Another invasive species enters Great Lakes

[Spiel]

Another invasive species enters Great Lakes

 

 

May 29, 2009

MICHAEL WOODS / www.stcatharinesstandard.ca

 

 

Lake Ontario has a newly imported invasive species, and it's here to stay.

 

Bloody-red shrimp, first discovered in the Great Lakes in 2006 and multiplying rapidly, could pose ecological and economic risks to Lake Ontario.

 

Like zebra mussels, the notorious molluscs that wreaked havoc on municipal water supplies and hydroelectric companies upon their arrival, the shrimp are native to eastern Europe and were likely brought over in the ballast water tanks of ships.

 

The shrimp are about a centimetre long and only seen easily if they are swarming.

 

New York Sea Grant, a research partnership between the State University of New York and Cornell University, is starting a two-year research project on the shrimp's potential ecological and economic effects.

 

Dave White, New York Sea Grant's coastal recreation and tourism specialist, said his group funds research on every new species that enters Lake Ontario.

 

"It's an ongoing issue of concern anytime we get a new exotic species," he said. "The first thing we have to do is learn how it behaved in its native waters."

 

To do that, White said researchers need to review literature on the species. That's why it's taken until now for a research project to get up and running.

 

"Every new exotic we have to start the process from Day 1," he said. "Many of these have come from overseas, so the first thing is a thorough literature review. Many times it's in a foreign language, so it has to be translated."

 

White said the shrimp, known scientifically as Hemimysis anomala, haven't been here long enough to have obvious effects. He said they could be positive or negative additions to the food chain.

 

"It's coming into our system at the base of the food chain," he said.

 

"It could be like some other exotics where they come into the system and they're at the base of the food chain, but they're more like eating popcorn; they fill you up but you don't get a lot of nutrition out of them. That affects the health of the fishery."

 

The shrimp's ecological impact has been rated severe in some European countries.

 

White said boaters concerned about the shrimp can take measures to slow their potential spread.

 

"When you look at the zebra mussel, one thing you can do make sure you're cleaning your boat. Make sure you're not taking one thing from one body of water to the other. We don't want to be spreading it around," he said.

 

One thing is certain, White said. Bloody-red shrimp aren't going anywhere.

 

"Once the barn door is open, you can't close it. If it's going to have a negative impact then we can look at mitigative measures."