September updates from the Invading Species Awareness Program!

September Newsletter 2023

In This Issue

A BIG thank you to all of the ISAP's Program Volunteers!
ROM held workshop for the ISAP program and partner staff
MNRF proposes adding new species to the Invading Species Act
Species Profile: Northern Giant Hornet

A BIG Thank You to all of the ISAP’s Program Volunteers!

To the volunteers who assisted us with the Volunteer Water Steward Program, helping us raise awareness about the importance of Clean, Drain, Dry: THANK YOU!

To the over 250 volunteers with the Mysterysnail Management and Removal Program, who have helped us remove over 800,000 mysterysnails since 2021: THANK YOU!

To the staff and volunteers with the Water Soldier Eradication Program, who came out on the water for some paddling during our Water Soldier Watch Day event: THANK YOU!

Finally, to the more than 50 volunteers with the Wild Pig Surveillance Program, helping us identify any potential populations of wild pigs in Northern Ontario: THANK YOU!

Without you, these programs simply wouldn’t be what you make them. Your tireless efforts combined with your positive attitudes and desire to instill positive change are what we continue to need to control, detect, and manage invasive species in Ontario. So, once again, thank you.

Royal Ontario Museum Visits OFAH’s Heritage Centre to Deliver Invasive Fishes ID Workshop

Earlier this month, Erling Holm and Mary Burridge from the Royal Ontario Museum came out to the OFAH Mario Cortellucci Hunting and Fishing Heritage Centre to hold an invasive fishes ID workshop for ISAP program staff and other Asian Carps Canada partner staff. This included some more detailed information and training to properly identify invasive fish species from some common native lookalikes. Check out some of the pictures below!

Are you interested in learning how to ID invasive fish species?

Check out the species profiles on our website!

Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Proposes Adding Ten New Species and Four New Genera to the Invading Species Act

The comment period for this proposal closed on October 2nd, but we’re interested to hear what you think! Send us an email at ISAP@ofah.org to let us know what you think about the new proposal.

Under the new proposal, the MNRF is seeking to add the following species as prohibited or restricted:

Prohibited species cannot be brought into Ontario, deposited, released, possessed, or transported in Ontario and cannot be propagated, bought, sold, or traded in Ontario.

Ide (Leuciscus idus) / Fish
Eastern Mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrook) / Fish
Western Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) / Fish
Red Shiner (Cyprinella lutrensis) / Fish
Oxygen Weed (Lagarosiphon major) / Aquatic Plant
Nutria (Myocastor coypus) / Mammal
Watermoss (Genus Salvinia) / Aquatic Plant
Crayfish (Genus Procambarus) / Invertebrate
Crayfish (Genus Pacifastacus) /Invertebrate

Restricted species cannot be deposited or released in Ontario and cannot be brought into a provincial park or conservation reserve. In addition, the ministry may prescribe additional prohibitions for certain restricted species through regulation that would reduce the risk of that species being introduced or spread further in Ontario, while also allowing some activities to occur (such as management).

Eurasian Water-milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) / Aquatic plant
Floating Primrose-willow (Ludwigia peploides) / Aquatic plant
Flowering-rush (Butomus umbellatus) / Aquatic plant
Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) / Terrestrial plant
Water Ferns (Azolla) / Aquatic Plant

Species Profile: Northern Giant Hornet

The cold months are on the way, and as such, many insects are more active and visible preparing for the winter. Throughout the summer, we have received countless reports of the northern giant hornet (formerly Asian giant hornet) to the Invading Species Hotline. The largest hornet found anywhere in the world; the northern giant hornet was identified in western Canada in 2019. After a quick response and eradication, they have not been detected since and have never been detected in Ontario. Instead, many of the reports we get are non-invasive or native species being misidentified. If you have a hornet specimen, take a look at some common insects found in the area.

When in doubt, give us a call or send us an email and we can help identify the possible invasive hornet.

Invading Species Hotline: 1-800-563-7711

Invading Species Email: isap@ofah.org

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