Aquatic invasive species

• Identification booklets, Informations sheets and Posters
• Preventing Invaders
• Our videos
• Come meet us - Aquatic Invasive Species Awareness Tour
• Contact us

What are aquatic invasive species?

As elsewhere in the world, Quebec is dealing with aquatic species from elsewhere that are invading our water bodies. Aquatic invasive species are animal or plant species introduced into environments where they are not normally found. Most often, it is through human intervention—intentional or accidental—that species leave their native habitats and spread to new ones. They can grow rapidly, displace other species, and even alter their habitats, posing a threat to biodiversity. Some may be native to one region of Québec but introduced to other areas outside their natural range.

After habitat loss, aquatic invasive species are the second-largest threat to global biodiversity. They also have a negative impact on activities such as fishing, swimming and recreational boating.

To learn more: Aquatic invasive species

Preventing invaders

In Quebec, lakes and rivers are abundant! During the boating season, many recreational boaters visit multiple water bodies with their vessels. However, moving a watercraft from one body of water to another without properly cleaning it poses a major risk of transporting aquatic invasive species to uninfested waters.

To counter this threat, you can help prevent the introduction of invasive species and limit their spread before they cause serious problems.

Protecting our ecosystems depends on everyone’s vigilance. By adopting good practices and avoiding the introduction of unwanted organisms, we can preserve the health of our aquatic environments.

Check our videos!

• Prevention is key in the fight against aquatic invasive species
• Clean, drain, dry – motorized boats
• Clean, drain, dry – non-motorized boats

Come meet us

Many thanks to all boaters and partners who contributed to the success of the 2026 aquatic invasive species tour during the summer. 

Over the past few months, we have connected with more than 300 boaters to raise awareness about best practices for preventing the spread of invasive aquatic species.  

We were pleased to take part in these conversations and to share best practices for cleaning boats and watercraft equipment. Together, we help keep our aquatic environments safe from invasive species. 

Continue to clean, drain, and dry your boats. See you next year! 

 

Contact us

If you believe you have seen an invasive aquatic species:

1. Try to identify it using one of our booklets.
2. Take photos, note the location (GPS coordinates) and the number of individuals seen (if possible) as well as the observation date.
3. Report all sightings to Fisheries and Oceans Canada:

                ? dfo.queais-eaeque.mpo@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

                ? Elsewhere in Canada: Contact Fisheries and Oceans Canada - Report an invasive aquatic species