Cajun crawdads make unwelcome appearance in Nova Scotia lake

A yellow mud crab was recently discovered in a lake near Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia. This discovery is likely the first confirmed presence of the yellow mud crab in Canada. Sarah Kingsbury, a fishery biologist with the Ministry of Fisheries, has stated, "This type of yellow mud crab has significant or possibly severe impacts on ecosystems." She has explained that these creatures carry parasites, compete for space and food, eat fish eggs, and create habitat changes through burrowing. The first yellow mud crab was discovered by a fisherman in Lake Three Mile in 2022. This year, 70 yellow mud crabs have been caught, indicating that they have survived the winter.
The method of how these creatures entered the area is not yet clear. It is unknown how these crabs, which resemble small shrimps, made their way into a small lake in Waverley, Nova Scotia. This species is bred for consumption, sold to aquariums, and used by fishermen for bait. It is uncertain whether they have spread or not. The Ministry of Fisheries has asked the public to report any crabs they find and not to relocate them. Madison Bond, a graduate student at Saint Mary's University, caught the first live yellow mud crab in Lake Three Mile this summer. She will continue her research until the lake freezes. She says, "All of my research is related to the negative effects of these creatures on the local ecosystem and their life cycle in this cold climate."
This is not the first time a destructive yellow mud crab has been found in Nova Scotia. A few years ago, fishermen found classified yellow mud crabs in Freshwater Lake in Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia. This species is native to some northeastern United States states and is now naturalized in Freshwater Lake. It is said to be too early to determine whether the yellow mud crab has become naturalized in Lake Three Mile or not. This determination happens when several generations of them are found in an area.

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