The expansion of human settlement and fishing technology has changed the ecosystems in many ways, but few as striking as the introduction of invasive species.
The inland waters of Canada are a diverse, globally significant and widespread resource. These waters are the home of fish species which have lived together for millennia. The expansion of human settlement and fishing technology has changed the ecosystems in many ways, but few as striking as the introduction of invasive species.
Not all the impacts of invasive species are known or understood. Changes to the food chain, alternations to water characteristics or the pace of ecosystem aging all make impacts locally and add to cumulative effects on the environment generally.
Some invasive species are well known publicly but many are not and the invaders continue to spread and affect our environment. Once established, the invaders are very difficult to eradicate. While some efforts are underway to study the impacts, many species are left to reproduce and damage the environment unchecked.
In some cases, tools available to staff are insufficient to control the invaders. More funding for study and better control agents are needed just to keep pace. Better efforts of prevention are also needed.
This government does not see this issue as a priority, and our staff continue to lose ground. The damage caused by this neglect is not well understood, and more effort is needed in this area.
Vote on what issue you think is most important in Canadian fishery management.
