SAULT STE. MARIE, ON--(Marketwired - March 29, 2016) - The Invasive Species Centre has partnered with Fisheries and Oceans Canada to launch a comprehensive French language version of their Canadian website on Asian carps. Asian Carp Canada (www.asiancarp.ca) provides information on all aspects of Asian carps, including the most recent prevention, warning, response and research efforts to address the overall ecological and socio-economic threats of Asian carps to the Great Lakes and beyond.
Dave Burden, Regional Director General, Central and Arctic Region of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, said, "the need to protect our environment, economy and social well-being from the Asian carps threat is of paramount importance. This is why partnerships between Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Invasive Species Centre and others across North America are so vital to ensuring that up-to-date information on Asian carps is available to all Canadians."
The website serves as a gateway to retrieve reports, fact sheets, webinars, maps and educational materials in a way that is easily accessible for a variety of audiences. Visitors to the website can explore information describing the four different species of Asian carps, their history in North America, and the ecological and socio-economic risks if they were to establish in Canadian waters. Visitors will also learn about the many efforts toward monitoring, prevention, and response in both Canada and the United States with an emphasis on Canadian actions, including work underway by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The website also offers more technical and scientific information for those interested in exploring topics in greater detail.
Tracey Cooke, Executive Director of the Invasive Species Centre, said, "Every Canadian needs to know more about the serious threat of Asian carps to the ecology and economy of the Great Lakes. The new carpeasiatique.ca website offers easy access to timely information about Asian carps in the French language. Increasing collective knowledge and awareness about Asian carps will help to prevent their establishment in Canadian waters."
"Asian carps" refer to four species of carps (Bighead, Black, Grass, Silver) that are native to China and southern Russia. All four species have escaped into the wild in North America and three have established self-sustaining populations, particularly in the Mississippi waterway system in the United States. Beyond the tremendous socio-economic cost for the commercial and recreational fisheries, the establishment of Asian carps into Canadian waters poses a threat to native species and overall biodiversity because Asian carps are likely to alter fish habitat, compete with native fishes for food and space, and act as carriers for diseases or parasites.
About the Invasive Species Centre:
The Invasive Species Centre is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that connects stakeholders, knowledge and technology to prevent and reduce the spread of invasive species that harm Canada's environment, economy and society. The Invasive Species Centre: brings together experts; supports, coordinates and leads projects; and communicates findings and outcomes to prevent the spread of harmful invasive species. Visit our website at www.invasivespeciescentre.ca.
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Contact Information:
For more information please contact:
Deborah Sparks
Manager, Corporate Affairs
Invasive Species Centre
705-541-5771
dsparks@invasivespeciescentre.ca
www.invasivespeciescentre.ca
