It’s a great object lesson why you shouldn’t flush that unwanted pet goldfish down the toilet.
Later this month, the city will be removing goldfish from the stormwater pond on Erickson Road. It involves pumping water out of the pond and removing the fish, which are invasive in the wild and cause harm to native species. Any amphibians found will be salvaged and re-introduced once work is complete.
Steve Roehr, the city’s operations manager, says at least a few dozen goldfish were discovered in the pond last year. He says they cause harm to the natural environment in Campbell River and it’s necessary to remove them.
The work is scheduled for October 7-18.
For more information about invasive goldfish in BC, and how to prevent creating additional problems with unwanted pets, visit the BC Invasive Species Council’s website.
