Invasive fish species

Invasive fish species

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Aquarium owners

Water gardeners, pond and aquarium owners have a number of responsibilities, including:

• taking good care of the species that they keep
• ensuring their artificial water environment stays isolated from the outside environment
• when necessary, disposing of the fish or plants from that environment in a safe and humane manner

Don’t let it loose! Never dispose of plants and fish from aquariums and ponds into an Alberta stream, lake or river system. Releasing them disrupts the natural balance of Alberta's ecosystems, and ultimately results in biodiversity loss.

• Don’t Let It Loose campaign

It is illegal to release live fish into Alberta's lakes or rivers. Fines can be up to $100,000.

Anglers

Do not transfer live fish from one water body to another.

• It is illegal to move live fish from one water body to another. Doing so disrupts the local ecosystem, threatens the existing fish population and, if a stocked fishery, jeopardizes the future of that fishery.
• Fish that are illegally released into a stocked fishery can undermine efforts to maintain that fishery for the enjoyment of all Alberta anglers.
• Once an illegal introduction has occurred in a stocked fishery, the efforts to restore it are extremely expensive and can bring harm to other parts of the local ecosystem.
• Penalties for illegally transferring fish into any water body aside from the one it was caught in can be up to $100,000 and/or a year in prison.
• Fish introduced from outside of Canada can cause significant damage to local fish populations. Though not currently found within Canadian waters, the silver and bighead carp are threatening to find their way to the Great Lakes. These fish, introduced into US waters from Taiwan, are voracious eaters and out-compete native trout and salmon. These carp are also known for their capacity to leap out of the water, creating a hazard for water skiers and boaters.
• To prevent the introduction of unintended species, put any unused bait back in its original packaging and put it in a garbage container.
• Do you wear waders when you fish? Felt-soled waders are highly absorbent and, if not properly cleaned, can transfer invasive species and diseases from one water body to another. Soak them in hot water for at least 40 minutes and completely dry them after every use, or better yet, switch to non-felt-soled waders.

Invasive fish treatment

As invasive fish species become established across the province, it is important for organizations to work together to prevent the spread, minimize impacts and use control methods to eradicate them where possible. Rotenone treatments are used by the Alberta Government and partners due to the high likelihood of success in eliminating undesirable fish species from compromised waterbodies. Organizations, such as municipalities, can also perform select treatments to eradicate invasive fish species. Here is what you need to know to prepare for doing a treatment:

Mandatory reporting of aquatic invasive species

As of July 2015, there are 25 prohibited fish species under the Fisheries (Alberta) Act. It is mandatory to report any of the 52 prohibited species listed (PDF, 12.5 MB) in the Fisheries (Alberta) Act within 14 days of finding them to provide the best chance of response success. There are 3 ways to report invasive species:

• Phone the AIS Hotline at 1-855-336-BOAT (2628).
• Use EDDMaps Alberta Smartphone Application or online.
• Email [email protected].

Meeting the criteria for treatment

Regardless of an unintentional or intentional release, if there is evidence that invasive fish have established, response needs to be considered.

Response for fish included on the list of 52 prohibited species under the Fisheries (Alberta) Act will be priority for Alberta Environment and Parks.

For fish species (such as goldfish, koi or Prussian carp) that are not listed in provincial regulations, Alberta Environment and Parks can help support response treatments by guiding the approval process and support the development of response plans in conjunction with the organization or municipality. Legislation supporting treatments for species that are not included in the prohibited species list include the Fisheries (Alberta) Act, Section 11.01 (1) and the Federal AIS Regulations, Section 10. Both state that any organism that is not indigenous is prohibited to enter water of any kind, unless authorized by provincial or federal law.

Public requirements for fish removal using rotenone

Control of invasive fish is most feasible in isolated ponds, however, once released into flowing connected bodies of water, control efforts are exponentially more complex. Rotenone has been effective in the removal of invasive fish when used on its own, or in conjunction with other methods as compared to only using non-chemical methods (netting, water table fluctuations, electrofishing, etc.).

To learn more about rotenone, check out the factsheet below:

• Rotenone use in Alberta storm water management ponds

Requirements for fish removal using rotenone requires four main steps prior to treatment. The following are outlined below:

1. Special Use Approval (Pesticide (Ministerial) Regulation, Section 9), is required if using/applying/storing a pesticide in or within 30 meters of an “open body of water” (refer to definition below) unless following the Environmental Code of Practice for Pesticides.
   • Open Body of Water: as defined under the Pesticide Sales, Handling, Use and Application Regulation, “open body of water” means the bed and shore of an irrigation canal, drainage canal, reservoir, river, stream, creek, lake, marsh or other body of water, but does not include the following:
     • waterworks systems
     • reservoirs, lakes, marshes or other bodies of water that are completely surrounded by private land, that have an area of less than 4 hectares and have no outflow of water beyond the private land
     • reservoirs, lakes, marshes or other bodies of water that are located on public land, that have an area of less than 0.4 hectares, and have no outflow of water
     • irrigation and drainage canals that are completely surrounded by private land and have no outflow beyond the private land
     • roadside ditches
     • wastewater systems
     • storm drainage systems
     • dry streams having a bed and shore averaging 0.5 meters or less in width within the boundaries of the treatment area
     • a constructed water hazard that is located on a golf course and has no outflow of water beyond the golf course boundary
   • The application can be found at Pesticides – Application forms.
2. Fish Research License (Fisheries (Alberta) Act, Section 12) [ii] is required for anyone (person, agency or institution) whose work involves collecting, holding or sampling fish for inventory, research, educational or promotional purposes in Alberta.
   • More information can be found at: Fish research licence
3. Deposit of Deleterious Substances Application (PDF, 274 KB) is required for any work in water that demands a substance to be added to the water that has the potential to degrade or alter the water quality affecting fish or fish habitat, including fish toxicants and pesticides.
   • Deleterious Substance: as defined under the Fisheries (Alberta) Act (Section 34), “deleterious substance” means (a) any substance that, if added to any water, would degrade or alter or form part of a process of degradation or alteration of the quality of that water so that it is rendered or is likely to be rendered deleterious to fish or fish habitat or to the use by man of fish that frequent that water, or (b) any water that contains a substance in such quantity or concentration, or that has been so treated, processed or changed, by heat or other means, from a natural state that it would, if added to any other water, degrade or alter or form part of a process of degradation or alteration of the quality of that water so that it is rendered or is likely to be rendered deleterious to fish or fish habitat or to the use by man of fish that frequent that water,
4. Acquire certifications or hire a contractor with.
   • Appropriate Pesticide Service Registration (under the Pesticide (Ministerial) Regulation, Section 7) and
     • Requires a Fish And Aquatic Invertebrates Service Registration
     • More information can be found at Pesticide service registrations.
   • Appropriate Pesticide Applicator Certification (under the Pesticide (Ministerial) Regulation, Section 3)
     • Requires a Fish And Aquatic Invertebrates Applicator Certification
     • More information can be found at Using pesticides – Applicator Certification Program