A provincial fishing and hunting association is asking people to be on the lookout for invasive species in the area.
Hailey Powell is an invasive species outreach coordinator with the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters. She was on the McIntyre River Tuesday afternoon with a rusty crayfish, recently caught in Cloud Lake. Powell said with the crayfish, native to Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee, has been in the are since the 60s it’s important to stop it from spreading across the region.
"They’re highly adaptable so they have negative impacts on our ecosystems and our economy," Powell said.
The crayfish is larger and more aggressive than other crayfish native to the region. That means the local populations have a harder time competing for food and living space. On a hot sunny day, the Rusty crayfish will get better hiding spots leaving native crayfish more susceptible to prey. Other fish populations are also affected because the crayfish will eat plants usually eaten by the other populations.
"The whole ecosystem will change a s a result of their presence," Powell said.
While it’s difficult to eradicate an invasive species, the public can help stop its spread. Powell said local anglers are encouraged to dump bait buckets, likely the cause of the Rusty crayfish being introduced to the local system, away for water. And people should clean their boating equipment between expeditions because some invasive species are microscopic.
"You wouldn’t even know you’re transporting them from one water body to another," she said.
Along with being larger, the Rusty crayfish has black bands along the tips of its claws and rusty patches near its back.
