Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters launches series of Asian Carp information sessions

To make the public more aware of the threat that Asian Carp pose to the Great Lakes, and what’s being done to stop an invasion, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters announced today that it is holding a series of information sessions in communities that could be most impacted.

“An Asian carps invasion would jeopardize the Great Lakes’ $5-billion fishery and decimate native fish populations,” reads an OFAH press release. “While Asian carps are not yet established in the Great Lakes, their DNA has been detected near Chicago just a few miles upstream of Lake Michigan, prompting both the Canadian and Ontario governments to commit major resources to the threat.”

While there are four species of invasive Asian carps that have made inroads in North America, bighead and silver carp are the species that have spread the most aggressively and can be considered one of the greatest threats to the Great Lakes.

If they become established in the Lakes, they could potentially eat the food supply that native fish depend on and crowd them out of their habitat.

The OFAH will be leading information sessions in the following five communities, which could be negatively affected by an Asian carps invasion. All sessions start at 6:30 p.m.

November 25 – Windsor, Waterfront Hotel

November 26 – Niagara Falls, Hilton Fallsview Hotel & Suites

December 2 – Sault Ste. Marie, Delta Sault Ste. Marie Waterfront Hotel

February 3 – Toronto, Gladstone Hotel

February 11 – Peterborough, OFAH/Mario Cortelluci Hunting and Fishing Heritage Centre

To learn more about the threat of invasive carps in Canada, click here.