Invasive exotic species: 5 steps to protect your lake
Transcription
The words “Invasive Exotic Species: 5 steps to protect your lake” appear on screen, with a panning shot of a lake in the background
A man fishes standing up in his boat
The wake of a motor boat appears
A family drives a motor boat on a lake
A wide shot shows many other pleasure boats on the lake
A boy holds up a freshly caught fish
Two men hold up freshly caught fish
Narrator - Quebec! The one and only St. Lawrence, among the thousands of rivers and lakes, a hundred species of freshwater fish, a huge range of flora and fauna, breathtaking landscapes .
Aerial shot of a river
Shot of a lake at dusk; the colour image fades to black and white
Narrator - All of this, however, is facing a major threat, from invasive exotic species.
The words “Invasive Exotic Species” appear on screen
Narrator - Invasive exotic species can be animals, plants or microorganisms. Once they have been introduced and become established in their new home, they pose a threat for the environment, the economy and society as a whole. And, after an invasive species has been introduced, it is often difficult or impossible to eradicate.
Round goby with the caption “Round goby & zebra mussels”
Eurasian watermilfoil with the caption “Eurasian watermilfoil”
Bloody red shrimp with the caption “Bloody red shrimp”
Spiny and fishhook waterflea with the caption “Spiny & fishhook waterflea”
Asian carp eggs with the caption “Asian carp eggs”
Underwater shot of algal bloom
Backhoe dredger removing algae from the water surface
Narrator - Lakes smothered by unwanted aquatic plants, structures covered by zebra mussels, lost income, declining waterside property values, increased infrastructure maintenance costs.
Lake surface covered in unwanted plants
Hundreds of zebra mussels stuck to a boat's motor
Cottages by an affected lake
A sign with the words “Beware! Invasive Exotic Species” appears on screen
Kayaks lie over a bed of unwanted algae
Narrator - Invasive exotic species can be spread by many different activities, including sport and recreational fishing.
Cargo ships transport goods
Kayakers paddle down a river
Narrator - When people move watercraft from one lake or river to another, without taking suitable precautions, they can carry unwanted passengers, whether on the boat itself or on their trailer and equipment.
Pleasure boats cruise on the water
A boat trailer backs up to a lake
Narrator - Invasive species can be found in a number of unexpected places, and can be of any size. They can include clumps or parts of aquatic plants, eggs, larvae, parasites and even pathogens that can cause death to native species.
Hull and underside of a boat
A zebra mussel on the underside of a boat with the caption “Zebra mussel”
Native fish with symptoms of disease on the head and tail
Narrator - Luckily, we can help prevent the introduction of unwanted species by taking some quick and simple steps.
A man uses a pressure washer
The words “5 steps in 5 minutes” appear on screen
Narrator - For example, fish or water from a given lake or river must never be released into another body of water. Furthermore, by thoroughly cleaning the watercraft and equipment used in fishing and recreational activities, we can help preserve our aquatic ecosystems.
A boy returns a fish to the water
A man cleans his boat with a pressure washer
Narrator - Once ready, 5 simple steps that take only 5 minutes to complete:
• Inspect
• Remove
• Drain
• Wash
• Repeat
A man inspects his boat, removes algae from the motor, drains water from the bottom of the boat and cleans the boat with a pressure washer
Narrator - Step 1: Inspect
After pulling your watercraft from the water, inspect the trailer, all parts of the watercraft, and all other equipment to detect any species that may be present.
Images of the underside of a boat
Narrator - Step 2: Remove
Remove all plants, animals and mud and dispose of them in a garbage bin or at a suitable distance from the water and any sewer system. This will make sure that no living organisms or debris are returned to the water.
A man removes algae from the outboard motor of his boat
Narrator - Step 3: Drain
Drain the water from all livewells, from the bottom of the boat and from all other containers such as coolers and buckets.
The water in the bottom of the boat is drained
A bucket and cooler on a boat are circled on screen
Narrator - Step 4: Wash
Wash your boat and trailer using a pressure washer to dislodge any living organisms that may be present. You can also use a brush and a cleaning solution containing bleach, chlorine or vinegar in water heated to 40°C. Another solution is to let your boat and equipment dry for 5 days before visiting another body of water, since aquatic species cannot survive in the open air for this period of time. First, however, you must check that all livewells are empty and that no water has pooled anywhere else in the boat.
A man hoses down, cleans and rinses all parts of his boat using a pressure washer and hand brush
Narrator - Step 5: Repeat
Repeat all these steps every time you pull your watercraft from the water to take it to another body of water.
Pleasure boats, personal watercraft and kayaks on the water
Narrator - No matter the kind of watercraft being used, five minutes of your time is not too much to ask to ensure that we can continue to enjoy our lakes and rivers well into the future.
Have a great season!
The words “We wish to thank all those who contributed to the creation of this web clip.” appear on screen
Image of a poster with the words “Attention envahisseurs exotiques”
Text on screen: “Additionnal photo credits
D. Touzin
E. Engbreston, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Bugwood.org
Organisme des bassins versants de la Capitale, Québec
A.L. Jaeger Miehls, Michigan State University
J. Gunderson, Minnesota Sea Grant
S. Pothoven, GLERL, NOAA
Dr. R. Goforth, Purdue University, Illinois
Isabelle Simard, Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement, de la Faune et des Parcs
Save Black Lake, Community Lake Management
National Park Service, US Department of the Interior
Dr. C.A Stepien, The lake Erie Center, University of Toledo, Oregon”
Image of a red fish
Text on screen: “Photography and video
Yves Paradis
Guillaume Tremblay
Research and storyline
Isabelle Desjardins
Additional music credits
Yves Paradis”
Image of a crab
Text on screen: “Script
Isabelle Desjardins
Joanie Vallerand
Narration
Guillaume Tremblay
Editing
Guylaine Pariseau”
Image of mussels
Text on screen: “This web video was made possible thanks to the Réinvestissement dans le domaine de la faune of the ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement, de la Faune et des Parcs.”
Logos of the Government of Canada, St. Lawrence Action Plan and Government of Quebec