coastal processes negatively affect the Eastern Sand Darter Invasive species, such as the Round Goby, may also be negatively impacting the species.

Consultation period: 2012-05-14 to 2012-07-13

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Director
SARA Directorate
Department of Fisheries and Oceans
200 Kent St.
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0E6
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