Northlands storm pond in Viterra Park

By Lisa Parent

City dealing with invasive species after fish dumped in Medicine Hat pond

Sep 6, 2023 | 5:17 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Invasive species released into ecosystems often have no natural predators, and outcompete native species in the area. This can create an unbalanced and unhealthy ecosystem. And in one pond in Medicine Hat, that’s exactly what happened.

In the Northlands storm pond in Viterra Park, goldfish were discovered to have taken over the pond. This is due to people dumping unwanted pets in the water, where the fish grew from a few, to thousands in just a few months. The City of Medicine Hat had to intervene because the pond is connected to the South Saskatchewan River through the storm sewer system.

Yesterday, the pond was fenced in and most of the water was pumped out. In the coming weeks, a biologist will be brought in to release two treatments of pesticide in the water. Then the fish will be removed from the pond and taken to the landfill.

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Joel Wagner, environmental specialist with the city says Medicine Hat dealt with this same issue in Leinweber pond last year. He urges residents to think twice before dumping fish into lakes, rivers and ponds.

“So somebody who has fish that they can no longer care for by putting them into a pond, it may seem like a humane or merciful thing to do, but at the end of the day, it does reduce the opportunity for native species in the province to compete for very valuable resources,” says Wagner. “So it may seem like a kindness, but in the long run it’s not only against the law, but it does harm ecosystems.”

Those needing to get rid of aquarium fish can return them to pet stores, give them to a loving home, or the Medicine Hat Parks Department. Those who dump invasive species in Alberta ecosystems can face fines and potential jail-time.