NOAA scientist Carol Stepien will present research results at a public forum this week in Toledo, Ohio, on how local bait shops, anglers and the public can prevent invasive fish from accidentally being released into the Great Lakes.
NOAA scientist Carol Stepien will present research results at a public forum this week in Toledo, Ohio, on how local bait shops, anglers and the public can prevent invasive fish from accidentally being released into the Great Lakes.
These non-native species can potentially decimate valuable native fish species such as trout, walleye and yellow perch. They do this by competing with native species for food and habitat and potentially infecting them with harmful pathogens.
Stepien, University of Toledo Distinguished Professor of Ecology and research division leader at NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Lab, will speak on a panel Thursday at 8 p.m. that will be broadcast live by WGTE Public Media. WGTE Public Media will later also post the forum online, and it will be available on May 1.
“We found that bait shops sometimes accidentally sell non-native species mixed in with other bait,” Stepien said. This bait is then often discarded by anglers who may not understand its potential effects on the lakes, she said.
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Image via NOAA.
