Keeping invasive species in check can be an arduous task that sometimes requires labor-intensive solutions. However, conservationists in upstate New York have implemented a creative yet simple method to rid their waters of destructive predators.
The Adirondack Explorer reported that authorities released five largemouth bass into a pond at the artificial wetlands of Charles R. Wood Park to eliminate goldfish that have plagued the area.
Their reputation as a small and low-maintenance pet belies the havoc they can wreak on an ecosystem, as they can swell to an average of 14 inches long in the wild by preying on native snails, insects, fish eggs, small fish, and aquatic vegetation.
Their fecal matter might be their most harmful characteristic, though, as goldfish waste can promote the growth of toxic algal blooms that deplete water systems of oxygen and block out sunlight.
Officials speculate that someone emptied an aquarium with goldfish into the pond, which is likely how suckermouth catfish proliferated across the United States and golden-specked cichlids established themselves in the Philippines.
According to Jim Lieberum, manager of the Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District, introducing bass is the most cost-effective way to curb goldfish populations. Initial attempts to remove the invasive species cost $4,000.
County workers drained half of the 6-foot-deep, quarter-acre pond, but the pests hid among the plants. The Department of Environmental Conservation then used equipment that emitted an electric field to stun the fish. Crews recovered about 20 specimens, but they still persisted.
It's unfortunate that goldfish don't taste like their eponymous snack, as communities often organize competitions to catch and eat invasive species such as snakehead fish in Maryland and silver carp in Tennessee.
The job of eating goldfish before they invade Lake George, sitting 1,200 feet from the pond, is best left for largemouth bass, which ironically aren't native to the region. However, a 2014 report from the DEC found that they have "adapted positively" to New York lakes and serve as an "ecologically important" predator.
The DEC urged individuals to inform themselves of the responsibility of caring for goldfish and the proper procedures when disposing of dead fish and plants — none of which includes releasing them in outdoor bodies of water.
"I don't have a good answer if you have a bunch of goldfish and you can't take them with you," Lieberum told the Adirondack Explorer. "I know the answer shouldn't be dump 'em in a local waterbody."
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