An invasive crayfish native to the southern United States has been present in a lake close to Decrease Sackville, N.S., outdoors Halifax.
It’s believed to be the primary confirmed detection in Canada of the purple swamp crayfish, higher generally known as the crawdad in Louisiana delicacies.
“One of these crayfish has extreme or probably extreme impacts on ecosystems,” mentioned Sarah Kingsbury, an aquatic invasive species biologist with the Division of Fisheries and Oceans.
Kingsbury says they carry parasites, compete for house and meals within the lake, eat fish eggs and alter habitat by burrowing.
The primary crayfish was found by an angler in Three Mile Lake in 2022.
This summer season, 70 purple swamp crayfish have been trapped, an indication that they’ve survived the winter.
The way it was launched is unknown
It isn’t identified how the crustaceans — which resemble small lobsters — had been launched into the small lake in Waverley, N.S.
The species is raised for meals, bought for aquariums and used as bait by anglers. Neither is it identified if they’ve unfold.
“We’re involved that it might transfer past the water physique. A part of the trapping is to determine the place precisely it’s and the way shut it could be to an outlet to a lake, for instance. And we’re exploring choices for placing in boundaries,” Kingsbury informed reporters at a lakeside media occasion Thursday.
The division is asking the general public to report any which might be discovered and to not transfer them.
Trapping and monitoring
Saint Mary’s College masters pupil Madison Bond trapped the primary dwell crayfish in Three Mile Lake this summer season. She’s going to proceed trapping till the lake freezes.
“My complete analysis is to have a look at the unfavourable impacts that they’ve on this ecosystem in addition to what’s their life cycle on this colder local weather,” Bond says.
This isn’t the primary invasive crayfish present in Nova Scotia.
A number of years in the past, the spinycheek crayfish was found in Freshwater Lake inside Cape Breton Highlands Nationwide Park. It’s native to some states within the northeastern U.S. and has now grow to be established in Freshwater Lake.
There have been experiences of purple Swamp crayfish detections elsewhere in Canada. That is the primary one confirmed by Fisheries and Oceans.
Kingsbury says it’s too early to say if it has grow to be established in Three Mile Lake. That happens when a number of generations are present in an space.
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