A city stormwater pond is still infested with goldfish after a wimpy winter failed to freeze them out.
Erin Ridge residents have spotted large numbers of goldfish in Edgewater Pond this month. The fish are an invasive species and should not be in the pond, as they could escape into the Sturgeon River and harm native fish.
“The crazy thing about goldfish is they’re so hardy, that’s why they’re so popular in the aquarium world,” said Kate Wilson, an aquatic invasive species specialist with Alberta Environment and Parks.
“These species can actually pose a great risk to the environment, because they’re so hard to kill.”
Goldfish are so resilient they can crowd out native species, pillage local food sources, and introduce dangerous parasites, according to Wilson.
Even their poop is a concern, as it overloads the water with nutrients and encourages the growth of toxic algal blooms.
Goldfish are an ongoing problem in Albertan waterways. Wilson tells CBC News, “They can live in any water body in Alberta. We’ve found them as far north as Fort McMurray, which is really cold.”
Agencies/Canadajournal
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