Invasive Fish
Invasive fish are fish from one part of the world that are transported, or migrate due to climate change, beyond their natural range and become established in a new area where they can cause potential harm to native ecosystems.
There are 5 priority categories for fish which determine the province's response.
- Prevent
- Early detection and rapid response (EDRR)
- Provincial Containment
- Regional containment/control
- Management
The fish on this page are organized into these categories.
Prevent
Species determined to be high risk to B.C. and not yet established. Management objective is prevent the introduction and establishment.
American shad
Alosa sapidissima
Bitterling (PDF, 479KB)
Rhodeus species
Grass carp (PDF, 619KB)
Ctenopharyngodon idella
Muskellunge
Esox masquinongy
Rock bass
Ambloplites rupestris
Northern snakehead (PDF, 528KB)
Channa maculata
Spottail shiner (native in northeastern B.C.)
Notropis hudsonius
Warmouth
Lepomis gulosus
Amur goby (PDF, 904KB)
Rhinogobius brunneus
Black carp (PDF, 619KB)
Mylopharyngodon piceus
Green sunfish
Lepomis cyanellus
Prussian carp
Carassius gibelio
Round goby (PDF, 904KB)
Neogobius melanostomus
Blotched snakehead (PDF, 528KB)
Channa argus
Tubenose goby (PDF, 904KB)
Proterorhinus semilunaris
Western mosquitofish (PDF, 376KB)
Gambusia affinis
Bighead carp (PDF, 619KB)
Hypophthalmichthys nobilis
Channel catfish (PDF, 341KB)
Ictalurus punctatus
Monkey goby (PDF, 904KB)
Neogobius fluviatilis
Red bellied piranha
Pygocentrus nattereri
Silver carp (PDF, 619KB)
Hypophthalmichthys molitrix
Rainbow snakehead
Channa bleheri
Tui chub
Gila bicolor
White cloud mountain minnow (PDF, 495KB)
Tanichthys albonubes
Provincial EDRR
Species is high risk to B.C. and is new to the Province. Management objective is eradication.
Oriental weatherfish (PDF, 747KB)
Misgurnus anguillicaudatus
Rosy red minnow/Fat head minnow
Pimephales promelas
Regional containment/control
Species is high risk and well established, or medium risk with high potential for spread. Management objective is to prevent further expansion into new areas within the region through establishment of containment lines and identification of occurrences outside the line to control.
Goldfish (PDF, 518KB)
Carassius auratus
Northern pike (southern B.C.)
Esox lucius
Yellow perch (in Thompson Nicola) (PDF, 512KB)
Perca flavescens
Management
Species is more widespread but may be of concern in specific situations with certain high values - e.g., conservation lands, specific agriculture crops. Management objective is to reduce the invasive species impacts locally or regionally, where resources are available.
Black crappie
Pomoxis nigromaculatus
Brown bullhead (PDF, 559KB)
Ameiurus natalis
Pumpkinseed sunfish
Lepomis gibbosus
Walleye (southern B.C.)
Sander vitreus
Bluegill sunfish
Lepomis macrochirus
Common carp
Cyprinus carpio
Smallmouth bass (PDF, 592KB)
Micropterus dolomieu
Yellow bullhead (PDF, 559KB)
Ameiurus melas
Black bullhead (PDF, 559KB)
Ameiurus nebulosus
Largemouth bass (PDF, 522KB)
Micropterus salmoides
Tench (PDF, 566KB)
Tinca tinca