| dc.description.abstract | Invasive fish species in Atlantic Canada present threats to freshwater ecosystems by outcompeting and predating native organisms, resulting in a biodiversity shift. This could also lead to social impacts, especially for recreational fishers and other users that benefit from the natural resources that are altered by aquatic invasive species (AIS). As a result of the damage caused by invasive species, some organizations (government and private) have used different types of invasive species management strategies for maximizing the removal of these unwanted fish populations such as scientific angling, electrofishing, and the installation of fish barriers and traps. In practise the methods above are effective in suppressing AIS populations, but almost never succeed in full eradication. This is where managers sometimes turn to rotenone, a piscicide that has proven to be effective in AIS eradication but is more damaging to nontargeted organisms. The objectives of this study are to evaluate common treatment methods used to suppress or eradicate AIS species in Nova Scotian lakes, by analysing its primary function, operational costs, time to implement, and disadvantages (treatment limitation and/or ecosystem impacts). In addition, different restoration frameworks will also be reviewed for its potential in recovering the ecosystem from any damages caused from treatment application. Other existing management tools that do not directly assist in AIS removal or ecosystem restoration but help facilitate management options will also be explored. Lastly a management guide will be constructed, based on the previous objectives, to assist managers in decision making for dealing with future AIS invasions.
Key words: aquatic invasive species, control, eradication, species at risk, restoration, ecosystem recovery, biological indicator species, framework | en_US |
