ASIAN CARP

by: Jeff Hinnershitz

Origin

• There native range is southern and central Asia.

Physical Features

• Asian Carp can grow over four feet.

• They can weigh up to 100 pounds.

Four Species

• Bighead Carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis)

Silver Carp

• Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix)

Grass Carp

• Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

Black Carp

• Black Carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus)

Habitat

• Reports of large number of Carp piling up in large numbers below dams.

• Silver Carp is spreading rapidly throughout the Mississippi River Basin.

Identification

• The bighead carp has a large head and very tiny scales, with eyes situated below the midline of the body. The gill rakers of a bighead are long, comb-like, and close-set.

• The silver carp has gill rakers that are fused into sponge-like porous plates.

Spread of Bighead Carp

Spread of Silver Carp

Spread of Grass Carp

Spread of Black Carp

Impacts

• Asian Carp prey on plankton and they have the potential to deplete it, which is food for native mussels, fish larva and adult fish. This could reduce numbers of the native species which could change aquatic communities.

• Asian Carp have the ability to jump 6 to 10 feet out of the water when excited by the wake of fast moving boats.

Impacts (cont.)

• Asian Carp have the ability to jump 6 to 10 feet out of the water when excited by the wake of fast moving boats.

• Silver carp jump up to 10 feet out of the water when motorized vessels pass by. This behavior has resulted in injuries to boaters.

Impacts to the Great Lakes

• Researchers expect that Asian carp would disrupt the food chain that supports the native fish of the Great Lakes. Due to their large size, ravenous appetites, and rapid rate of reproduction, these fish could pose a significant risk to the Great Lakes Ecosystem. Eventually, they could become a dominant species in the Great Lakes.

Prevention and Control

• Use of juveniles as bait and the release of adults into new habitats contribute to their spread. Early detection and control of isolated populations may help to slow or restrict the spread of these Asian carp. You can do the following to prevent the spread of the bighead and silver carp:

• Always drain water from your boat, livewell, and bilge before leaving any water access

Prevent and Control (cont.)

• Learn to identify the bighead and silver carp

• Dispose of bait properly; do not release bait into the water

• Never dip your bait bucket into a lake or river if it contains water from another water source

• Never dump live fish from one body of water into another body of water

Prevention and Control (cont.)

• Report new sightings - note exact location; freeze specimen in a sealed plastic bag and call Pennsylvania Sea Grant, Penn State Behrend (814-898-6420), or the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Lake Erie Research Unit (814-474-1515).

• An electric dispersal barrier near Chicago, originally intended to prevent round gobies from moving into the Mississippi River drainage, is now being used to prevent Asian carp from getting into the Great Lakes.

Works cited

• “Asian Carp-An Aquatic Nuisance Species.’’ 7 Apr. 2009 http://www.asiancarp.org/Documents/AsianCarp.pdf

• “Asian Carp.” 2 Apr. 2009 http://www.pserie.psu.edu/seagrant/ais/watershed/carp.htm