About Asian Carp Canada

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is the federal lead for safeguarding Canada’s waters and managing Canada’s fisheries, oceans, and freshwater resources. DFO supports economic growth in the marine and fisheries sectors, and innovation in areas such as aquaculture and biotechnology. Finally, DFO helps to ensure healthy and sustainable aquatic ecosystems through habitat protection and sound science.

DFO puts aquatic invasive species in general, and Asian carps specifically, among its highest priorities. The goal of DFO’s Asian Carp Program (ACP), which began in 2012, is to protect the integrity of the Great Lakes basin by preventing the arrival, establishment and spread of all four species of Asian carp. The program is founded on four pillars: prevention, early warning, response, and management. By implementing the activities within each pillar, the ACP and its partners are working to ensure that Asian carps do not become established in Canadian waters.

DFO’s role in Asian Carp Canada is to provide funding and resources, as well as to transfer expert knowledge on Asian carps, obtained from scientific research, risk assessments, and extensive field sampling.

Founded by the Governments of Canada and Ontario to act as a hub for collaboration and knowledge sharing between stakeholders. Incorporated as a not-for-profit in 2011, the Invasive Species Centre (ISC) has grown into a respected collaborator, knowledge broker, partner, and leader in invasive species action in Canada and beyond. The Invasive Species Centre connects stakeholders, knowledge and technology to prevent and reduce the spread of invasive species that harm Canada’s environment, economy, and society. We connect with a broad array of stakeholders to catalyze invasive species management, and communicate policy and science knowledge.

As a partner of the Asian Carp Canada program, the Invasive Species Centre works with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and partners to raise awareness about the threats of Asian carps to the Great Lakes with the main goal of encouraging water users in the Great Lakes basin to learn to identify and report Asian carps. We complete this goal by managing and updating asiancarp.ca with new and relevant information, running the Asian Carp Canada webinar series which has experts in the field presenting on a variety of Asian carp topics, hosting public information sessions in high risk areas and conducting digital awareness campaigns to reach our target audience.

In 1992, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, in partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, established the Invading Species Awareness Program in order to address the increasing threat posed by invasive species in Ontario. Our objectives are to generate education and awareness of aquatic and terrestrial invasive species, address key pathways contributing to introductions and/or spread, and facilitate monitoring and early detection initiatives for invasive species found within Ontario.

With more than 60 years of experience, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) is the largest of 36 Conservation Authorities in Ontario, created to safeguard and enhance the health and well-being of watershed communities through the protection and restoration of the natural environment and the ecological services the environment provides. TRCA’s vast jurisdiction comprises nine watersheds, including Carruthers Creek, Don River, Duffins Creek, Etobicoke Creek, Highland Creek, Humber River, Mimico Creek, Petticoat Creek and Rouge River, plus their collective Lake Ontario waterfront shorelines.

More than 5 million people live within TRCA-managed watersheds, and many others work in and visit destinations across our jurisdiction. The population within TRCA’s jurisdiction is expected to grow significantly in the years to come. Some of Canada’s largest and fastest growing municipalities, including Toronto, Markham and Vaughan, are located entirely within the TRCA watershed jurisdiction.

After Grass Carp were captured at Tommy Thompson Park in 2015, TRCA participated in the Toronto region’s Asian Carp response led by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. As a partner in the Asian Carp Canada Program, TRCA monitors the Toronto waterfront for Asian Carp and ensures that aquatic habitat is not impacted by the invasive species. TRCA also undertakes public education and outreach to increase the public’s awareness and knowledge of the threat posed by the invasive Asian Carp.

FOCA is the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations, a not-for-profit organization representing volunteer associations and individual property owners all across Ontario.

FOCA serves and represents lake associations, waterfront property owners (WPO) and waterfront communities through education, communication and government advocacy. FOCA envisions thriving and sustainable waterfronts across Ontario, now and for future generations.

As the representatives of Ontario’s waterfront communities, FOCA has significant ongoing interests and concerns about the threat of invaders such as Asian carps. Part of this is our ongoing education and networking with DFO and other partners, which includes educating waterfront communities about Asian carps.

The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) seeks to inspire wonder and build understanding of the natural world. ROM biodiversity is committed to raising awareness of the significant challenges facing the conservation, diversity and survival of life on Earth, and working with our partners and the public to find ways to make a difference. Our scientists are leaders in species discovery, evolutionary biology, education and public engagement. The ROM is the largest research museum in Canada and holds more than 12 million natural history specimens for the people of Ontario, and scientists worldwide. Our principle public gallery, The Life in Crisis: Schad Gallery of Biodiversity, sees ~850,000 visitors a year, and is one of the most popular spaces in the Museum. The overall goal of this space is to connect our audience to nature with meaningful and action-based initiatives that are supported by our research and collections.

The goal of the ROM in the Asian Carp Canada program is to raise public awareness and educate the public about Asian carps and other invasive species. Recent renovations in the biodiversity galleries have led to the inclusion of Asian carps in a permanent exhibit. Visitors have the opportunity to learn how to identify the four Asian carp species, and why it is vital to keep invasive species from entering our watersheds. Full-time facilitators are trained by DFO staff on Asian carps and have the knowledge to interact with visitors on an ongoing basis. Staff in these galleries is kept informed of recent reports of Asian carp captures in the Great Lakes watershed. Special Family Day programmes centring on Asian carps and other invasive species are activated regularly in the Life in Crisis Schad Gallery of Biodiversity. Each year, ROM staff from the fish section run identification workshops at the University of Guelph on Ontario fish species for biologists, students, consultants, and government staff, which include special lectures on invasive species, particularly Asian carps.

The Toronto Zoo, along with the Invasive Species Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry are proud to house Big, Bad, and Ugly Asian Carp exhibit. This historic exhibit – the first and only in Canada –  houses three invasive Asian carp species: bighead, grass and black carp.

Import of all three species of Asian carp involved rigorous government approvals, with black carp being the most recent to arrive to the Toronto Zoo in spring 2018. The live fishes allow guests to see these species first hand, thereby providing better insight on how to identify them and increasing the likelihood of accurate detection if Asian carp were to be found in the Great Lakes.  A specially designed aquarium equipped with significant containment for the live fishes and DNA filtration systems, has been approved by containment professionals with the Zoo and with officials from federal and provincial agencies so that the fishes will not pose any risk to Toronto’s waterways.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) is responsible for protecting Ontario’s biodiversity while promoting economic opportunities in the resource sector and supporting outdoor recreation opportunities.  A key initiative in this mandate is the implementation of the Ontario Invasive Species Strategic Plan. The ministry fulfils this commitment by collaborating across all levels of government and with partners to reduce invasive species threats and coordinate efforts to prevent, detect, respond to and manage the impact of these species. This includes working with federal partners and not-for-profit agencies to address aquatic invasive species, including Asian carps.