Minister Announces Ban on the Buying and Selling of Live Carp Species, Gobies and Snakeheads

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 3, 2004

David Ramsay, Minister of Natural Resources, announced a plan to prohibit the buying and selling of live invasive carp, snakeheads and gobies at the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters’ (O.F.A.H.) 76th Annual General Meeting and Wildlife Conference in Toronto last week.

The four species of invasive carp (grass, bighead, silver and black) included in the proposed ban are native to Asia. In the United States, where they have been used in aquaculture facilities, these carp species have escaped and established wild populations. This has resulted in the devastation of native fish populations, disruption of the food chain, and had a negative impact on recreational and commercial fishing. Efforts to control the spread of carp from the Mississippi drainage basin into the Great Lakes have been helped by the creation of an electrical barrier in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal.

Three types of carp (grass, bighead and black) are sold live in fish markets in urban centers around the province. There are significant concerns that these species could be introduced to Ontario waters during transport, through improper disposal of spoiled shipments or live release. On several occasions, live grass and bighead carp have been caught in Lake Erie and the Don River. Prohibiting the live sale of these fish will assist in preventing their release into Ontario waters.

The government’s ban will also prohibit the live purchase and sale of all 28 species of snakehead. Snakeheads are commonly sold in the aquarium industry and could potentially be introduced to Ontario waters by members of the public. Native to southeast Asia, snakeheads are capable of withstanding a wide variety of environmental conditions and could become established in Ontario waters. Adult snakeheads are voracious predators, feeding on fish, birds, frogs, and small mammals. They could easily spread to new locations because they can breathe and travel overland.

The ban will also prohibit the live purchase and sale of two species of gobies. Native to eastern Europe, gobies were introduced into the Great Lakes from ship ballast in the late 1980’s. Round gobies have spread throughout the lower Great Lakes and have become one of the most abundant fish species. They outcompete native fish species and feed heavily on the fry and eggs of recreational fish species such as lake trout. Because of their small size (3-5″), the potential exists for these fish to be inadvertently sold or used as a baitfish, and then transferred to inland lakes.

By restricting the live sale and purchase of these invasive fish species, the Ministry of Natural Resources will help to prevent their introduction to Ontario’s vital lakes and waterways. The O.F.A.H. is urging the federal government to introduce a Canada-wide ban on the live possession and sale of these fish species through an amendment to the Federal Fisheries Act.

For more information about invasive species, their environmental impacts, and how to prevent their spread, contact the O.F.A.H./M.N.R. Invading Species Hotline at 1-800-563-7711.

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