A 58-pound grass carp caught on Lake Huron on July 14 was sterile, according to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).
The massive fish was found barely alive and floating near the Bruce Nuclear Power Plant in Baie Du Doré, Bruce County by longtime angler Richard Elliott. It is the third, and biggest, grass carp reported on Lake Huron — and, it is thought, the second largest reported in Canada.
Elliott, who recognized the fish for what it was, immediately reported it to the DFO, who sent a crew over that day to analyse it.
“This grass carp capture, while shocking due to its size and proximity northward, does not represent a significant risk to our waterways,” Invading Species Hotline Advisor Brook Schryer said. “(The carp) was found to be sterile by DFO, and its size is an indication that it spent its time feeding on aquatic vegetation as opposed to reproducing.”
Grass carp remain a high priority for the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters,” he added. “If allowed to establish in Canadian waters, this species would have significant impacts on our wetlands and aquatic vegetation, which would lead to the loss of biodiversity and essential habitat for a number of native species.”
Schryer advises anglers who believe they have seen or captured a grass carp to take a photo of it, mark the location, and call the Invading Species Hotline at 1-800-563-7711 or report online at: www.EDDMapS.org
Visit www.invadingspecies.com/downloads/invasive-fish to download a grass carp lookalike fact sheet.
Originally published in the Fall 2025 issue of Ontario Out Of Doors
