The Eurasian water-milfoil identified at the mouth of Belleisle Bay in New Brunswick. Photo Credit: Dr. Meghann Bruce
Boaters and cottage owners in Belleisle Bay are asked to be on the lookout for the so-called “zombie plant”.
The highly invasive aquatic plant, also known as Eurasian water-milfoil, was spotted near Kingston Creek earlier this year.
While the plant is new to Belleisle Bay, the New Brunswick Invasive Species Council (NBISC) says it has been in the province for years.
“It was first identified in the Saint John River around Fredericton in 2015. Since then, we have seen it spread extensively throughout the whole river from Woodstock down to the Kennebecasis,” said Kristin Elton, director of the NBISC.
Eurasian water-milfoil has feather-like leaves arranged in whorls of three to six around the stem. The tip of the plant is reddish in colour and small reddish flowers appear above the water surface in mid-summer.
Elton said the plant grows in columns and has a high tolerance for a lot of different environmental conditions.
“It ends up growing so thick in these patches that it clogs waterways, it changes fish habitat, it even slows down the way water flows just because there’s so much of it,” said Elton.
Researchers have not found the plant anywhere else in Belleisle Bay to date, but Elton said they have only been able to survey some of the publicly-accessible areas.
Dense mats of Eurasian water-milfoil that form at the surface. Photo Credit: Dr. Meghann Bruce
Elton said the plant, which is not dangerous to humans, typically spreads from one place to another through fragmentation.
“When a boat goes through the area and the motor chops it up or even just an animal or a duck walking through or a paddle from a canoe, all of these fragments break off,” she said.
The fragments float in the water and grow what are called advantageous roots, said Elton. From there, the plant can be transported downriver naturally or become stuck to a boat.
She said it is important for boat owners to clean, drain and dry their vessel after they remove it from the water.
“If there’s any plant material on your boat, don’t just grab it and throw it back into the water, actually take it and dispose of it on land in the trash. You wouldn’t want to take a piece of plant, throw it right at your dock and then, a year or two later, your dock is unusable because it’s colonized with this plant,” said Elton.
Boaters should avoid areas where the plant is growing, and if that is not possible, slow down when driving through the area.
Anyone who sees why they believe is Eurasian water-milfoil can report it to the Belleisle Watershed Coalition by emailing belleislewatershed@gmail.com.
The NBISC will be hosting an information booth at the Bates Landing Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5, to provide more information to residents and boaters.
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