Invasive Species
Invasive Species
An invasive species is described as an organism that causes ecological or economic harm in a new environment where it is not native. Invasive species are capable of causing extinctions of native plants and animals, reducing biodiversity, competing with native organisms for limited resources, and altering habitats.
Interested in learning more about what you can do to combat invasive species? Check out this guide from the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations: A Shoreline Owners’ Guide to Invasive Species
Invasive Species Centre ©
Round Goby:
The round goby is a small, bottom-dwelling invasive fish. Native to the Black and Caspian seas in eastern Europe, it was first found in North America in 1990 in the St. Clair River north of Windsor, Ontario. It has now spread throughout all five Great Lakes and has begun to invade inland waters as well.
https://www.invasivespeciescentre.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Round-Goby-MNR.pdf
Invasive Species Centre ©
Sea Lamprey:
The sea lamprey is a primitive, eel-like fish native to the northern Atlantic Ocean and the Baltic, western Mediterranean and Adriatic seas. Sea lampreys invaded the Great Lakes in the early 20th century through shipping canals and devastated the Great Lakes sport, commercial and Aboriginal fisheries.
Today, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission coordinates control of sea lampreys in the lakes, which is conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
What you can do:
- If you catch a fish with a sea lamprey attached, do not return the sea lamprey to the water. Kill it and put it in the garbage.
- Report other invasive species sightings to the Invading Species Hotline at 1-800-563-7711, or visit invadingspecies.com to report a sighting.
Photo credit to Dave McWilliam ©
Phragmites:
Phragmites, also known as the European common reed, is an invasive perennial grass that has caused severe damage to wetlands and beaches in Ontario for several decades. In 2005, it was identified as the nation’s “worst” invasive plant species by researchers at Agriculture and Agri-food Canada.
Phragmites outcompete native species and then are able to grow in large monoculture stands that can negatively impact a variety of flora and fauna species, including species already at-risk in Ontario and Canada.
https://www.ontarioinvasiveplants.ca/invasive-plants/species/phragmites/