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Fisheries officials concerned mud snails may threaten Vancouver Island native fish

Canadian Press Article online since August 19th 2008, 23:00
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PORT ALBERNI, B.C. - New Zealand mud snails have appeared on Vancouver Island and fisheries officials are concerned the tiny creatures that breed quickly will threaten the food supply of native fish.
Graham Gillespie, invertebrate research biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, said anglers, swimmers and boaters may spread the invasive species that showed up in the Somass River Estuary to other lakes and rivers.
"We wouldn't want someone to go home, leave their waders for a couple of days, then go fishing in another watershed," Gillespie said from Nanaimo, B.C.
He urged waders and boaters to clean their gear before leaving the area, then freeze the attire when they get home to kill the pests.
The New Zealand natives are spreading rapidly throughout North America, where they have no natural enemies.
The snails have appeared in the Great Lakes, in Idaho and near Yellowstone Park, in the San Francisco Bay area, along with Oregon and Washington.
A graduate student from Oregon first identified Potamopyrgus antipodarum in the Somass River Estuary in July 2007.
"We've been back a few times to collect some snails and confirm that's what they are," Gillespie said.
Penny Cote, director of the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District, said she's concerned the snails may invade other waterways.
"I'm extremely worried about it," said Cote. "If they get into the lake they could cause problems with water intakes. They're new to B.C. and I really don't want to see them spread."
Gillespie said the snails may have been brought to Port Alberni by a boater who had been in the mouth of the Columbia River or the Snake River in Washington.
The tiny snails are prolific and compete with native snails, stone flies and caddisflies for food.
"They eat dead vegetable matter or film on rocks," Gillespie said.
"They could affect food webs because they can displace a lot of the animals that the fish feed on or if the fish start to feed only on snails, which don't have many nutrients, the condition of the fish could be reduced."
Gillespie wants to get the word out so that anyone entering the water in infested areas will take precautions to contain the infestation.
He recommended a facility for washing boats at a Port Alberni launch ramp and signs at infestation sites.
Marina manager Tom McMillan said no one has talked to him about the snails.
"It would be pretty difficult to wash boats at that ramp," he said. "There's no water over there." (Westcoaster.ca)
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