Goldfish are starting to be considered a big problem in some areas of Canada. The reason is, the fish whose natural habitat is in Asia is increasingly exploding in population. The government and environmentalists are also confused and are looking for solutions to overcome them without endangering native species.
In the City of Ontario, it was observed that there are many ponds filled with thousands of goldfish which are considered dangerous pests because they prey on local species and destroy their habitat. In Great Lakes, goldfish numbers have surged since 2015, according to ecologist Jennifer Bowman of the Royal Botanical Gardens.
"It's only getting worse now. These goldfish are very successful when they are together. A few goldfish in a pond could be in the thousands next year," he said, as quoted by CBC, Thursday (19/5/2022).
To deal with it safely, currently being formulated several ways. Solutions include lowering the water depth level or using certain chemicals.
However, the use of chemicals can kill all species in the waters, not just goldfish. If such a step is taken, it is necessary to add more native species in the targeted waters.
Brydon Rodd, a local biologist, said that it was also possible to catch goldfish one by one, but it was clear that a lot of effort had to be put into it. "It will be a major operation. It will take a lot of people and it will also be very expensive," he said.
Preventive measures are also deemed necessary to be encouraged. For example, intensively providing education so that residents do not carelessly release pet goldfish into lakes or rivers because they endanger the environment.
