Fish out of water: Koi caught in Morell River didn't belong

Biologists with the P.E.I. government recently caught a koi fish rummaging around in the Morell River.

Rosie MacFarlane, a freshwater fisheries biologist with the P.E.I. government, said they were "very surprised" on Friday, catching the bright orange koi while they were out collecting salmon for the stock assessment program.

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The fish was roughly the size of a forearm and weighed nearly two pounds.

To be a responsible pet owner you sort of have to think through the long term.—Rosie MacFarlane

Koi are a domesticated common carp that are selectively bred for their colour and are native to Asia and Central Europe. Many are kept in backyard ornamental ponds. 

While MacFarlane is unsure how exactly the koi ended up in the Morell River, she said someone must have released it since "there's no other way the fish can appear there."

Which, she added, is a bad idea.

"Just don't do it," she said.

"This all starts when they buy a fish, to be a responsible pet owner you sort of have to think through the long term."

She said people should think about whether they can provide a home for the fish and feed it, rather than release it in P.E.I.'s waterways where it doesn't belong.

'Not a native fish'

"They're not a native fish in our region at all, they could be carrying parasites, bacteria or viruses and that could spread into our native fish population."

"Aside from that, they could compete with our native fish for food and space in the river — in some parts of the world they're considered a noxious pest because they can foul up the waters they're in."

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