NANFA-- Fish Items from EDF
Shireen Gonzaga (grw70d5824_at_yahoo.com)
Thu, 3 Feb 2000 20:24:48 -0800 (PST)
INVASIVE SPECIES: Fishhook Fleas Plaguing Lakes
One of the latest species to invade U.S. waters,
fishhook fleas, are infesting New York's Finger Lakes
and the Great Lakes, the Washington Post reports. Like
zebra mussels, fishhook fleas are native to the Black,
Caspian, Azov and Aral seas and were likely brought to
the United States in illegally discharged ballast
water of ships coming from Central Asia. The fleas
were introduced into Lake Ontario around August 1998
and have since multiplied and spread to adjacent
waters. Scientists are concerned that the fleas will
disrupt the lakes' food chains by competing with young
and small fish for food (Cheryl Lyn Dybas, Jan. 17).
-- CF
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