New study helps track 'destructive' giant goldfish threatening Hamilton Harbour

Beneath the murky surface of Hamilton Harbour thousands of giant goldfish are teeming, tearing up vegetation and threatening native species.

But now,thanks to a first of its kind study, researchershave a new weaponin the battle to keep the harbour from becoming a giant goldfish bowl.

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It's called acoustic telemetry. About a dozen of thefish weresedated and fitted with sound-emitting tags about the size of an AA battery, allowing scientists withFisheries and Oceans Canadato track where they move.

"There's only one other study of goldfish in a fresh water system and that's in a river, so there are no other telemetry studies on goldfish in freshwater lakes," explained aquatic research biologist Christine Boston.

Warming waters could lead goldfish tootherGreat Lakes

Goldfish are considered aninvasive species around the globe, but Boston says there's not a lot of information about how they're behaving in North America.

And, with climate change warming water temperatures, there's a possibility the former pets that are taking over the harbour could expand their territory and become a much bigger threat.

They just get too big. There's nothing really that could eat them.- Christine Boston, aquatic researcher

"What we find might be helpful for the future and the possible expansion of the species into other areas of the Great Lakes," said Boston.

It might be hard to believe, but many of the bulky, pumpkin-coloured behemoths pulled from Cootes Paradise and other area wetlands most likely began their lives in fishbowls or backyard ponds.

"Lots of people have goldfish as pets and don't always get rid of them theright way," said Jennifer Bowman, an aquatic ecologist with the Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG) in Burlington."That's how they got into these areas and they've been able to survive."

Millions of eggs and an explosion of goldfish

Not only survive, but thrive.

In 2018, staff at Hamilton's fishwaydesigned to keep carp out of the marsh pulled out 1,690 goldfish.

Three years ago, that number was closer to2,500 large goldfish, along with about two million young.

"They're one of the most dominantfish in the fish community," said Boston."They're in the top 10 for most abundant that we have."

That explosion of goldfish has only happened in the past decade or so.

The early 1990s saw just a few of the invaders, but in2012 low water levels allowed researchers to pull out about 8,000 carp, allowing aquatic vegetation to growlike crazy, according to Bowman.

With the carp gone and plenty of plants to scatter their eggs in, millions of baby goldfish were born.

A mature female goldfish can lay up to 100,000 eggs, saidBowman, and they're capable of spawning multiple times in a season.

"When there's a million babies produced, even if not all of themsurvivethat's still a lot of fishing growing up."

Toobig to eat with scales like 'armour'

Add in the fact that goldfish like warm water and are tolerant of the low levels of oxygen that exist in the harbour and they've got a lot of advantages native species like bass, pike and perch do not.

Then there's the way they feed.

It's raising alarmbecause so much effort has been put into Hamilton Harbour. We're trying to restore the fish community and to see this happening is really frustrating.- Christine Boston, aquatic researcher

"They're very destructive. They uproot sediment looking for food,"explained Boston.

"There are all kinds of problems with water quality and contaminates so there's not a lot of food for a native fish and it's just another mouth to feed out there and one we don't want to feed."

Large goldfishnot only wreak havoc on the habitat while eating, but their size also keeps them off the menu for many predators.

A mature member of the species averages 20-25 cm in length, said Boston. Big enough that there are easier fish in the lake to make a meal out of.

"They're so big and deep-bodied and their scales are like armour when they get like that," she explained. "They just get too big. There's nothing really that could eat them."

Goldfish aren't the only target of the fisheries Canada study. Teams have tagged 13 species and areclosely following a subset of eight, including predators like walleye and pike, along with problem fish like goldfish and carp.

Unlike carp, whose name hasbecome a buzzword in the battle against invasive species and are the subject of millions in preventative funding, goldfish have received little attention. But as their impact continues to grow they're climbing up the ladder of concern.

"If they increasing in number we're going to have to start doing something more substantial," said Bowman, pointing out studies of carp have shown they travel to the Hamilton area from places as far off as Toronto and Niagara, so different jurisdictions each have to do their part.

"It really shows you everyone is going to have to work together if we want to solve the problems because the fish are moving around."

A 'frustrating' fight

The fisheries teams are continuing to track species and hopeful their new tool will make a difference.

Multiple organizations, including the Ministry of Natural Resources, RBGare working to combat invasive species too, but Boston said watching the rise of goldfish has made it clear how tough the fight will be.

"It's raising alarmbecause so much effort has been put into Hamilton Harbour. We're trying to restore the fish community and to see this happening is really frustrating."