Aquatic Invasive Species - Resources
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Tools and Information on Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS)
Aquatic invasive species (AIS) pose a growing threat to ecosystems, including the St. Lawrence ecosystem. When these aquatic vegetals or animals are introduced into a new environment, they spread quickly, at the expense of the native species already present in our waterways. AIS can have negative effects on the economy, ecosystems and human health. Monitoring and detection methods developed by different government departments and partners are critical in the fight against these aquatic invaders.
Aquatic invasive species in Québec
Several tools and documents are available to help the public, decision makers and local stakeholders learn about aquatic invasive species, so that they can better identify and monitor these species and make informed decisions. Lists of invasive species have been developed to help the public identify these species, based on their habitats.
A list of the main aquatic invasive species (Liste des principales espèces exotiques envahissantes) that may pose a threat to Quebec is available on the Government of Quebec’s website.
A list of aquatic invasive species present in Canadian freshwater and marine environments is also available on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada website.
The Atlas de l’eau is an interactive map created by the Government of Quebec that provides information on sources of aquatic pollution, water and ecosystem quality, and priority issues identified by the integrated management zones in each watershed. It also includes an aquatic invasive species database (base de données sur les espèces aquatiques envahissantes), which is updated annually.
Identification
Several booklets are available to help in identifying aquatic invasive species in Quebec:
- The Government of Quebec’s booklet help us detect invasive exotic aquatic animal species (Aidez-nous à détecter les espèces exotiques envahissantes fauniques aquatiques)
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Identification Booklet of Freshwater Invasive Animal Species in Quebec
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Identification Booklet of Freshwater Invasive Plant Species in Quebec
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Identification Booklet of Marine Species in Eastern Canada
Reporting
To report aquatic invasive species, several options are available:
- For an aquatic invasive animal species, visit the page Signaler une espèce exotique envahissante faunique of the Quebec's government.
- For an aquatic invasive plant species, send your observations via the Sentinelle.
- For a marine aquatic invasive species, contact Fisheries and Oceans Canada by e-mail or by phone. For more information, consult the Contact us to report an aquatic invasive species section of the website.
Tools and fact sheets
Several tools and identification sheets for invasive aquatic species are also available:
- For animal species, refer to Fiches des espèces fauniques
- For plant species, visit the page Détection des plantes aquatiques exotiques envahissantes
In addition, the free mobile app iPêche enables users to identify and report Quebec freshwater fish species, as well as many invasive species that may be observed in Quebec.
Public involvement in monitoring and reporting invasive species makes it easier to detect these species across Quebec, and to respond quickly and take action to prevent and manage their spread.
Prevention and boat cleaning measures
Aquatic invasive species can be spread by equipment or boats that have come in contact with their habitats. Taking precautionary measures is critical to prevent these species from spreading from one water body to another.
To find out what steps to follow, please visit the Government of Quebec’s page Cleaning boats and aquatic equipment to prevent the introduction and spread of invasive exotic species (Nettoyage d’embarcations et d’équipements nautiques pour prévenir l’introduction et la propagation des espèces exotiques envahissantes) or Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Clean, Drain, Dry and Decontaminate page.
The Guide to best practices in the aquatic environment to prevent the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species is available to view and download (Guide des bonnes pratiques en milieu aquatique dans le but de prévenir l’introduction et la propagation d’espèces aquatiques envahissantes). This information is also summarized in the clean to prevent spread of aquatic invasive species pamphlet (Nettoyer pour ne pas propager) produced by the Government of Quebec.
Credit: Fisheries and Oceans B. Firquet
To locate a boat washing station, please consult the interactive map of stations in Quebec at the Atlas de l’eau, Données Québec or Forêt Ouverte pages.
The Government of Quebec established the boat cleaning station program (Programme Stations de nettoyage d'embarcations) to encourage the installation or refurbishment of boat cleaning stations. This program contributes to the fight against aquatic invasive species and pathogenic organisms of aquatic fauna.
If you plan to establish a boat washing station, the washing station setup guide (Guide d’implantation de station de lavage) from the Regroupement des associations pour la protection de l’environnement des lacs et des bassins versants, also known as RAPPEL, will help you through each step of the process.
To enhance the visibility and use of existing boat cleaning stations, the Conseil régional de l'environnement des Laurentides has developed a Strategic Guide for Promoting Boat Cleaning Stations (Guide stratégique de mise en valeur des stations de nettoyage d’embarcations). This guide is intended for municipalities and station managers and it offers recommendations to make updating of the information easier with the provincial government and Données Québec, increase the use of washing stations, and optimize boat cleaning.
Many communication and awareness tools are also available in the Répertoire d'outils de sensibilisation contre les espèces aquatiques envahissantes (EAE) | Regroupement national des conseils régionaux de l’environnement du Québec.
Management strategies
Several strategies have been implemented to manage aquatic invasive species, including:
- Control plan for invasive alien animal species (Plan de lutte contre les espèces exotiques envahissantes animales)
- Canadian Action Plan to Address the Threat of Aquatic Invasive Species
- Program to control invasive exotic plants (Programme pour la lutte contre les plantes exotiques envahissantes)
- Le Programme pour la lutte contre les plantes exotiques envahissantes
- Zebra Mussel Response Planning Guide for the Saint-François River Basin
Regulations
In Quebec, several regulations are in place to protect water bodies and limit the spread of aquatic invasive species:
- General Order 2024 Amending the Quebec Fishery Regulations, which prohibits the use or possession of live bait fish of any species anywhere in Quebec, including in winter.
- The Regulation Respecting Aquaculture and the Sale of Fish regulates aquaculture practices and fish sales to prevent the introduction of new invasive species.
- The Government of Canada’s Aquatic Invasive Species Regulations helps to protect water bodies across Canada by preventing the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species in Canadian waters.
- To reduce the risk of introducing new invasive species into a watercourse, municipalities can also implement by laws regulating the cleaning of vessels (Règlementation relative à l'obligation de nettoyage des embarcations).