Question Period Note: Aquatic Invasive Species

• Our government understands the importance of protecting Canadian waters and is focused on coordinating efforts to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.
• Aquatic invasive species pose a serious threat to aquatic ecosystems, and preventing negative impacts to Canada’s biodiversity, economy, and society is a priority for this Government.
• My department works with provinces, territories, Parks Canada, and the Canada Border Services Agency to enforce the Aquatic Invasive Species Regulations, including a focus on preventing prohibited species from entering Canada.

Aquatic Invasive Species
• The Canadian portion 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 Aquatic Invasive Species 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 aquatic invasive species (AIS).
• Budget 2017 provided $43.8 million in funding over five years and $10.8 million ongoing for national AIS management to: establish a national core program; expand and make permanent the Department’s Asian Carp program; and, expand the SLCP and increase Canada’s commitment to the GLFC. Budget 2017 increased Canada’s commitment to the GLFC, the coordinating body for the SLCP, from $8.1 million to $10.6 million ongoing.
• 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. In response, DFO, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and other partners have developed new protocols, tools, and procedures to improve enforcement of the Aquatic Invasive Species Regulations at international borders.
• Budget 2022 identified an additional $45 million over five years and $9 million ongoing to 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 2022 Fall Economic Statement identified $36.6 million in funding over five years from 2022-23 to 2026-27 for DFO for the expansion of the Aquatic Invasive Species Program.
o Pacific Region - $3,634,358
o Ontario and Prairie Region - $3,854,830
o Quebec Region - $1,688,189
o Maritimes Region - $1,495,123
o Gulf Region - $2,741,482
o Newfoundland and Labrador Region - $928,068
• New investments focus on detecting and responding to imminent AIS invasions, including at international borders, and facilitating on-the-ground action to prevent the introduction, establishment, and spread of AIS through partnerships. This will contribute to protecting Canada’s ecosystems, economy, and society from the negative impacts of AIS.
• Funding includes $8.75 million in contribution funding to launch the Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Fund (AISPF) from fiscal years 2022-23 to 2026-27.
o In 2022-23, DFO identified $3.3 million dollars in directed funding for the AISPF to help advance eight multi-year projects across Canada.
o The AISPF Call for Proposals closed on August 31, 2023. All applicants have been notified of funding decisions, with several new projects to begin in 2024-25. These projects will aim to increase awareness and action amongst Canadians, including boaters, anglers, aquarium owners, pet stores, and more.

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 Aquatic Invasive Species Regulations.
• Since the 1980s, Zebra mussels have been confirmed as established as far west as Lake Manitoba, while Quagga mussels are found in the southern Great Lakes. Both species are also present in the St Lawrence river. Zebra mussels were recently detected in Lake Memphremagog (2020), Lake Massawippi (2021), and Lake Temiscouata (2022), the latter being located in the headwaters of the St John’s River watershed.
• In November 2023, based on the presence of positive Zebra mussel DNA and further exploration of the area, Parks Canada confirmed the presence of live Zebra mussels in the Boat Cove area of Clear Lake in Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba. Efforts to determine the extent of the infestation are ongoing.
• In August 2023, the first visual detection of Zebra mussels confirmed their presence in the Madawaska River along a hydroelectric dam in the city of Edmundston, New Brunswick. DFO is collaborating with the provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec, and with non-governmental organizations to educate and inform the public of the importance of properly cleaning, draining and drying all boating equipment and watercrafts before transferring them from one body of water to another to prevent the spread of Zebra mussels.
• Since 2022, DFO has operated a watercraft inspection and decontamination station at the Emerson international port-of-entry in southern Manitoba. This program was initiated to test the procedures and tools necessary for using the AIS Regulations and other legislative tools to improve biosecurity at international borders. In collaboration with the Canada Border Services Agency, DFO has now inspected over 1400 watercraft for compliance under requirements set out in the AIS Regulations and to prevent the introduction of AIS, particularly invasive mussels, into Canada.
• In March 2021, Zebra mussels were found in moss ball products, a type of aquarium plant product made of green algae. 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 e-commerce platforms to block the sale of moss balls by third party sellers on their platforms.
• DFO provides funding for a number of initiatives focusing on invasive mussels:
o DFO contributed $500,000 over four years in 2018 to invasive mussel prevention.
o DFO contributed over $475,000 to BC’s invasive mussel defense program in 2022-23 through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Province of BC.
o DFO committed up to $540,000 from 2023 to 2025 for the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation to support the ongoing work of the Province of British Columbia’s existing Invasive Mussel Defense Program

Miramichi Lake and River
• Smallmouth Bass is a predator and competitor of Atlantic Salmon discovered in 2008 in the area.
• DFO maintains barriers to prevent Smallmouth Bass from escaping Miramichi Lake and annually invests approximately $50,000 on different physical methods for capturing Smallmouth Bass.
• DFO authorised a chemical eradication project in 2021; however, the proponent was met with opposition from community groups and cottage owners throughout 2021 and 2022.
• On September 8, 2022, the proponent completed the first phase of the chemical eradication project by applying rotenone in the Southwest Miramichi river, downstream from Lake Miramichi. On September 29, 2023, a regional working group, including the proponent, issued a statement that the project will not proceed.
• DFO continues to operate a fish barrier at the Miramichi Lake discharge to prevent the spread of smallmouth bass into the Miramichi river system, and will review other proposals that may be submitted to control smallmouth bass in Miramichi Lake using pesticides.

European Green Crab
• European Green Crab (EGC) consumes and/or competes with indigenous species such as shellfish, crabs, and lobsters and disrupts estuarine habitats such as eelgrass and saltmarsh.
• DFO continues to provide funding and work with multiple partners in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) to control EGC, including Indigenous groups (Mi’kmaq Alsumk Mowimsikik Koqoey Association), academia (Marine Institute), and ENGOs (Northeast Avalon ACAP). The NL Region also has a successful voluntary control licence program where members of the public can apply to trap for EGC.
• In BC, EGC were first discovered in 1998. 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 providing subject matter expertise, and funding from the BC Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund to the Coastal Restoration Society, Council of the Haida Nation and Heiltsuk Nation; $15.7 million has been allocated until 2026.

AIS as Bait
• Indigenous groups, commercial fishers, non-governmental organizations and others are interested in using AIS. The use of AIS is a tool to control the spread of AIS, to reduce pressures on wild stocks, and to create new food sources. Since 2010, a commercial fishery was created in Nova Scotia to capture European Green Crab (EGC) and allow its use as lobster bait. The decision to support the use of AIS is not meant to create sustainable fisheries.
• Decisions related to the use of AIS must be taken with caution, to avoid negative impacts such as increasing the spread of an invasive species. DFO is drafting a timely and nationally cohesive process which will allow the Department to take judicious decisions when evaluating, for example, which type of fishing licences are most appropriate for the control and use of marine invasive species.
• DFO is exploring different options with regards to the potential uses of marine AIS, such as food, bait, compost or pet food while taking into account: the need for going management and control of marine invasive species; the Government of Canada’s commitments to fisheries and biodiversity management; and, economic opportunities for coastal communities.
 

If pressed – New Investments to Fight Against Aquatic Invasive Species in Canada
• The 2022 Fall Economic Statement identified $36.6 million over five years to fight aquatic invasive species in Canada.
• Of this funding, $25.6 million will be dedicated to strengthening operations while increasing early detection and response activities, including at international borders, to prevent aquatic invasive species from entering and spreading in Canada.
• The remainder includes $8.75 million in contribution funding to launch the Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Fund to create new partnerships and facilitate on-the-ground preventive actions.
If pressed – Zebra and Quagga Mussels
Prairies
• In the Prairies, zebra mussels are established in the Lake Manitoba watershed, and have been found recently in Clear Lake, Riding Mountain National Park. We collaborate with prairie provincial governments to ensure a timely and coordinated response in the event that response measures are required in the region.
 
Funding in British Columbia
• In British Columbia, my department supports the Province’s prevention and early detection efforts for aquatic invasive species by generating scientific advice, conducting risk assessments, and implementing and supporting enforcement actions.
• My department is providing funding of up to $540,000 from 2023 to 2025 for the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, and also contributed over $475,000 in 2022-23 through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Province to support BC’s invasive mussel defense program.

Québec and in Eastern Canada
• In eastern Canada, zebra mussels are established in the St. Lawrence River, and were newly detected in Quebec in Lake Massawippi in 2021, and Lake Temiscouata in 2022. Monitoring activities conducted during the summer of 2023 indicate that zebra mussels have potentially been detected in eight other lakes in the Bas-St-Laurent region. We are working with the Provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick and local stakeholders to mitigate the further spread of the species.
• On August 25, 2023, zebra mussels were observed visually at a hydroelectric dam located on the Madawaska River, in Edmundston, New Brunswick. Experts have confirmed that the reported species are zebra mussels. This marks the first confirmed visual detection of live zebra mussels in New Brunswick.
If Pressed - Funding allocation
• Ongoing funding, first available in 2017, is equally allocated to each region for the Aquatic Invasive Species National Core Program.
• The 2022 Fall Economic Statement funding to Fisheries and Oceans Canada is being distributed based on priorities and regional pressures related to aquatic invasive species. This means that not all regions receive the same amount of this funding.
• These new resources are allowing, for example, the Pacific Region to staff new fishery officer positions to support the enforcement of the Aquatic Invasive Species Regulations. These officers collaborate with the Government of British Columbia, the Yukon government, and the Canada Border Services Agency to prevent the introduction and spread of prohibited species.

If pressed – Invasive Smallmouth Bass in Miramichi Watershed
• The Department issued an authorization to the North Shore Micmac District Council under the Aquatic Invasive Species Regulations to use a pesticide to eradicate Smallmouth Bass from the Miramichi watershed.
• Pesticide was applied in a section of the Southwest Miramichi River in 2022. In September 2023, the proponent and its partners decided not to proceed further with the project.
• DFO continues to operate a fish barrier at Miramichi Lake and will collaborate with Indigenous communities, federal or provincial organizations, and stakeholders on other proposals submitted to DFO to control smallmouth bass within the system.

If pressed – European Green Crab
• We are concerned by the significant impacts that European Green Crab, found on both coasts of Canada, can have on estuarine and marine ecosystems, fisheries, and aquaculture industries. In particular, a sharp increase in catches was observed on the Atlantic coast in the summer of 2023.
• We collaborate with numerous partners including Indigenous governments and communities, provincial governments, and U.S. state and federal governments to address the threats that this species poses.
• My department will continue to lead management activities on both Atlantic and Pacific coasts to mitigate the spread and the impacts of this invasive species.

 
If pressed – 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 U.S., Ontario, and Quebec government partners.
• Asian carps have not established in the Canadian waters of the Great Lakes thanks to organized surveillance and response efforts.
If pressed – Goldfish
• Goldfish, a non-indigenous species, have been released into Canadian waters where they may reproduce and impact ecosystems and native fish species.
• Introducing fish in areas where they are not native is illegal under the Aquatic Invasive Species Regulations, and we will continue to promote education and outreach with the public to prevent introductions of aquatic invasive species.
• The presence of Goldfish in freshwater systems in Canada is an issue that my department is continuing to monitor.
If pressed – Vase tunicate
• Vase tunicate is an invasive species present on the Atlantic coast. Once established, it has negative impacts on aquaculture (e.g. mussels and oysters).
• In Quebec, up to 2021, vase tunicate was only found in Cap-aux-Meules (Magdalen Islands). Since then, it has spread to other marinas of the archipelago.
• We are working with local partners and provinces to slow down the spread of the species throughout the Magdalen Islands’ archipelago, on Prince Edward Island and in Newfoundland and Labrador.
• In Newfoundland and Labrador, my department is working with Harbour Authorities to control expanding Vase Tunicate populations and to prevent spread.