Report - Agence canadienne d'évaluation environnementale

Impacts on the natural environment
Between Quebec City and Lévis, the river’s brackish waters shelter some 80 fish
species including anadromous fish 1 such as the rainbow smelt, the Atlantic sturgeon,
the American shad and the Atlantic tomcod, a catadromous species 2 , the American
eel, estuarine fish such as the smooth flounder and the blackspotted stickleback, as
well as fish more often associated with freshwater environments like the northern
pike, the yellow perch and the yellow walleye (PR3.3.1, p. 2.59).
Of the species present in the area under study, the rainbow smelt (south population)
and the American shad are designated as vulnerable under Quebec’s Act respecting
threatened or vulnerable species (R.S.Q., c. E-12.01), whereas the lake sturgeon and
the Atlantic sturgeon are species likely to be designated as threatened or vulnerable.
Pursuant to Canada’s Species at Risk Act (S.C. 2002, c. 29), the Committee on the
Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) 3 finds the status of the northern
brook lamprey and the American eel of special concern. Finally, the striped bass is
under study to be listed as a species extinct in the country 4 . The American shad, the
rainbow smelt and the striped bass are all subject to a joint recovery plan between the
two levels of government.
The jetty sector is a fry-rearing area for the Alewife, the American shad, the northern
sucker, the white sucker, the white perch, the rainbow smelt and the yellow perch.
Potential American shad spawning grounds have been recorded south of the île
d’Orléans. After spawning, some of the shad migrate back to the sea, mostly through
coastal waters on the south shore. The crossing of shad larvae lasts from July to
September and would be further concentrated in July (PR3.3.1, p. 2.66-2.67).
As for the rainbow smelt, recent data reveal a considerable and unexpected natural
production of larvae in the river, in the Beaumont area. To specify the potential
impacts of the construction of a jetty, Fisheries and Oceans Canada asked the
proponent to produce an inventory in spring 2007 and to verify the presence of larvae
and juveniles. At the time of submitting its report, the Panel had not received from the
proponent the results of the additional inventories requested by government
authorities.
1. Describes a migratory aquatic species, of fish generally, which, during its biological cycle, leaves the sea and
returns to freshwater.
2. Used to describe fish migrating down rivers to spawn in the sea.
3. [On-line (March 22, 2007): www.cosepac.gc.ca].
4. [On-line (March 9, 2007): www.sararegistry.gc.ca].
Rabaska Project – Implementation of an LNG Terminal and Related Infrastructure 213