Does that mean that Stocked trout that aren't properely sterilized are also invasive?
--Not likely to reach invasive status here as to be invasive they would need to have the capability to rapidly populate the stocked area to the detriment of other species in the lake.
--the use of sterile fish is a precautionary protocol which may allow us to more easily control the introduction if something unexpected occurred.. for example an unknown endangered minnow or other species that was unexpectedly affected by the stocking program..
--I think a real life example of potential harm when none was intended nor anticipated at the time was the stocking of eastern brook trout in many interior lakes mainly to allow ice fishing opportunities...now in some areas the brook trout have moved into rivers and are displacing native rainbows.
--Also to clarify... I am not a fisheries biologist so these are just my opinions.
--In Skaha lake mid 80's MOE stocked the lake with smallmouth bass to create a more diverse fishery in the warmer summer months... although now controversial.. I think many pluses to that program... in that all waterways downstream draining into the Columbia have bass in them... the bass seem to be coexisting with native species in the lake and have not displaced them..