BUFFALO, N. Y. — They say a picture’s worth a thousand words. In this case, it might be worth several million goldfish.
The Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, which protects and restores water in western New York, posted a picture to its Facebook page Friday showing a member of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service holding a giant goldfish.
In the caption, the organization explained the 14-inch fish is “why you should never flush your fish!”
They said the fish was caught just downstream of the wastewater treatment plant.
“Goldfish can survive year-round in our watershed and can destroy the habitat of native fish,” the post said.
According to scientists, there are an estimated tens of millions of goldfish living in the Great Lakes.
Last year, CTV News reported there was an estimated 50 million goldfish in Lake Ontario alone.
“If you cannot keep your pet, please return it to the store instead of flushing or releasing it,” the Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper explained.
