[Flash Walken]

Environmental officers in the province of Alberta say they've found goldfish the size of dinner plates in the region's storm ponds. Forty of the fish were pulled from a single pond in the north of the province earlier this year, the CBC News website reports. "That's really scary because it means they're reproducing in the wild, they are getting quite large and they are surviving the winters that far north," says Kate Wilson from Alberta's environment department. Goldfish are considered an invasive species in Canada, and the government is worried they could upset fragile local ecosystems.

As a result, it has launched a campaign warning people of the trouble flushed pets can cause - even if they have already gone to the big goldfish pond in the sky. "Even if the fish are dead, they could have diseases or parasites that could be introduced, especially if the water treatment system is not top notch," Ms Wilson tells Fort McMurray Today. The campaign will also target pet stores and markets, as well as groups that engage in "mercy releases", where captive animals are set free in the belief it will create spiritual "good karma", CBC News says.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-news...where-33254630

“It seems to be an emerging issue in our society and culture, that releasing pets into the wild is the humanitarian thing to do,” said Kate Wilson, an invasive species specialist with Alberta Environment and Parks. “If a species as benign as a goldfish can survive winters in Alberta, that is a serious cause for concern.”

So far, the goldfish have been restricted to storm ponds, although some of those ponds are connected to the Athabasca and Clearwater rivers. The newcomers are part of a trend appearing in Alberta’s waters. The province is also battling the ongoing threats of a zebra mussel infestation and Prussian carp, which have been spotted in central Alberta. Alberta is the only jurisdiction in North America with reports of the small, silver fish.

“Most domestic pets or animals you can buy are not native to Alberta,” she said. “Even if the fish are dead, they could have diseases or parasites that could be introduced, especially if the water treatment system is not top notch.”

http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/201...rtas-waterways