Note almost all are coming here from Europe/Asia. On ships!------'Killer shrimp' among 7 new aquatic pests banned from Michigan waters

'Killer shrimp' among 7 new aquatic pests banned from Michigan waters | MLive.com:

The newly-listed pests are:

• Stone moroko: Also known as the topmouth gudgeon, this species of minnow is native to Asia and is considered an invasive pest in Europe. Large-scale efforts in the United Kingdom have attempted to eradicate the fish, which carries a pathogenic parasite that wipes out other minnow species.

• Zander: A close relative of the walleye, regulators are concerned this species of river fish could compete with native U.S. walleye or reproduce with them to create a hybrid. In Europe, zander are considered a game fish in some countries. In places where they have been introduced, biologists have noted "reduced populations of prey fish and competitor fish, as well as trophic changes, and in the case of some Turkish lakes, extirpation of endemic species," according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

• Wels catfish: Native to Eastern Europe and Asia, this species of catfish can grow up to 10 feet long. Climate matching has found the Great Lakes region to be a "very high" match for its native waters. Regulators are concerned introduction of the fish to U.S. waters could have harmful effects on native fish and mollusk populations, and lead to habitat degradation and possible disease transmission.

• Killer shrimp: This aggressive predator native to the Black and Caspian seas have regulators particularly worried. The species could "severely threaten the trophic levels of the Great Lakes by preying on a range of invertebrates," according to the DNR. The shrimp are known for slaughtering prey without eating them. They breed rapidly, are largely unchecked by natural enemies, and are believed to invade new areas byhitching a ride in ballast water.

• Yabby: A type of large blue Australian crayfish that biologists fear would compete with indigenous crayfish species.

• Golden mussel: According to the DNR, the golden mussel is not yet in the United States, but the species is tolerant of a wide range of environments and could easily colonize in the Great Lakes if introduced. Similar in size and shape to the zebra mussel, the golden mussel is a distinctive gold color with a pearly coating on the inside shell. The bivalve is native to Asia and could "pose a substantial threat to aquatic invertebrates and have the capacity to significantly alter all levels of food chain activity."

• Red swamp crayfish: The DNR says this species of large, dark red crayfish, native to the southeastern U.S., can quickly dominate water bodies and is "virtually impossible to eradicate." They outcompete smaller native crayfish species, gobble a range of food, are highly adaptable to new habitats, highly fertile, can survive drought conditions through burrowing and are known to migrate over land in search of new waters. In 2009, the Wisconsin DNR took aggressive measures to eradicate them from two suburban ponds.