National policy on oiled birds and oiled species at risk

The context of the Canadian Wildlife Service’s (CWS) role in response to oil spills which affect wildlife is largely set by the legislation and practices of other government agencies. For instance, changes in oil spill response protocols in Canada resulting from amendments to the Canada Shipping Act in 1995 removed the onus of emergency response from the Canadian Coast Guard and placed it with the polluter. Subsequently Response Organisations funded from the bulk oil cargo fee were created to respond to oiling incidents where there is a known polluter. Some response organisations have organised an oiled wildlife response capability, and the Canadian Wildlife Service has the responsibility for licensing of bird responders and rehabilitators under the Migratory Bird Regulations, for ensuring their compliance with permits issued, for monitoring their effectiveness, and ensuring that oiled migratory birds are treated humanely. The Canadian Coast Guard has the responsibility of monitoring an oil spill response and of taking over the response if it is seen not to be appropriate or sufficient. In a comparable role, the Canadian Wildlife Service has the responsibility of taking over a wildlife response if that initiated by a polluter is determined to be inadequate. The Canadian Wildlife Service is charged with the administration of the Migratory Birds Convention Act (MBCA), a responsibility that requires management and conservation of migratory bird populations. There will be an additional responsibility for the federal government under federal endangered species legislation for all listed species at risk under its jurisdiction. The Canada Wildlife Act, also administered by CWS, broadens responsibility providing enabling mechanisms for habitat and all wildlife conservation. The amendments to the Canada Shipping Act have precipitated this re-writing of the CWS 1990 oiled bird policy, but paralleling this administrative change have been changes in the public’s attitudes to oiled wildlife, and increases in our knowledge of the effectiveness of different response strategies. The decision to put resources towards prevention and/or rehabilitation must be done for each oiling event and this policy will gives some guidance in that regard. Throughout Canada, Environment Canada’s emergency response, and the Canadian Wildlife Service’s input to the response, is mediated through the REET (Regional Environmental Emergencies Team). This organization serves to consolidate environmental advice to the responsible party and to co-ordinate aspects of a government response. Because the REET system and the Canada Shipping Act amendments have national scope, it is necessary that the Canadian Wildlife Service have a nationally consistent oiled birds and species at risk response policy. This Policy is consistent with the oil spill response regime that presently prevails in Canada and it replaces Canadian Wildlife Service Policy on Oiled Birds (April 1990).

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