The Binational Public Advisory Council along with representatives of the Canadian RAP Implementation Committee for the St. Clair River Area of Concern (AOC) have announced the re-designation of the “Fish Tumours and Other Deformities” beneficial use to “not impaired” for the river.
This recommendation was accepted by the federal and provincial governments in June 2021, marking another milestone in the advancement of the St. Clair River Remedial Action Plan.
“The St. Clair River is a beautiful feature in the Great Lakes Basin, and it is humbling to see how our relationship with the River is improving over time,” stated Kris Lee, Canadian Chair, St. Clair River Binational Public Advisory Council, in a media release.
“The aquatic conditions of the St. Clair River continue to recover, benefiting all of us who rely on it to provide us with food, water, and enjoyment. Today we celebrate that we’ve reached another milestone on this journey towards delisting the Area of Concern, but also acknowledge that there is still more work to be done.”
In 1987, 43 Areas of Concern were identified in the Great Lakes Basin as data and field studies indicated that water quality and environmental health in these areas were severely degraded.
14 common ecological measures, referred to as beneficial use impairments, were identified and used to assess conditions in each of the Areas of Concern, including the St. Clair River.
Consequently, a Remedial Action Plan (RAP) was developed to address ecological harm in the aquatic environment and restore the beneficial uses of the St. Clair River.
This plan continues to be implemented today.
From 2013-2016, a study was conducted as part of the RAP to determine if cancerous liver tumours were prevalent in brown bullheads, a sediment dwelling fish, within the bays and channels of the Walpole Island delta.
This study, conducted by Environment and Climate Change Canada and Walpole Island First Nation, included the collection and analysis of 60 brown bullhead livers.
Of the livers analyzed, zero cancerous liver tumours were identified.
These results support the recommendation that “Fish Tumours and Other Deformities” beneficial use could be declared “not impaired”.
This marks the seventh re-designation in the St. Clair River Area of Concern since 1991 with five beneficial uses remaining to be addressed before the St. Clair River can be removed from the list of Great Lakes Areas of Concern.
To learn more about the St. Clair River Area of Concern and the progress of the Remedial Action Plan, visit friendsofstclair.ca.
The Binational Public Advisory Council (BPAC) consists of citizens living in the U.S. and Canada who are concerned about the health of the St. Clair River.
Collectively, BPAC members represent all sectors of society. BPAC formed in 1988 after environmental degradation caused the International Joint Commission, a bi-national Great Lakes advisory agency, to “list” the St. Clair River as an Area of Concern. BPAC’s role is to help implement the Remedial Action Plan to improve the quality of the St. Clair River. The BPAC also elicits citizen involvement and advises about environmental issues within the St. Clair River watershed.
In 2005, the Canadian RAP Implementation Committee (CRIC) was formed with representation from government, industry, conservation organizations and the public.
They were given the mandate to coordinate and implement the restoration actions required to restore the many beneficial use impairments identified within the St. Clair River Area of Concern.
Since the CRIC’s formation, a number of scientific studies, habitat restoration projects, policy and legislative initiatives have significantly improved the environmental health of the St. Clair River.
