Asian Carp

What Are Asian Carp and Why Are They A Problem?

News : Asian Carp Work Group • Asian Carp Work Group Meeting Proceedings, Columbia, MO - 5/24/2004 (pdf, 11.46 Mb)• News Release on Bighead Carp Injurious Species Candidate (9/17/2003)• View Illinois Natural History Survey's "Asian Carp in the Upper Mississippi River" video requires RealPlayer

 

 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists hold a big-head carp.Asian carp have been imported into the U.S. for use in the aquaculture industry. There are concerns about the effects that four Asian carp species (grass, bighead, silver, and black) are having on native fish and shellfish when released or escaped into the wild.

The carp grow to large sizes (50-110 lbs.) and quickly become some of the most abundant fish captured from an area, possibly out competing native species for food or habitat resources. They have become so abundant in the Missouri River that there have been reports of commercial fishermen abandoning fishing sites due to the large catch of Asian carp. The carp are found throughout the Mississippi River drainage. They have not been found in the Great Lakes, and there is some concern that they may spread to that area through the Illinois River and Chicago Shipping and Sanitary Canal.

Preventing Movements of Invasive Fish Between the Mississippi River and Great Lakes Basins Poster (pdf)The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working to monitor and prevent the spread of aquatic nuisance species within the region. La Crosse Fishery Resources Office, WI has recruited partners including the Illinois Natural History Survey, Illinois DNR, and other fishery and ecological services offices to assist with sampling for Asian carp in the Illinois River, Illinois to the City of Chicago, Illinois (view the poster - pdf, 500 Kb). The project was conducted in 2002 and will be repeated in 2003 to determine the most upstream location of the carp to Lake Michigan. Big head carp were captured just over 20 miles from Lake Michigan in 2002. Bighead carp have been found in Lake Erie and in Toronto, Ontario. All fishery resources offices within the region will be monitoring for asian carp within their area.

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Field Offices Involved with Asian Carp Activities

La Crosse Fishery Resources Office, WI | Alpena Fishery Resources Office, MI | Ashland Fishery Resources Office, WI | Carterville Fishery Resources Office, IL | Columbia Fishery Resources Office, MO | Green Bay Fishery Resources Office, WI

Link to More Information

Black Carp Fact Sheet (pdf, 450 Kb) | USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Site

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