The snakehead fish loose in Burnaby's Central Park pond this
summer has spurred the provincial government to crack down on
controlling invasive species. The provincial government released
a paper on changing the Controlled Alien Species Regulation, and
the public is invited to review the proposed changes and offer
feedback until Oct. 24. "The introduction of a snakehead fish
into Burnaby's Central Park lagoon was a wake-up call for
everyone. While quick-acting government biologists were able to
address the situation, strong regulation is needed to help
prevent this from ever happening again," said Environment
Minister Terry Lake in a press release. The northern snakehead
is a highly invasive, predatory fish, originally native to
northern China and Korea, that is capable of devastating local
ecosystems. The government's proposed changes will help prevent
the introduction of aquatic invasive species, such as the
snakehead, that present a significant risk to B.C.'s fish and
wildlife resources. The suggested chan