Bamboozle
Well-known member
I don't know if this will impact streams, but as a NYC reservoir permit holder, I got this in an email from New York City DEP Recreation:
Fishhook Waterflea Now Found in Three NYC Reservoirs
Your help is needed to slow the spread.
The invasive fishhook waterflea has now been found in New Croton, Pepacton, and Rondout Reservoirs. This species can disrupt the ecosystem by eating zooplankton, which affects fish and other organisms. For anglers, fishhook waterfleas can foul fishing lines and clog rod guides. We need your help to prevent their spread and protect the watershed and recreational fishing in the region. Please report any sightings to metaylor@dep.nyc.gov and follow guidelines to clean and dry your gear thoroughly. Let's work together to maintain a healthy and enjoyable environment.
Anglers on NYC Water Supply reservoirs are the New York City Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) eyes and ears to changes in the watershed, big and small. In early July 2024, anglers reported something small but impactful in Pepacton Reservoir in Delaware County. Fishhook waterfleas (Cercopagis pengoi) were seen for the first time at this reservoir and were found attached to fishing line and floating at the surface in large numbers. These tiny crustaceans are native to the Ponto-Caspian region of eastern Europe. They were discovered in 2023 in New Croton Reservoir in Westchester County but have also been on the move over the last decade from the Finger Lakes to Lake Champlain. DEP staff collecting samples from Rondout Reservoir later in 2024 found a few individuals that had likely been carried down the tunnel from Pepacton.
The fishhook waterflea lays a resting egg that goes dormant and is resistant to drying and freezing. They can even survive ingestion by fish. These resting eggs can get caught on fishing lines, tackle, ropes, vegetation, or found in mud. The waterflea can reproduce asexually, so it only takes one egg to start a new population.
What does this mean for the infested reservoirs?
Fishhook waterfleas eat the same zooplankton as young alewife and can impact the bottom of the food chain by shifting the numbers and types of species, which can have ripple effects on fish and other organisms. They can also have a negative impact on the angling experience as they have throughout the Great Lakes region and beyond. Fishhook waterfleas have a long tail-spine, allowing thousands of them to foul fishing lines and clog rod guides, particularly when trolling.
How can we stop it?
Eradication of waterfleas is not possible, but we can work to prevent spreading them to other reservoirs and waterbodies. Contaminated fishing gear is the primary way that this species is moved from one waterbody to another, and we can take the following steps to reduce the chance of spreading waterfleas:
For more information:
Fishhook Waterflea Now Found in Three NYC Reservoirs
Your help is needed to slow the spread.
The invasive fishhook waterflea has now been found in New Croton, Pepacton, and Rondout Reservoirs. This species can disrupt the ecosystem by eating zooplankton, which affects fish and other organisms. For anglers, fishhook waterfleas can foul fishing lines and clog rod guides. We need your help to prevent their spread and protect the watershed and recreational fishing in the region. Please report any sightings to metaylor@dep.nyc.gov and follow guidelines to clean and dry your gear thoroughly. Let's work together to maintain a healthy and enjoyable environment.
Anglers on NYC Water Supply reservoirs are the New York City Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) eyes and ears to changes in the watershed, big and small. In early July 2024, anglers reported something small but impactful in Pepacton Reservoir in Delaware County. Fishhook waterfleas (Cercopagis pengoi) were seen for the first time at this reservoir and were found attached to fishing line and floating at the surface in large numbers. These tiny crustaceans are native to the Ponto-Caspian region of eastern Europe. They were discovered in 2023 in New Croton Reservoir in Westchester County but have also been on the move over the last decade from the Finger Lakes to Lake Champlain. DEP staff collecting samples from Rondout Reservoir later in 2024 found a few individuals that had likely been carried down the tunnel from Pepacton.
The fishhook waterflea lays a resting egg that goes dormant and is resistant to drying and freezing. They can even survive ingestion by fish. These resting eggs can get caught on fishing lines, tackle, ropes, vegetation, or found in mud. The waterflea can reproduce asexually, so it only takes one egg to start a new population.
What does this mean for the infested reservoirs?
Fishhook waterfleas eat the same zooplankton as young alewife and can impact the bottom of the food chain by shifting the numbers and types of species, which can have ripple effects on fish and other organisms. They can also have a negative impact on the angling experience as they have throughout the Great Lakes region and beyond. Fishhook waterfleas have a long tail-spine, allowing thousands of them to foul fishing lines and clog rod guides, particularly when trolling.
How can we stop it?
Eradication of waterfleas is not possible, but we can work to prevent spreading them to other reservoirs and waterbodies. Contaminated fishing gear is the primary way that this species is moved from one waterbody to another, and we can take the following steps to reduce the chance of spreading waterfleas:
- The best method is to have dedicated fishing gear for an infested reservoir.
- Thoroughly clean gear with hot water under high pressure, followed by thorough drying.
- Consider using a specialty fishing line that is designed to resist fouling by waterfleas.
- Bait should not ever be released or dumped into any reservoir.
For more information:
