Question Period Note: Aquatic Invasive Species

Aquatic Invasive Species

Our government understands the importance of protecting the biodiversity and quality of Canadian waters. As such, we are focused on coordinating our efforts to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species in Canada.

Aquatic invasive species pose a serious threat to Canada’s freshwater and marine ecosystems, and preventing negative impacts to our biodiversity, economy and society is a priority for this Government.

The management of aquatic invasive species is a responsibility that the federal government shares with provincial and territorial governments, and we continue to work closely with them and our U.S. counterparts to support prevention and response activities to protect our mutual resources.

Zebra and Quagga Mussels
Zebra mussels are established in the Lake Manitoba watershed, which is the current western invasion front in Canada. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is collaborating with provincial governments in the Prairies and has developed a framework for response plans with them.

In Quebec, Zebra mussels are established in the St-Lawrence river, have been observed in Lake Memphremagog since 2017, and were newly detected in Lake Massawippi in the Estrie in 2021. DFO has partnered with the Quebec government and local stakeholders to prevent the spread of the species to other water bodies and to respond to new detections.

In British Columbia, the provincial government leads the management of freshwater aquatic invasive species. DFO supports British Columbia’s invasive mussel management by providing scientific advice and conducting risk assessments.

Since 2019, DFO has committed over $700,000 to a project in BC focusing on increasing awareness and identifying best practices to reduce AIS-related threats to species at risk. DFO has recently committed $100,000 to support BC’s aquatic invasive species defense program for the 2022-2023 boating season.

DFO is working closely with the Canada Border Services Agency to improve enforcement of the Aquatic Invasive Species Regulations at international borders, with a focus on preventing prohibited species from entering Canada, including invasive mussels.

In March 2021, DFO conducted emergency response activities in partnership with the Canada Border Services Agency and provincial and territorial governments to stop the importation and distribution of invasive mussel infested aquarium products across Canada. DFO continues to work with the Canada Border Services Agency to prevent illegal imports of these infested products into Canada.

Invasive Smallmouth Bass in the Miramichi System
DFO recognizes the seriousness of the threat that the Smallmouth Bass has long represented since it is considered an invasive species in the Miramichi River watershed.

In September 2021, DFO issued a new authorization under the Aquatic Invasive Species Regulations, authorizing the North Shore Micmac District Council, an Indigenous organization, to use a pesticide to eradicate Smallmouth Bass in the Miramichi River Watershed in the Summer 2022.

During its review of the project proposal, DFO consulted with Indigenous groups, as well as stakeholders, , through virtual or physical community consultation sessions. My officials continue to collaborate with all partners involved on this project.

European Green Crab
DFO is concerned by the significant impacts that European Green Crab, found on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Canada, can have on estuarine and marine ecosystems, and fisheries and aquaculture industries, by consuming and / or out competing indigenous species such as shellfish, crabs and lobsters and disrupting estuarine habitats such as eelgrass and saltmarsh in their quest for prey.

DFO is collaborating with partners including Indigenous governments and communities, provincial governments, environmental non-governmental organizations, fisheries unions, stakeholders and U.S. state and federal governments to try to address the threats that this species poses to Canadian ecosystems and fisheries.

DFO continues to generate scientific research or advice, and leads or supports prevention, early detection and control activities on both Atlantic and Pacific coasts, to manage the spread and the impacts of this invasive species in Canada; however, the species continues to spread and impacts on marine resources are anticipated to continue and increase.

Asian Carps
In 2017, our government invested $16 million over five years and $4 million ongoing in the Asian Carp Program to ensure Canada’s Great Lakes are protected from the harmful impacts of Asian carps.

Our government takes a comprehensive preventative approach to addressing the threat of these species, especially Grass Carp, and works collaboratively with American, Ontario and Quebec partners. DFO is available to assist in lab analysis should a fish be caught there.

To date, Asian carps have not established in the Canadian waters of the Great Lakes thanks to structured, organized surveillance and response efforts.

Goldfish
Goldfish, a non-indigenous species, have been released into Canadian waters where they have been reported to reproduce and could therefore impact ecosystems and native fish species.

Introducing fish in areas where they are not native is not only harmful to ecosystems, but also illegal under the Aquatic Invasive Species Regulations, and DFO continues to promote education and outreach materials with the public to prevent introductions of aquatic invasive species.

The presence of Goldfish in freshwater systems in Canada is an issue that the Department is continuing to monitor. A study in Hamilton harbour is tracking how goldfish move and feed and whether their presence is affecting other fish species.

Vase tunicate
Vase tunicate is an invasive species present on the Atlantic coast. Once established, it has important repercussions on aquaculture (mussels and oysters).

In Québec, it is only established at one port of the Magdalen Islands since 2006. In 2021, the DFO monitoring program detected its presence for the first time in two of the islands’ lagoon marinas.

The Department is working with local partners to prevent the spread of the species through the archipelago.

Eurasian Watermilfoil (zombie plants)
Eurasian Watermilfoil, also known as the “zombie plant”, is an invasive aquatic plant known for forming dense mats of vegetation which choke-off native aquatic vegetation.

Recently, lake associations in Quebec have organized to coordinate removal of Eurasian Watermilfoil from Quebec lakes. The province of Quebec, in collaboration with municipalities, are responsible for management of waterways within their jurisdiction.

The Department is developing a policy that will support provincial and territorial efforts to manage aquatic invasive plants.

Aquatic Invasive Species
• Aquatic invasive species (AIS) pose a serious threat to fish, fish habitat, use of aquatic resources (e.g., fisheries, aquaculture, and recreational industries), and species at risk across Canada.
• AIS of public concern across Canada include:
o Zebra and quagga mussels
o Asian carps (four species)
o Sea Lamprey (Great Lakes only)
o European Green Crab
o Invasive tunicates (e.g., Vase, Clubbed, and Violet)
o Invasive aquatic plants (e.g., Eurasian water milfoil)
• The Canadian portion of the delivery of the Sea Lamprey Control Program (SLCP) was established through the Department in 1954, following ratification of the Convention on Great Lakes Fisheries. The Convention established the Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC) as part of a binational commitment to control Sea Lamprey for the protection of Great Lakes fish and fisheries. The Commission works with delivery agents in the U.S. and Canada to deliver the program.
• Budget 2017 provided $43.8 million in funding over five years and $10.8 million ongoing for national AIS management, specifically to: establish a national core program ($14.5 million over five years and $4.3 million ongoing); expand and make permanent the Department’s Asian Carp program ($16.5 million over five years and $4 million ongoing); and, expand the SLCP and increase Canada’s commitment to the GLFC ($9 million over five years and $2.5 million ongoing). The remaining funding was provided to the Employers Benefit Plan and external enablers including Public Works and Government Services Canada and Shared Services Canada.
• Budget 2017 increased Canada’s commitment to the GLFC, the coordinating body for the SLCP, from $8.1 million to $10.6 million ongoing.
• Budget 2022 identifies an additional $45 million over 5 years, and $9 million ongoing, to DFO to fulfill Canada’s funding commitment under the GLFC bilateral agreement and the funding formula established by the Convention. The additional funding will enable DFO and the GLFC to increase efforts to control sea lamprey, further facilitate collaborative fishery management, and provide additional support to Great Lakes research.
• The AIS Regulations came into force in 2015 under the Fisheries Act to provide tools for federal action and partnerships with provincial and territorial governments, setting significant expectations regarding Canada’s collective ability to manage AIS. The AIS Regulations list over 164 aquatic species as invasive, subject to prohibitions and/or controls.
• DFO’s AIS National Core Program was established to implement the AIS Regulations in Canadian waters, to act on sound scientific and other advice, and to report nationally on AIS activities.
• Implementation of the AIS Regulations is a shared priority and responsibility across jurisdictions and levels of government. Some provinces and territories take the lead for freshwater AIS, while DFO leads for marine AIS.
• Provinces also dedicate significant amounts of resources to prevent and manage AIS. For example, Quebec invests $8 million a year and is investing an additional $8 million over five years announced in 2018 to combat aquatic invasive plants. The Invasive Mussel Defense Program in British Columbia (BC) has an annual budget of nearly $4 million. Alberta also has a significant budget targeted at invasive mussels.
• The Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development conducted an audit of DFO’s AIS efforts to date and released its findings on April 2, 2019. DFO accepted the recommendations of the Auditor and is implementing a management action plan to address them.
• The Auditor recommended that DFO work with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to address risks associated with watercraft and prohibited imports. The Auditor also recommended that DFO and the CBSA develop and implement the procedures, tools, and training that border services officers and fishery officers need to assist in enforcing the AIS Regulations. In response, DFO, CBSA, and other partners have developed new protocols, tools, and procedures to improve enforcement of the AIS Regulations at international borders. It is planned to test these tools in 2022, or as soon as practicable pending Covid-19 travel restrictions, with a pilot project at Emerson MB port of entry focused on preventing invasive mussels from entering Canada.
• DFO is currently working with partners to explore projects to address AIS that also benefit aquatic species at risk through the Canada Nature Fund for Aquatic Species at Risk. Potential projects notably include the implementation of the education and outreach “Don’t Let It Loose” campaign in the Ontario and Prairie Region to prevent the illegal introduction of AIS, and the implementation of a watercraft washing station in Manitoba.

Zebra and Quagga Mussels
• Zebra and Quagga mussels can have significant economic impacts on recreational boaters, municipal and industrial water supplies, and power generation infrastructure. Both species are subject to import prohibitions under the AIS Regulations.
• Zebra and Quagga mussels are native to the Black and Caspian seas region and entered the Great Lakes in the late 1980s through ballast water discharged from ships.
• Since their introductions in the Great Lakes, Zebra Mussels have also spread through parts of eastern Canada and the United States, and their western invasion front is currently located in Lake Manitoba in the Prairies, while Quagga mussels are found in the southern Great Lakes (i.e., Lake Ontario, Michigan, Huron and Erie). Both Zebra and Quagga mussels are found in certain areas of the St Lawrence river but not its tributaries or connected lakes.
• Zebra mussels were newly detected in two lakes in the Estrie regions in Quebec in 2017 & 2021 (i.e., Lake Memphremagog and Lake Massawippi) and DFO has partnered with the Government of Quebec and local stakeholders to contain the spread of this species.
• DFO continues to support AIS management through the delivery of science advice, and completed in December 2021 a scientific report on the effectiveness of “Clean, Drain, Dry and Decontaminate” treatments and protocols for watercrafts to help prevent the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species, including zebra and quagga mussels.
• In March 2021, prohibited invasive zebra mussels were found in moss ball products, a type of aquarium plant product made of green algae sold in Canada and in the United States. DFO led national emergency response activities with the CBSA and provincial and territorial partners to stop the import and distribution of infested moss ball products across Canada. DFO collaborated with large e-commerce platforms to block the sale of moss balls by third party sellers on their platforms.
• DFO recognizes the threat that these invasive mussels pose to Canada’s ecosystems and economy, including western Canada’s, and continues to collaborate with CBSA to enforce the AIS Regulations at the international border. DFO continues to address the illegal import of AIS into Canada through the implementation of a sustained action plan focused on four components: enforcement; response preparedness; education and outreach; and engagement with partners.
• The BC provincial government has the authority to implement the AIS Regulations within its jurisdiction and has assumed the role of lead authority for freshwater AIS management in BC with support from DFO. To date, other than those intercepted through the moss ball response, zebra and quagga mussels have not been detected in BC and DFO meets regularly with representatives of the BC provincial government to discuss emerging AIS threats, potential collaboration, and support for AIS-focused initiatives.
• DFO continue to provide funding through grants and contributions for a number of initiatives focusing on AIS management activities:
o DFO contributed $500,000 over four years in 2018 to invasive mussel prevention through research, education, and outreach in BC. This funding complemented the BC government’s efforts and recognized their formal authority for management of freshwater fisheries.
o DFO contributed $700,000 over four years starting in 2019 through the Canada Nature Fund for Aquatic Species at Risk to a project focusing on increasing awareness and identifying best practices to reduce AIS-related threats on species at risk.
o DFO has committed to contribute $100,000 to BC’s invasive defense program in 2022 through a partnership arrangement with the Province of BC.

Miramichi Lake and River
• Smallmouth Bass was discovered in Miramichi Lake in 2008, a headwater lake in the southwest Miramichi River watershed. This watershed, along with other river systems in New Brunswick, is recognized as some of the most productive Atlantic Salmon rivers in the world. Smallmouth Bass is a predator and competitor of other fish, including Atlantic Salmon.
• DFO subsequently installed in 2008, and continues to maintain barriers to prevent Smallmouth Bass from escaping Miramichi Lake and annually invests approximately $50 000 on different physical methods for capturing individuals of all ages and sizes in Miramichi Lake (e.g., electrofishing, trapping, netting, and seining) to keep the population at levels close to depletion.
• In August 2019 however, Smallmouth Bass was reported in the southwest Miramichi River, downstream from Miramichi Lake.
• DFO and partners implemented response activities in the Miramichi River and certain tributaries in the summer-fall 2019 and 2020, which included line fishing (angling), electrofishing (using backpacks or boats equipped with an electrofishing device), netting, collection of environmental DNA samples to determine the spread of the invasion, and collaborating with the University of New Brunswick to use radio-isotopes to determine the source of the Smallmouth Bass captured in the river.
• DFO, as the regulator, worked with the Province of New Brunswick to review an application submitted by the North Shore Micmac District Council for an authorization pursuant to subsection 19(3) of the AIS Regulations under the Fisheries Act to use Rotenone to eradicate Smallmouth Bass from Miramichi Lake and part of the southwest Miramichi River.
o In evaluating the use of deleterious substances, the Department has to consider implications not only for native Atlantic Salmon, but also impacts on species at risk, other fish species, wildlife, and public safety.
• In May 2021, the Province completed its Environmental Impact Assessment determining that the undertaking could proceed and DFO authorized the project on June 7, 2021, subject to the Emergency Use Registration process being completed by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency.
• The week of the project’s planned implementation in August 2021, the proponent was met with blockades from the Wolastoq Mothers and Grandmothers, a community group opposing the project citing consultation deficiencies. As a result, the project was delayed for another year. Although most Atlantic salmon conservation groups support this project, the proposed use of rotenone remains a concerns for local residents.
• A new authorization was issued by DFO on September 18, 2021, and the project which will be monitored by the proponent and by federal and provincial authorities is planned for to the summer of 2022.
• In addition to the application for chemical control, the Department continues to collaborate with the provincial government, the Atlantic Salmon Federation, the Miramichi Salmon Association, and First Nations to capture and remove Smallmouth Bass from the river.
• The Department is also developing a long-term plan for the management of this AIS in the Miramichi River watershed using an integrated management approach based on prevention, detection, response, and control, as well as sustained collaboration with partners.

European Green Crab
• European Green Crab (EGC) are a known invasive species on both coasts of Canada listed on Part 3 of the AIS Regulations, that can impact important habitat, such as eelgrass, and fisheries.
• In the Newfoundland (NL) Region, the spread of EGC has been confirmed in St Mary’s Bay, with established populations of large adult crab confirmed in October 2020. From May 2020 to September 2021, DFO issued 54 AIS Control Licences for EGC in the NL Region
• DFO continues to work with partners in NL to control EGC:
o The Fish, Food and Allied Workers’ Union partnership trapped 335 000 EGC in Fortune Bay in 2020 and those efforts continued in the summer 2021.
o Three Rivers Mi‘kmaq Band were contracted to evaluate EGC population on the South West coast of insular NL through destructive sampling in October 2020
o The Marine Institute’s work in Placentia Bay to restore eelgrass and remove EGC in the area continued with funding from DFO’s Coastal Restoration Fund in 2021.
o In September 2021, the Mi’kmaq Alsumk Mowimsikik Koqoey Association received Nature Legacy Funding to trap and mitigate the EGC population in western Fortune Bay.
• In British Columbia, EGC were discovered in the Salish Sea in 2012 in Sooke Basin, which is thought to be a closed population. They have since been discovered at a number of locations in both the Canadian and US waters of the Salish Sea, none of which have been determined to be established populations except for a recent, substantial population identified in Puget Sound, which is being investigated by the Lummi Nation and Washington State governments.
• Other incursions have been documented along the Central Coast of the mainland, as well as in Haida Gwaii in 2020.
• Since discovery of EGC in the Salish Sea and Haida Gwaii, DFO has partnered with multiple Indigenous and stewardship groups and others to determine the extent of the invasion, seek evidence of establishment, and develop and implement management and response plans, including partnering with the Coastal Restoration Society and Council of the Haida Nation with funding from the BC Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund (BC SRIF).
• External requests (e.g., media, interested parties) for DFO to provide guidance as to a national decision on the permissible use of AIS, and particularly the use of EGC for commercial purposes are increasing in many regions, and especially NL Region. The recently announced closure of the herring and mackerel commercial and bait fisheries in Atlantic Canada may further increase those requests as fishermen will be looking for alternative bait options.

Goldfish
• DFO and the National Aquatic Invasive Species Committee under the Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers have developed a nationally consistent education and outreach campaign named “Don’t Let It Loose” to manage the risk of introduction posed by several pathways including “pets and plants from aquariums, ponds, or water gardens”, “live food and live baits”, and “sport fish and recreational fishing”.
• DFO’s NL Region, with Memorial University of Newfoundland, has commenced utilizing the “Don’t Let it Loose” campaign materials to assist in the prevention of release of aquarium pets (e.g. goldfish) into a campus pond.

Vase Tunicate
• Vase tunicate is an invasive species established in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and certain bays south of Newfoundland. In Québec it is only present at the Magdalen Islands.
• Vase tunicate has important repercussions on the aquaculture industry. It invades mussel socks and incurs additional costs to aquaculture.
• A local organization is collaborating with DFO Small Craft Harbours to attempt to control the single population of Vase tunicate in the Magdalen Islands. Their goal is to make the floating docks less prone for the species to establish itself. This compensation project to control vase tunicate is currently under review by DFO.

AIS as Bait
• Although it may appear desirable to use AIS for bait, food or other purposes, there are several important legal, ecological, and economic factors that must first be considered. Increased use of AIS means increased risks of introduction into new areas, and risks propagating the species, leading to unintended, negative consequences on native fish and fish habitat.
o Use of AIS for economic gain could create long-term markets and demand for domestically sourced product. If an economic market is created for AIS, these species could become socially acceptable, even if serious environmental and broader economic consequences persist
o Many provincial governments regulate the use of baitfish and ban the use of invasive species as bait (live and/or dead).
o While the regulation of bait generally falls under the mandate of provincial and territorial governments with delegated fishery management responsibilities, , the international or interprovincial movement of bait is generally seen as the responsibility of the federal government and the introduction of any non-indigenous species into Canadian waters is prohibited under the AIS Regulations unless otherwise authorized by federal or provincial law.
• We want to prevent any AIS from establishing in Canadian waters. We are concerned that establishment of any AIS would cause significant environmental and economic damage. For example, the estimated costs associated with each invasive species within North America ranges from $14 million to $91 million annually. The total economic value of activities that could be affected by an invasion of a species such as Asian carp in the Great Lakes totals $8.5 billion per year. For consideration, lobster was Canada’s top economic fish and seafood export in 2018, valued at $2.22 billion.

Eurasian Watermilfoil
• Eurasian Watermilfoil is an invasive aquatic plant this is also known in the media as the “zombie plant” due to its ability to quickly return to invaded habitats after being physically removed.
• Eurasian Watermilfoil is present in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.
• Recently in Quebec, a new organization, the Fédération québécoise de protection des lacs et cours d'eau, is attempting to mobilize citizens and lake associations to lobby the provincial government to provide more support on Eurasian Watermilfoil removal across the province.
• The management of aquatic invasive plant species is under the delegated authority of the province.
• DFO is developing a national plant policy to help support the management of aquatic invasive plants across Canada.

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