Tube-nosed goby, a new invasive fish species, spotted in Quebec

Quebec says it has discovered a new invasive species, the tube-nosed goby, in Saint-François Lake, in Montérégie.

And officials fear the fish could eventually be found in the Saint-Lawrence River.

The Ministry of the Environment says the fish observed in the Saint-Zotique sector, near the Ontario border, is the first of this species.

Authorities report the tube-nosed goby can have negative impacts on biodiversity. It is a predator for the eggs or larvae of species native to the environment. It settles and competes with other fish that feed on the bottom of the lake floor.

Aquatic invasive species are difficult to control once they become established in an environment. In the case of the tube-nosed goby, its discovery suggests its abundance may gradually increase.

The ministry reports the tube-nosed goby was introduced to North America during the 1990s in the St. Clair River at the Ontario-Michigan border through ballast water discharge from European ships. The most probable hypothesis as to its arrival in Quebec is the expansion from Lake Ontario downstream of the St. Lawrence River.

Authorities claim the tube-nosed goby is still very rare in Quebec. They ask fishermen to report any sightings of this species to the department to better identify its presence in the St. Lawrence River system.

If a fisherman believes they have caught an invasive species, they must release the fish if it won’t be consumed. That directive is to prevent the unnecessary death of native fish that have been misidentified.

—This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews