Reduced Risk Timing Window for Fish & Wildlife
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All works in and about a watercourse are high-risk activities,
and fish or wildlife populations and their habitats can be significantly
impacted at any time. As a result, all instream works require
strict mitigative best practices to ensure that fish and wildlife
populations and habitats are protected. By managing the timing
of works, changes in and about a stream can be limited to periods
of least risk.
If you are planning works under Section 9 of the Water Act ,
please insure that you use the "Region 7 Omineca - Reduced
Risk Timing Windows for Fish and Wildlife" (link below).
Work in or around streams can result in harmful effects to fish
and fish habitat, including the harmful alteration or destruction
of spawning habitat, introduction of sediment and the destruction
of fish eggs and alevins prior to emergence from gravels, and
displacement or other behavioural impacts on fish. Therefore,
such work must be undertaken during times or periods when such
harmful effects will be minimized. Using timing windows of least
risk reduces the risk of damage to habitat, fish eggs, or juvenile
fish and reduces the risk of impacts to adults and juveniles
that may be migrating, over-wintering or rearing.
Timing windows vary depending on a site-specific basis, depending
on which species may be present and the sensitivity of habitat.
Please be advised that for certain species at risk there may
be no period of least risk.
Objective:
To reduce the risk of impacts to fish and wildlife populations
and their habitats, instream works and vegetation clearing
are limited to non-critical periods of the year.
Document |
Content |
FPC
- Timing Windows and Measures (PDF 736KB) |
Effective date: May
3, 2004 – The purpose of this document
is to provide reduced risk timing windows and measures for
work related to stream crossings within the Omineca Region,
to facilitate compliance with the Forest Practices Code of
B.C. Act (FPC). Forest districts to which the document applies
include the following: Fort St. James, Mackenzie, Prince
George, Headquarters and Vanderhoof. The document has been
prepared by Designated Environment Officials (DEOs) within
the Omineca Region, using the best information currently
available. |
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