A Calgary man is concerned about what he believes is an invasive fish species he’s found in several Northeast storm ponds.
Chris MacDonald, who takes daily walks with his dog, Willow, in the green space near his Abbeydale home, said in an interview with CTV Calgary that he’s recently discovered a number of dead fish in and around the storm ponds in the area — fish he believes are Prussian carp.
McDonald said there's a pattern of fish turning up dead by the ponds he walks near.
“What I’ve been noticing over the last two years is fish carcasses, just all along the pond here. I’ve counted about 12 of them,” said MacDonald.
In a quick walk around one of the ponds on Friday, MacDonald pointed out three fish carcasses he thought were Prussian carp.
The species is a type of wild goldfish that is not native to Alberta, but has recently been found in the Bow and South Saskatchewan Rivers, according to the provincial government.
MacDonald phoned Alberta Fish and Wildlife about the fish and an officer came to the storm ponds right away to investigate.
“Prussian carp pose threats to native fish populations by outcompeting native species for food and habitat, as well as spreading new diseases and pathogens,” reads a fact sheet on the Government of Alberta’s website.
MacDonald's dog is attracted to the smell of the fish, which is another problem he has with the fish in the storm ponds.
“Obviously the main concern is the environmental impact these fish have, but we don’t want someone’s dog choking on a fish bone either,” he said.
It’s not clear how or why the Prussian carp was initially introduced to Alberta, and it’s unknown why they’re in the storm ponds near Abbeydale.
Anyone caught transferring fish into a storm pond can be fined up to $100,000 under provincial regulations.
