The bloody red shrimp (Hemimysis anomala) invades the Montreal Port
Ann Arbor, MI — Since 2006, the bloody red shrimp (Hemimysis anomala), has invaded all of the Great Lakes except for Lake Superior. Studying the abundance and spatial distribution of Hemimysis in the Montreal Harbour, scientists from Environment Canada and the St Lawrence River Institute found high density swarms (above 1000 ind. per m2) in sheltered sites, whereas lower densities (less than 5 ind. per m2) were reported in more exposed sites along the river mainstream. “These results show that the Montreal Harbour offers adequate habitat for Hemimysis and is an important location to be considered for monitoring the species,” says Dr. de Lafontaine. The abundances observed in the port are the highest observed in Canadian waters. “Given its boat traffic, the port could represent a source of Hemimysis for other locations in and out of the Great Lakes,” Dr. Marty said. With the support of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, further research is being conducted to evaluate the impacts of Hemimysis on the food web of the St Lawrence River.
Original Publication Information
Results of this study, "Swarms of the Ponto-Caspian mysid Hemimysis anomala in Montreal Harbour, St Lawrence River, Canada," are reported by Yves de Lafontaine, Jérôme Marty and Simon Despatie in the special issue on Mysids of the Great Lakes, of the Journal of Great Lakes Research, published by Elsevier, 2011.
Contacts
For more information about the study, contact Dr. Yves de Lafontaine, Division de la Recherche sur la Protection des Écosystèmes Aquatiques, Environnement Canada - Centre Saint-Laurent, 105 McGill, Montréal, QC, Canada, H2Y 2E7.
For information about the Journal of Great Lakes Research, contact Stephanie Guildford, Scientific Co-Editor, Large Lakes Observatory, University Minnesota Duluth, 2205 East Fifth Street, Duluth, Minnesota, 55812-2401; llo.jglr@gmail.com; (218) 726-8064.
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