Snakehead Sighting in Burnaby

[fowlweather]

Don't know if anybody saw this in the news this morning but somebody found a Snakehead in Burnaby's Central Park Lagoon. Luckily its not in Deer Lake or Burnaby Lake that we know of. I hope they already killed it, I can't stand to think that we will have an epidemic like Florida.
http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Burnaby+park+officials+probing+nasty+snakehead+fis h+allegedly+spotted+Burnaby+Central+Park+lagoon+wi th+video/6626327/story.html

[500grhollowpoint]

Wow I wouldn't have beleived it if it wasn't for the video. That's scary. Has the video been authenticated? Is it really a snakehead?

[Fella]

What a disaster that would turn out to be if there were more!

[fowlweather]

I don't know what else it could be with patterns like that. It looks very similar to this and has similar fins. I would have gotten a spear and killed the damn thing.

To compare:
3995

[Bow Walker]

How did it get in there? Some dipshit had it for a pet and let it go?

[The Dawg]

I used to fish in there when I was a kid....there were catfish, goldfish and an occasional crappie in there.

The only good thing I suppose is that it is completely land locked, and there would be no way for it to get into other water systems.

[Fishgutz]

Read the artical! They are able to travel over land and breath out of water.

[500grhollowpoint]

Then if that is a landlocked pond they need to either catch it or nuke the whole pond.

[The Dawg]

Read the artical! They are able to travel over land and breath out of water.


I did! They can only last for just under an hour....and there are no water bodies that close. And if they were able to get out of the park, they would have to cross MAJOR traffic on the roads around it. Squish.

But thanks for your input.

[The Dawg]

Then if that is a landlocked pond they need to either catch it or nuke the whole pond.

100% landlocked. I spent many an hour there as a kid. I grew up across the street from it.

Cant tell if thats Central Park though...HOPEFULLY thats just someone screwing around with a video cam trying to freak people out and its not in there.

If they nuke the pond, they are gonna lose (what I caught as a kid) - goldfish, catfish, crappie, turtles, crayfish. Better that than an epidemic

[Fishgutz]

NoahDawg, I know the odds are super slim..... Still nature finds a way! LOL

[steel_ram]

Can they survive in cold water? They are sold in tropical fish stores.

I doubt their land mobility is really going to carry them very far. Doubt they are anymore of a threat than the other introduced species in urban lakes.

Now if pike ever got into West flowing watersheads there would be trouble.

[Jagermeister]

I used to fish in there when I was a kid....there were catfish, goldfish and an occasional crappie in there.

The only good thing I suppose is that it is completely land locked, and
there would be no way for it to get into other water systems.

there would be no way for it to get into other water systemsWith a primitive lung, it would be capable of migrating over land to other bodies of water. That seems to be how it is getting around the US.

[The Dawg]

The ponds in the Park are not very cold...I used to...shudder....wade in them as a kid....yuck

[The Dawg]

With a primitive lung, it would be capable of migrating over land to other bodies of water. That seems to be how it is getting around the US.


Agreed....but like I said, they are only able to survive for about an hour out of water...there are no water bodies that close and major traffic to contend with......trying to look at the bright side, and not have an absolute freak out about the potential here..

[bigwhiteys]

There are people mentioning in the comments section that they have sighted these fish in there as far back as 2 years ago... The fish on the video doesn't look like a minnow.

[Spy]

Agreed....but like I said, they are only able to survive for about an hour out of water...there are no water bodies that close and major traffic to contend with......trying to look at the bright side, and not have an absolute freak out about the potential here..

Lots of birds around there eggs can become air bourne & move from any body of water!

[The Dawg]

Lots of birds around there eggs can become air bourne & move from any body of water!


Damnit Spy! You are reallllllllllllly not helping me relax here! LOL

I loved those ponds there...

[TheProvider]

if your into the show "River Monsters" they did an episode on snakehead. Spreading throught the states like crazy, very agressive fish that pretty much eat anything and yes they can breath out of water and wiggle around but cant really make it far

[The Dude]

Well first thing they should do is ban live sales, and go from there. DFO should go down to T&T and have a talk with the management. Hope they speak engrishu.

[North Star]

As an aquairium hobbiest I have seen these fish in just about every store in town. I knew this would happen, it was only a matter of time. That is definitely a snakehead.

I don't think that pond is land locked, there is an outflow at the southern end. If these guys get in to the fraser kiss the trout and salmon fisheries goodbye.

Because our Gov is completely useless we need to pick up the phone and call pet and seafood stores and ask them to stop selling these fish and until they do we will not shop at their stores. They have been banned in the US.

Facebook page, pass it around. https://www.facebook.com/StopTheImportationOfSnakeheadsInToCanada

[North Star]

That said though maybe it's a good thing because the fishing within 300 miles of the LML is a total joke.

[anglo-saxon]

"Destroy them!!"

http://www.cinemablend.com/images/news/21895/12_Movie_Characters_You_Regret_Having_Over_For_Tha nksgiving_1290642854.jpg

[C.M.F.D]

just saw this after reading this post they may be there already. "Burnaby pond" not sure if its the same place but thought id share.


http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-story-75288-3-.htm#75288

[Iron Glove]

Many years ago my young son and I took fly fishing classes in that pond.
That fish would be quite the catch.
Might take the wife's cat for a nice walk by the pond in Central Park soon, I heat the snake heads eat small mammals. :)

[slayer B]

A friend of mine had one and it got out of its aquarium, walked across the living room, went down the stairs, out the door and over 50 ft to the pond outside where they found it. They eventually killed it to stop it from getting out again. Snakeheads are straight up scary and get huge. The sooner we stop the sale of these things the better.

[rocksteady]

Send Amphibious in there with his spear gun and gopro...It will be doomed :)

[r106]

I don't think that pond is land locked, there is an outflow at the southern end. If these guys get in to the fraser kiss the trout and salmon fisheries goodbye.


Is this true. Is there an out flow?

[fowlweather]

it has its days where it is flowing and others when its dry to the bone, usually dry or has some stagnant stuff.

[The Dawg]

it has its days where it is flowing and others when its dry to the bone, usually dry or has some stagnant stuff.

There was not about 15 years ago...must be new.

There is an upper pond which drains into a lower pond- it ends by the golf course pitch and putt.

Like I said, I grew up right next to it and spent YEARS running around that park. Never saw an outflow.

[steelheadSABO]

Why doesnt soemone who lives in burnaby go catch it and kill it. then hope there is only one.

[SHAKER]

I seen this last night.... but got a good look at the video today and I don't think its a Redline which is bad (cool water will kill that bugger). I"ve owned a couple different snakeheads as aquarium pets. Here's kind of what I know about them. #1 they really shouldn't be available in stores, they grow very large in short time, eat like crazy, take serious $$$$ to keep well fed. The average person probably has no idea what they're getting into and will be pretty suprised that 120 gallong tank is not adiquit after only a year. Anyone want to guess how long it takes a 26" Redline Snakehead to slurp down 50 goldfish? well under a minute. A fish of that size can very easily eat a 12" trout and will need another by the end of the week. Teeth are SHARP I had been bit several times by them and remember every time. For what it's worth nuke that pond before it wipes out everything in it and to the guy who used to wade in there??? You don't want one grabb'n your leg and doing the death roll! You'll probably need a couple stitch's to close up the wound.

[steel_ram]

If the Northern Snakehead is established there, there is only one solution. If it's a tropical species the winter will kill it. It's never surprising whaqt the bucket brigade dumps in lakes. A large Piranha was caught in Brennan Lk. (Nanaimo) a few years back. It was caught by a fisheries officer out recreational fishing.

The Koi, Goldfish, Sunfish, misc. cichlids and catfish randomly liberated into lakes aren't doing us any good either.

[Scuba_Dave]

Well with that in mind, who do we write? MOE?

[The Dawg]

Hell if I still lived there, I would be fishing for it non stop until its deeeeeeeeeeed.


There were piranha's in Trout lake in Vancouver when I was about 12 years old. Didnt last long, but closed the swimming area and freaked people out when they washed up on the beach.

This things gotta go!

[The Dude]

I would think that Fisheries is all over this, I friggin HOPE so! But as to importing and selling live Snakeheads, is that a DFO thing, or a food inspection thing, a Border Services thing.....
Are they BRED here? In farms? They must be. They can't be shipped live from overseas, can they?
I have to admit that I don't know.......
Any of you Gurus help out here?

[The Dawg]

Here Dude...ready for disappointment?

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/publications/article/2009/01-06-09-eng.htm

To build effective roadblocks, Canadian scientists needed to learn a lot about a species that is not familiar in Canada. Researchers focused on the snakehead's environmental tolerances. What water temperatures did they prefer ... what seasonal variations could they tolerate... and so on. Cudmore and her colleagues used computer models to study environmental conditions in the Northern Snakehead's native ranges and identified what they need to survive. Where the snakehead's home conditions match those in a Canadian aquatic ecosystem, scientists will need to monitor the ecosystem closely. The Northern Snakehead is not likely a threat in extreme northern Canada, for example, because the environment isn't suitable for the species there. But "it would love the Great Lakes," says Cudmore, and Vancouver Island would also be at risk for a snakehead invasion. Selling live snakeheads is now prohibited by law in Ontario, but British Columbia has no such ban.

The threat should not be taken lightly. On a recent trip to British Columbia, DFO scientists were able to purchase a live Northern Snakehead at a local food store, confirming rumours that the species was readily obtainable.
Identifying suitable snakehead habitat in Canada, and points of entry where the species could be introduced, helps managers focus on areas where prevention can be most effective. In British Columbia, with its highly suitable environment and the availability of Northern Snakehead in trade, we need to be extra vigilant says Cudmore

[The Dawg]

Im just wondering how long before someone makes a trip to the 'market' in Richmond and 'accidently' drops some fish kill tab's into the live tanks :twisted:

[The Dude]

Where do they come from? Farms in Canada, the US or Asia?
Anyone wanna go smash some tanks at T&T?

[The Dawg]

Where do they come from? Farms in Canada, the US or Asia?
Anyone wanna go smash some tanks at T&T?

Im thinking that they probably are imported from Asia.

[The Dude]

Live? In aerated water? In shipping containers?
I'm looking into shipping lately, and it's pricey. To ship live fish in aerated water is not cost effective, IMHO. You're shipping pounds of meat in tons of water.
Someone's breeding them here. Maybe Richmond? Just a guess.

[Philcott]

I wonder if some bow fishing would bring too much attention?

[The Dawg]

www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas/Csas/DocREC/2005/RES2005_075_e.pdf (http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas/Csas/DocREC/2005/RES2005_075_e.pdf)

[eaglesj]

There are people mentioning in the comments section that they have sighted these fish in there as far back as 2 years ago... The fish on the video doesn't look like a minnow.

They said on the news that due to its size, they are assuming that it has survived at least one winter.

[The Dawg]

They said on the news that due to its size, they are assuming that it has survived at least one winter.


Could also mean someone had a large tank

[Scuba_Dave]

Just fired an email off to MOE:

Good morning,
WRT the snakehead fish found, as the minister are you able to ban the sale of live snakeheads here in BC? I am a member of HuntingBC.ca and there is a lot of worry with the local fishing community are getting fairly worried about this situation. If you could fill us in that would be great!
Thanks


.....Ya I name dropped the website hahaha, will see if I get a response!

[steel_ram]

Isn't "ban" a swear word on this site?

[Sasquatch]

From what I understand, the problem is that some religions feel it is good karma to release captive creatures back into the wild. They buy fish or birds destined to be eaten and let them go.


The practice may be absurd but selling live invasive species is a road to ruin and should be eliminated.

[hillclimber]

Im just wondering how long before someone makes a trip to the 'market' in Richmond and 'accidently' drops some fish kill tab's into the live tanks :twisted:

so where do i get a hold of some of these pills? i'll do the deed for free

[aggiehunter]

Probably the same dipshit that let the coy fish go.....

[Whonnock Boy]

Big round up today at the lake. The commentator mentioned that everything caught was an invasive species, but no Snakehead. Fair enough but, what bothered me was when they had this good sized carp in the net, the guy pulled it out, showed it to the spectators, and threw it back in. WTF!!!???

[The Dude]

Just sent this to the Grand Poobah:


Honourable Minister:


After disasters in the USA with these fish (Asian or Northern Snakehead, Channa Argus) being imported and sold live, many of my friends and colleagues who are hunters, fishermen, outdoorsmen and conservationists are asking ourselves: " Why on EARTH would CANADA allow these fish to be imported and sold live in BC?"
They've been discovered in Burnaby's Central Park Lagoon recently, as I'm sure you're aware. My understanding is that these fish, despite their notorious reputation as an invasive and destructive species are available for purchase live at pet shops and (at the very least) T&T Supermarkets. A recent article stated that it's Buddhist custom to release a fish for good karma, despite the fact that it may be an invasive species. Is there any truth to this report?
I have no problem with these fish being available for sale in Canada, with the only caveat being that they are sold dead, and IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) like some other non-native species are. We have standards on Sushi, why not these monsters?

There is absolutely no reason why a fish as proven destructive as this species should exist alive outside of public Aquarium in BC or anywhere in Canada.

Can you imagine if these fish get into Okanagan Lake, Skaha Lake, the Thompson, or the Fraser Rivers?
I respectfully and firmly ask, as a Citizen of Canada, and resident of British Columbia: What is being done to change the currently lax and potentially dangerous rules?


Yours in Conservation,
Chris........
,,,,,
etc

[The Dude]

Maybe it's time for a Gopetition?

[SHAKER]

Great letter Dude.... As someone who's got conciderable experience with Snakeheads made me think'n about other waters they could thrive in. It's not the big open water lakes that would have issues it would be in the shallow- staging area places. These buggers are ambush predators so heavy cover is just what they love. Hmmm Vaseux lake.... Osoyoos lagoons. Hmm Spawning Kokanee kind of look like a big gold fish???.......

Like iv'e said before I've owned my share of them... but your right one they really shouldn't available at all. Joe public really has no idea what they're getting into.

[Aheny]

Sorry if this has been asked already, but how do we know that this video was actually recorded in Burnaby? Could just be a prank.

[Kevin So]

It probably doesn't need to get too far from the lake to spread to other areas.....what if it gets out far enough to a sewer on the streets...

Someone should authenticate the video right away and act fast....

[buzz720]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/06/08/bc-snakehead-burnaby.html

looks like they finally caught it

[Steeleco]

Oh no they killed it, now the freakoids will be out in force, "It didn't need to die" LOL Hopefully it's the only one in there?

[fowlweather]

did you see the page of the protester shutting off the pumps? what an a-hole

[Gumsehwah]

Oh no they killed it, now the freakoids will be out in force, "It didn't need to die" LOL Hopefully it's the only one in there?


If they winge about it, just show them this little shop of horrors. :-/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPGmvemG6fk&feature=fvwrel

[The Dude]

Finally got a response....kinda vague, but at the end it looks like they'd also like the ban on possession of live invasive, potentially dangerous species.
Four other Provinces have total bans. We should join them.


Dear Mr. XXXX:

Thank you for your correspondence of May 24, 2012, in which you raise concerns regarding the import and sale of live snakehead fish in British Columbia.

The Government of Canada recognizes that invasive alien species such as the snakehead cause serious and increasing harm to the Canadian economy and environment. As such, in September 2004, the federal government and its provincial and territorial counterparts introduced An Invasive Alien Species Strategy for Canada to reduce the risk of invasive alien species and to conserve Canada's ecosystems. The Strategy aims to respond to the invasive alien species challenge through prevention, early detection and rapid response to new invaders, as well as the management of established and spreading invaders. The Strategy is available online at < www.ec.gc.ca/eee-ias/default.asp?lang=En&n=1A81B051-1 >.

As stated in the Strategy, invasive alien species are a shared responsibility among federal, provincial and territorial governments. The Canadian Action Plan to Address the Threat of Aquatic Invasive Species, available on Fisheries and Oceans Canada's website at < http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/enviro/ais-eae/index-eng.htm >, lists live food fish as a key pathway of introduction and spread of aquatic alien species in Canada, and calls for inter jurisdictional collaboration to respond to aquatic invasive species threats.

Under Fisheries Act regulations, it is illegal to introduce live fish species, including snakeheads and other aquatic organisms, to bodies of water, except under permit. Snakeheads are also currently prohibited under federal regulations in Manitoba (Manitoba Fishery Regulations) and Ontario (Ontario Fishery Regulations); and under provincial regulations in Saskatchewan (Saskatchewan's Fisheries Regulations) and Quebec (Quebec's Regulation Respecting Aquaculture and the Sale of Fish).

Additionally, the proposed amendments to the Fisheries Act (introduced by Bill C-38) will provide comprehensive and explicit authority to create regulations to address the threat of aquatic invasive species. Should the Bill receive Royal Assent, the amendments would allow the establishment of a list of aquatic invasive species and the creation of regulations relating to their control (including the prevention of spreading), possession, import, export, transport, release and handling.

Thank you for taking the time to write.


Yours sincerely,

Original Signed By

Keith Ashfield

[fowlweather]

So pretty much all they have done is nothing up to this point because they never thought it would happen. They made a book on it OOHHHhh! And the feds are putting the blame on the provincial governments saying its their fault for not banning it which they can do. This is what it feels like if it were on a Rick Mercer Video


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10cXpd8haQQ

[Amphibious]

Carp
Bullfrogs
Large Mouth Bass
Yellow Perch
Snakeheads

Should be a fine for anyone that catches, then releases one alive.

[The Dude]

Oh the IRONY!


Chinese city declares war on piranhashttp://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/FZN6924R0WZ__x92.x6.GA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9Zml0O2g9Mjc-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/logo/reuters/d0c3eb8ca18907492a4b337b5cec5193.jpeg (http://www.reuters.com/)Reuters – 2 hours 27 minutes ago





BEIJING (Reuters) - A southern Chinese city is on the alert for piranhas after two people were attacked in a river, and is offering a 1,000 yuan ($160) reward for every fish caught, dead or alive, state media reported on Thursday.
The government of Guangxi region's Liuzhou is asking people to hunt the alien South American species, which badly bit two people earlier in the week who were paddling in the Liujiang River, the China Daily said.
"Fishing with nets is not allowed in the section of the river that flows through the city, but we have made an exemption. Five fishing boats with experienced fishermen have been deployed on the river since Monday," Liuzhou official Wei Yongwen told the newspaper.
"In addition, more than 40 other fishermen from the local fishing association have joined us as well. They all use small pieces of pork as bait."
Other people have taken up position along the river's banks with rods, it added.
"It's horrible to know that the river has such fish. I will not swim there anymore," resident Liu Junjie was quoted as saying. "I'll pray they catch them soon."
However, their days may be numbered anyway, as piranhas die when the water temperature drops below 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit), as it will do in Guangxi over the winter, the China Daily added.
Chinese media has said the piranhas may have been released by people who had bought them as ornamental fish, and that authorities are now stepping up patrols of markets to ensure no more are sold.
($1 = 6.3686 Chinese yuan)
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard,

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/chinese-city-declares-war-piranhas-031530660.html