A suspected Prussian Carp specimen was found dead near the pier in Sylvan Lake on April 23.
Fisherman Reuben Braitenback was told by Alberta Environment and Protected Areas that the fish, which was found his coworker, is the first ever suspected Prussian Carp specimen from Sylvan Lake.
“The coworker of mine who found it reached out to me asking if I could identify the species as I have a great understanding of fish species with plenty of experience being a fisherman from a very young age and even currently having a YouTube channel about fishing and the outdoors,” Braitenback said.
Unsure what type of fish it was, the photos were originally posted on Facebook to see if anyone else could help confirm the species of fish.
“Plenty of people were commenting and agreed that the fish looked like a Prussian Carp,” he said.
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The Prussian Carp which is a type of wild goldfish is an invasive species of fish that could cause problems for the ecosystem, Braitenback said.
“When introduced to a new body of water the Prussian Carp can wipe out entire native populations to a lake. The carp feed on fish eggs and eliminate the possibility of fish being able to reproduce naturally in any body of water.”
It is unknown what caused the initial introduction of the Prussian Carp to Alberta, Braitenback said.
“The species has established breeding populations across the province in several ponds and lakes, and in the main stem and tributaries of the Bow, Rosebud, Red Deer and South Saskatchewan, Oldman rivers.”
The specimen was taken and is currently at a lab at the University of Alberta in Edmonton where DNA analysis work is being done to confirm if the fish was in face a Prussian Carp or not.
So far the species of fish has not yet been confirmed.
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