The territorial Species at Risk (NWT) Act and the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA) both apply in the NWT.
Each has a legal list of species at risk: the NWT List of Species at Risk (territorial) and Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act (federal).
NWT List of Species at Risk
Decisions on whether to add a species to the NWT List of Species at Risk are made by the Conference of Management Authorities.
After receiving a species assessment from the Species at Risk Committee, the Conference of Management Authorities will make a decision about whether the species should be added to the NWT List of Species at Risk.
Before reaching an agreement, each Management Authority will gather input on the decision, including any consultation they are required to do under land claim agreements. When making a decision on listing a species, the Conference of Management Authorities considers the assessment and the reasons for it, the species status report, and the results of any consultation they have done. Socio-economic factors can be considered.
The term of a listing is 10 years. After that, the species is reassessed, and may be re-listed, changed to a different status category, or taken off the list.
Click here to find out which species are on the NWT List of Species at Risk.
What happens when a species is listed?
The only legal requirement of a listing is to develop a management plan or recovery strategy. A management plan or recovery strategy provides overarching guidance on stewardship of the species and includes recommended actions to conserve the species and ensure threats are managed in a way to prevent the species from becoming further at risk.
Listing does not change any regulations for the species or its habitat, or change anyone’s ability to harvest.
