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Invasive Species |
In the Village of Spring Lake, we run into some troublesome pests, on occasion. This page details the invasive species found within Municipal Boundaries. If you are aware of an invasive plant, animal, fish, or pest within Village lands, please inform the Village Office.
Protect Our Resources; Control Noxious Weeds
Help protect our diverse native plants! Invasive and noxious weeds threaten Alberta's plants and animals and can be harmful to humans and our natural environment.
Healthy Environment
Maintaining a healthy environment is something that must be embedded in all human minds because the long-term effects when we maintain the environment will be beneficial for our children in the future.
For more information, contact us at: eac@springlakealberta.com
Prussian Carp
Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio) is an introduced fish known to disrupt aquatic ecosystems and pose potential threats to native fish.
Prussian carp is native to central Europe and Asia. It is unknown how this fish species was introduced to Alberta but it is suspected it was through a “goldfish” release. Alberta was the first jurisdiction in North America found to have Prussian carp, which has since spread to Saskatchewan through shared waterways.
Within Alberta, distribution of Prussian carp continues to spread due to natural dispersal and illegal introductions.
Some isolated stocked ponds are reported to have Prussian carp, which indicates the illegal movement of these invasive fish.
Key identification features of a Prussian carp.
- Plump and deep-bodied
- Terminal mouth
- Silver-gold in colour with dark shading at top
- Large scales, 29 to 33 along lateral line
- First dorsal fin ray and first anal fin ray are strongly serrated
Prussian carp can be confused with other fish species present in Alberta.
Reproduction
- Females are ready to spawn within one year, and can spawn up to 3 times per year.
- Females can reproduce asexually through gynogenesis, which is a reproductive process that exploits the milt (sperm) of other fish species to activate egg development. Gynogenesis results in all-female populations that are essentially clones, which can further impact native fish populations.
Issues
- Extremely hardy and rapidly reproducing, Prussian carp tolerate low oxygen levels and poor water quality where native fish cannot survive.
- Prussian carp can carry pathogens capable of infecting other fish species.
- The destructive feeding habits of this invasive fish species increases water turbidity, reducing suitable habitat and available food for native fish populations.
- Once Prussian carp are established, they spread easily. It is extremely costly and difficult to manage, contain and remove them.
Current management
- Prevention is the best defence against Prussian carp as there are no selective control measures. Available response options are expensive and time consuming. Prevention is prioritized through education on responsible angling within Alberta waterbodies.
- When feasible, manual removal through netting and angling may be used, but this method is labour intensive.
- Pesticide treatment may be applied against Prussian carp as a last resort. This strategy is often only feasible for use in isolated waterbodies where no other fish species are present.
Take action
If you catch Prussian carp, please kill it and either consume or properly dispose of it in the garbage.
Never release Prussian carp into waterbodies where it was not caught. Possession of live Prussian carp beyond 5 m from the water’s edge is illegal.
Penalties for transferring fish into any water body other than where it was caught can be up to $100,000 and/or a year in prison. See:
