Goby's are in Cayuga

[stinger]

This article was in todays Binghamton Press.....  

 

 

 

 

Invasive fish found in Cayuga Lake

Round Goby taking over spawning sites, harming native fish
 

By Andrew Casler

[email protected]

ITHACA — Fish in Cayuga Lake have a new competitor, and that could mean a tougher time for anglers looking to catch sport fish. The round goby (pronounced Go-bee), an invasive fish species from Eurasia, has been found near Taughannock Falls State Park, according to DEC spokeswoman Lori Severino. The fish have also been found in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario and many of their tributaries; the St. Lawrence River; the western section of the barge canal; the Seneca and Oswego rivers; and Onondaga Lake. They’re suspected, but not yet confirmed, in Oneida Lake, Severino said.

Gobies may prey on eggs of lake trout, sculpin and darters, according to www.nyis.info. The fish are also well-developed for feeding in murky waters, which may provide a competitive advantage over native species in Cayuga Lake. The gobies take over prime, nearshore spawning sites and aggressively prevent use by native species. They are prolific breeders, too, reproducing every 20 days during the spawning season. Long-term impacts of the fish are expected to include declines in native species populations, according to www.nyis.info.

Severino said it’s not yet clear how many gobies are in the lake, but one recreational diver estimated that he saw two to four gobies per square meter in an area near Taughannock Falls State Park.

“The source is believed to be reliable, and if this is correct, then a substantial population has established throughout the lake,†she said via e-mail.

Randy Jackson, senior research associate at the Cornell University Biological Field Station, said the fish have natural predators in the United States, such as bass, walleye and double crested cormorants.

Still, he said the predators have not done an effective job of controlling the goby. Jackson added that goby prey on invasive zebra and quagga mussels.

Birds and fish that eat gobies can also get bioaccumulation of toxins because gobies feed on zebra mussels, which can carry toxins, according to www.nyis.info.

Gobies grow to be about 6 to 8 inches, and the bottom-dwelling fish aren’t typically eaten by fishermen.

“They are likely to be edible, but we are not aware of them being utilized for food,†Severino said.

Gobies are an immediate problem for anglers. The fish are proficient bait thieves, and they’re considered a nuisance because they bite on bait typically used for panfish.

“The biggest concern for anglers is that when gobies get to high density, the prey fish will have plenty of food to eat, and it might be harder to catch fish,†Jackson said. The round goby, a native of freshwater and marine waters of Eurasia — particularly the Black and Caspian seas and the Sea of Azov — was first seen in the Great Lakes Basin in 1990.

They likely entered the Great Lakes through the ballast water discharged from trans-Atlantic cargo ships, Severino said.

“They have been expanding their range ever since,†she said.

The fish have moved eastward through the barge canal, and they likely came into Cayuga Lake from the Seneca River, Severino said.

In July 2012, underwater cameraman David Brown told The Ithaca Journal that he had filmed goby in the Cayuga-Seneca Canal while working with the Finger Lakes Institute at Hobart and William Smith colleges.

The round goby’s spread to all waters connected to the Great Lakes is likely, Severino said.

She added that the use and possession of gobies as bait is prohibited, and the DEC asks anglers to follow state baitfish regulations.

“There is no known way to control goby populations at this time,†Severino said.
 

 

[yukonstu1]

I have caught them as far north as canoga island while perch fishing it was a sad day to see them

[rolmops]

The bass will have a hard time protecting their spawn, but, both the bass and brown trout will grow very big and fat eating these slow tasty nibbles.

[panfisher]

All we need now is those darned silver carp that fly out of the water when the motor goes by.....! You'll get hit, fall in the water where the lamprey will start suckin' on you in ways you don't want, and the gobies will be nippin on your toes as u try to get the hell outa there!!  

[hermit]

There was an article in the Ithaca Journal as well.  I guess they've been around for a few years from the sounds of it and it explains a small fish I couldn't identify last fall at Taughannock.

 

Also the hydrilla in the Cayuga Inlet has spread and has been found in Fall Creek as well, another article in the Journal about that. They keep claiming it's not in the lake proper but I don't see how that is possible.  It's got to be in there by now.   Guess we'll see what happens, a lot of changes coming fast.

[MikeyP]

All we need now is those darned silver carp that fly out of the water when the motor goes by.....! You'll get hit, fall in the water where the lamprey will start suckin' on you in ways you don't want, and the gobies will be nippin on your toes as u try to get the hell outa there!!  

 

LMAO at panfisher! At least you can make light of the situation. Thanks for the laugh