Invasive Impacts, The Eurasian Ruffe

Invasive Impacts, The Eurasian Ruffe ~By:Bridget~

classification

Where the Eurasian ruffe is invading

The Great Lakes consist of lakes Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie, and Ontario. They form the largest group of freshwater lakes on earth. Containing 21% of the world's surface fresh water by volume.

The Eurasian ruffe is native to Europe and traveled to Lake Superior accidentally and was first introduced through ballast water discharged from transoceanic ships. The expatiation of the Ruffe was high due to the shipping traffic between Lake Superior and the other Great Lakes ports.

invasive inpacts

Eurasian ruffe has a potential to lay 130,000 to 200,000 eggs and fights against the yellow perch for food. Sadly, the Eurasian ruffe always wins. The Eurasian ruffe eats fish eggs as well as fish. Ruffe can quickly become the most dominant fish in local because of their rapid growth rates. No positive impacts are found.

Description of the Ruffe

The Eurasian Ruffe is a small fish with sharp fins. The ruffe is a small fish that resembles a yellow perch with walleye markings. It is a member of the perch family. An adult ruffe is about five to six inches long. It rarely exceeds 10 inches in length. At first glance, ruffe can resemble young walleye, yellow perch, johnny darter, or trout perch.

Efforts to Control Invasive Species

Many attempts where made to control the Eurasian Ruffe like poisoning the water with pesticides and increasing the population of the Northern Pike, the Eurasian Ruffe's biggest predictor. Both did not seem effective.

on the left, is the Eurasian Ruffe and on the right, is the Northern Pike

Appreciate

Credits:

Created with images by Jukk_a - "Kiiski" • USACE HQ - "Eurasian Ruffe Response exercise" • USFWS Headquarters - "Got one!"

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