Photo by Chris Mong.
That story we told you about yesterday involving the Lamprey Eel drew quite a response, including from Heidi Manitowabi, the Community Liaison Specialist for the A/OFRC.
See original story here: http://www.baytoday.ca/content/news/details.asp?c=78582
She tells us that not only is that Lamprey native to the lake, it's at risk.
Here's Heidi's explanation.
"The Anishinabek/Ontario Fisheries Resource Centre (A/OFRC) would like to inform readers of the Lamprey Caught article posted by BayToday.ca on Wednesday, May 20, that the lamprey caught in the South River by Chapman’s Landing on May 19, is a Silver Lamprey (Ichthyomyzon unicuspic).
"The Silver Lamprey is one of eleven species of lamprey in Canada and is listed as Under Consideration under Canada’s Species At Risk Act, and as a Special Concern under COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered
Wildlife in Canada).
"Silver Lampreys are a native species that inhabit the Great Lakes region. They are found in freshwaters of eastern North America, and have a range from extending from Manitoba to Tennessee in the west, and from Quebec to Vermont in the east.
"Silver Lamprey from the Great Lakes and Upper St. Lawrence population have been documented in 41 streams and nine lakes including Lake Ontario, Lake Huron, Lake Superior, Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair, Lake Nipissing, Lake Champlain, Lac St. Pierre and Lac St. Louis.
"Silver Lamprey are not invasive to Lake Nipissing. Silver Lamprey’s use their rasping tongue teeth and sucking mouths to parasitize a variety of fishes to feed on their blood. They pose no threat to humans.
"Silver Lamprey are a protected species and it is a federal offence to harm them - unlike Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), a similar looking species which is invasive and has played a significant role in the declining stocks of lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) and walleye (Sander vitreus) in the Great Lakes region.
"It is important to note that Silver Lamprey have evolved with native species in the area as part of the community with other species in the region.
"The Sea Lamprey, which is not native to the local ecosystem, has had devastating impacts to the fish species in the Great Lakes, and should not be compared to the native lamprey species.
"The Silver Lamprey was caught in one of A/OFRC’s drift nets, which is being used for a Lake Sturgeon Larval Drift Assessment within the traditional territory of Nipissing First Nation."
What’s the difference between a Silver Lamprey and a Sea Lamprey?
