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A Comparison of the Areal Extent of Fish Habitat Gains and Losses Associated with Selected Compensation Projects in Canada
Author(s) -
Harper David J.,
Quigley Jason T.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
fisheries
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.725
H-Index - 79
eISSN - 1548-8446
pISSN - 0363-2415
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8446(2005)30[18:acotae]2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - habitat , limiting , compensation (psychology) , fish habitat , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery , offset (computer science) , environmental resource management , environmental science , ecology , biology , engineering , computer science , mechanical engineering , psychology , psychoanalysis , programming language
We conducted a review of studies that evaluated the effectiveness of fish habitat compensation projects in achieving the conservation goal of no net loss of productive capacity of fish habitat in Canada. Combined, the 103 compensation projects assessed in the 10 studies created and/or restored 493,205 m 2 of fish habitat to offset habitat impacts totalling 1,142,648 m 2 . Most of the compensation projects assessed were a result of impacts to estuarine and riverine in‐channel habitats. Forestry and urban development activities resulted in the greatest percentage of compensation projects. Overall, 64% of the projects were deemed to have achieved no net loss. Fifty percent of the projects had a compensation ratio (compensation area:impacted area) of less than 1:1. The small number of studies found in the literature suggests that performance evaluations are rarely conducted, limiting our ability to practice adaptive management. We advocate that a national monitoring program be developed through which the achievement of no net loss can be assessed on an ongoing basis.