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Alien
Species Invade the Petitcodiac
(Riverview
- May 22, 2001) - The coyote, the zebra mussel and the smallmouth
bass are all wonderful species in their own habitats. But like
an unwanted houseguest they can be a pest when they invade ecosystems
to which they are alien species. In fact, some of these species
have inflicted enormous environmental and economic damage throughout
the world.
Today
is May 22 - International Biodiversity Day, an event organised
by the UN agency responsible for the protection of biodiversity
in the world (the World Conservation Union) to highlight the
important role that all native species play in the sustenance
of the planet's fragile ecosystems. The theme of International
Biodiversity Day this year is "invasive species".
To mark
the event on the Petitcodiac River, the Petitcodiac Riverkeeper
chose to create awareness on three species of fish which have
been illegally introduced in the Petitcodiac River system in
the last decades, and which threaten to further reduce the ability
of the river's native species to survive.
The species
that were illegally introduced include smallmouth bass (achigan
à petite bouche), chain pickerel (brochet maillé)
and the brown bullhead (barbotte). According to scientists at
the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, these three species now
outnumber the native populations of Atlantic salmon, Shad and
Sea run brook trout that used to migrate to the Petitcodiac River
in large numbers.
With his
first ever fishing permit in hand, Petitcodiac Riverkeeper Executive
Director Daniel LeBlanc headed to the river bank this morning
with one of New Brunswick's top fly fishermen, Bryant Freeman,
to try his luck at catching one of the alien species in the Petitcodiac
headpond, the smallmouth bass. A few months ago, the New Brunswick
Department of Natural Resources and Energy legalised fishing
for smallmouth bass in the Petitcodiac River, introducing conservation
measures for the species during the spring and fall.
"For
the province to appear to promote the conservation of smallmouth
bass in our watershed at this time is imprudent", says Daniel
LeBlanc. "These alien species are competing and will continue
to compete for the same fish habitat as the native species of
this watershed, and it's important at this stage not to let them
overtake the river system. Instead of promoting their conservation",
suggests LeBlanc, "we should be developing strategies to
limit their growth."
Until
that happens, LeBlanc is encouraging all local area fishermen
to take to the river this summer at their favourite fishing hole,
and do their little part in ridding the system of the three alien
species in question.
- 30 -
INFORMATION : Daniel LeBlanc (506) 388-5337
www.petitcodiac.org; www.iucn.org
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