1426 goldfish removed by electrofishing at Link Pond in Massey Drive, DFO says lots left to take out

The process of using electricity to stun goldfish for removal started earlier this month after the invasive species appeared to have been intentionally dumped there this past summer.

Electrofishing at Link Pond in Massey Drive has ended, at least for the time being. The process of using electricity to stun goldfish for removal started earlier this month after the invasive species appeared to have been intentionally dumped there this past summer. Macgregor Parent is an Aquatic Invasive Species Biologist with DFO. She says they assessed the pond in July and tried some gear and nets to remove them but that didn’t work well. Since nobody locally had the equipment for electrofishing, a Nova Scotia company was contracted and started electrofishing October 3rd. Parent says they caught 1426 goldfish by the time they finished on October 8th. 

She says that’s the total amount of goldfish removed from Link Pond, but there are lots left to be taken out to have control. They’ve been in continuing talks with the town of Massey Drive and that have to be removed, which will likely be through electrofishing and they’re working out the details. 

Only goldfish were removed from the pond and Parent says some trout netted during the process were safely returned to their natural habitat. They were kept on land in a cooler with aerators for a day, then put back in the pond to make sure they weren’t shocked twice.

Meanwhile, Parent says it is illegal to release aquatic pets or plants into natural settings since they have the potential to destroy those environments. Goldfish are voracious eaters, and they compete for food with the native fish, eat eggs and larvae, and can destroy plant life used as habitat by native species.