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Tiny number of Asian carp could be big problem for the Great Lakes
WATERLOO, ON, Sep. 11, 2013, 2013 (Canada NewsWire via COMTEX) --
A tiny number of Asian carp could
establish a population of the invasive fish in the Great Lakes,
according to new research from the University of Waterloo.
Published this week in the Biological Invasions journal, research from Professor Kim Cuddington of the Faculty of Science at
Waterloo indicates that the probability of Asian carp establishment
soars with the introduction of 20 fish into the Great Lakes, under some
conditions.
"Although established Asian carp populations including the Silver and
Bighead carps are widely present in the Illinois and Mississippi
Rivers, it's expected that it's only a matter of time before the
population migrates through the many hydrological connections to the
Great Lakes," said Professor Cuddington. "Lake Erie, in particular,
provides a highly suitable habitat for the fish with very productive
embayments for the fish to find food."
A mature Asian carp can grow up to 50 kg and consumes about 40 per cent
of its body weight daily. A minimal length of 70 cm is considered a
mature size, with much more substantial lengths being reported. In
competition for food and space, the Asian carp has a significant size
advantage over native fish species.
"This species will have a huge impact on the food web," says Professor
Cuddington. "Not only is it a fast-growing fish physically, but the
population itself grows very quickly. A female can lay well over a
million eggs a year, and with no known predators present in the Great
Lakes, the Asian carp could dominate the waters and impact fisheries."
Professor Cuddington believes that we will not be able to stop the carp
from entering the Great Lakes, and resources should focus on how to
intercept new arrivals. If successful breeding occurs, biological
control and trapping of vulnerable juveniles might prove the most
successful strategy.
Individual fish have already been caught in two of the Great Lakes. The
probability of Asian carp establishment changes dramatically if only 10
of the creatures are introduced. With 10 fish, the probability of a
population of Asian carp is only 50 per cent, but with 20 fish, it
jumps to 75 per cent, under some conditions.
Maturation rates for this invasive fish also play a significant role in
positive population growth rates. According to Professor Cuddington, if
the fish typically reach maturity within three years, then it will take
about 20 years to reach to establish a moderate population, and between
40 and 50 years for that population to become very large. If cooler
water slows down fish development time to five years, then the fish
population might take more than a century to establish.
Asian carp were introduced to the United States in the 1970s as an
agricultural fish used to combat algae in catfish ponds. They escaped
into the Illinois River during the floods of the 1990s and later
entered the Mississippi River. With recorded densities of 13 tonnes of
fish per river mile in the Illinois River, the dangerous flying carp
phenomena has schools of fish jump upwards of 10 feet sometimes injuring boaters. Anglers armed with crossbows take to the water to capture the large fish during sport fishing
tournaments.
About the University of Waterloo
In just half a century, the University of Waterloo, located at the heart
of Canada's technology hub, has become one of Canada's leading
comprehensive universities with 35,000 full- and part-time students in
undergraduate and graduate programs. Waterloo, as home to the world's
largest post-secondary co-operative education program, embraces its
connections to the world and encourages enterprising partnerships in
learning, research and discovery. In the next decade, the university is
committed to building a better future for Canada and the world by
championing innovation and collaboration to create solutions relevant
to the needs of today and tomorrow. For more information about
Waterloo, please visit www.uwaterloo.ca
Attention broadcasters: Waterloo has facilities to provide broadcast
quality audio and video feeds with a double-ender studio. Please
contact Pamela Smyth on 519-888-4777 for more information.
SOURCE University of Waterloo
To view this news release in HTML formatting, please use the following URL: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2013/11/c6057.html
SOURCE: University of Waterloo
Media Contact Pamela Smyth University of Waterloo 519-888-4777 psmyth@uwaterloo.ca
www.uwaterloo.ca/news @uWaterlooNews
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