EUROPEAN RUFFE

BY: DANE

The fresh waters of Europe and Asia

Jumped in an ocean going vessel’s ballast water and they dumped it out in the Great Lakes.

Where did it originate?

How did it get here?

WHAT IS THE EUROPEAN RUFFE?IT IS AN INVASIVE SPECIES THAT ORIGINATED IN EUROPE. IT IS USUALLY SOMEWHERE LESS THAN 15CM LONG. IT IS AN OLIVE BROWN/GOLDEN BROWN COLOR, IT HAS DARK SPOTS ON ITS TOP FIN AND IT HAS VERY LIFELESS GLASSY EYES. AND BE CAREFUL HANDLING THESE FISH BECAUSE THEY HAVE SPINES ON THEIR FINS JUST LIKE BLUE GILLS.

WHERE IS IT NOW?

It eats other fishes eggs.

It eats up all the food which causes other fish to go hungry.

It spreads very fast, which pushes out other kinds of fish.

Swimming about in all of the Great Lakes!

How is it harmful to the environment?

WHAT ARE WE DOING TO STOP IT?

We have tried increasing the number of predators (Muskie, Walleye, Northern Pike, and Bullhead) in the lakes, but the only predator that started eating them was the Bullhead, and their population is very small in the Great Lakes.

WHAT IS ITS ECONOMIC IMPACT?

It eats up all the food which other fish eat and pushes them out because it spreads so fast which makes fisheries go bankrupt!

WHAT I THINK ABOUT THIS ANIMAL:

I think that not many people know about this fish and that people should stop being lazy and get up and do something about it! I also think that the DNR and the boating companies should put up advertisements and inform people about it.

WHERE I GOT THE INFORMATION AND PICTURES FROM:Ohio sea grant http://ohioseagrant.osu.edu/_documents/publications/FS/FS-064%20Ruffe%20A%20new%20threat%20to%20our%20fisheries.pdf

february 2013

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Invasive.org http://www.invasive.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=1354048

february 2013

--------------------------------------------------------------------Wikipedia. “Ruffe” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_ruffe

february 2013

-------------------------------------------------------------------- Sea grant http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/greatlakesfish/r

uffe.html february 2013

-------------------------------------------------------------------- ii sea grant http://www.iiseagrant.org/NabInvader/sgnisi

mages/CATALOG1.HTM#Eurasian_Ruffe_ february 2013

THE EUROPEAN RUFFE