Canada plans to invest CAN$3.7 million to combat aquatic invasive species across the country. This funding is a result of a national call for proposals under the $8.75 million Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Fund (AISPF).
Aquatic invasive species are freshwater or marine plants, animals, algae and micro-organisms introduced outside their natural or past distribution. They have significant negative impacts on the environment, economy, society and human health.
The AISPF aims to strengthen partnerships between federal, provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous communities, stakeholders and the general public to facilitate on-the-ground, preventative actions against aquatic invasive species, as well as education, outreach, detection and response activities.
The organization said prevention is the most efficient and cost-effective way of managing aquatic invasive species. This includes cleaning, draining and drying watercraft and equipment after leaving a body of water and never releasing pets, plants, live bait or food, or sportfish into new bodies of water, drains, or the ocean.
With the longest coastline on the planet and approximately 20% of the world’s freshwater resources, Canada is home to incredibly diverse aquatic ecosystems. However, the country said, ecosystem threats are on the rise. After habitat loss, invasive species are the second biggest threat to global biodiversity. Aquatic invasive species can spread quickly, compete with native species, alter habitats, and cost billion of dollars annually in damages.
“Our large bodies of water in the Eastern Townships are being hit hard by the threat of biodiversity loss,” said Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard. “Through the Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Fund (AISPF), we are supporting the collaborative efforts of our environmental organizations, such as the Conseil régional en environnement de l’Estrie and all regional partners, to find sustainable solutions to protect our lakes and rivers.”
Previous funding to combat invasive species includes
- $400,000 in contribution funding for the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation to conduct invasive mussel early detection and monitoring as part of British Columbia’s Invasive Mussel Defense Program.
- $500,000 in contribution funding for the Comité ZIP des Îles-de-la-Madeleine to combat the spread of aquatic invasive species in the Magdalen Islands, including European Green Crab and Yellow Tunicate.
