Asian carp would have adequate food to survive in Lake Michigan: USGS study

If invasive bighead carp and silver carp spread into Lake Michigan, there would be enough food available for these particular species of Asian carp to survive, according to a new study by the U.S. Geological Survey.

This information is critical in helping resource managers mitigate effects of an Asian carp invasion. Great Lakes fisheries generate economic activity of approximately $7 billion annually in the United States alone. Due to the introduction or invasion of many non-native species, Lake Michigan’s ecosystem has already undergone broad and rapid change in fish and other aquatic life. If bighead and silver carp were to populate Lake Michigan, they have the potential to adversely affect the ecosystem and fishing industry.

Scientists used predictive models to simulate fish growth and food consumption to determine the suitability of the Great Lakes to Asian carp invasions. USGS scientists used satellite imagery of Lake Michigan showing near-surface algae to determine how much food would be available for Asian carp. Green algae and blue-green algae, specifically floating algal blooms that can be seen on the surface, are a preferred food source for Asian carp. The water temperatures and algal concentrations detected in Lake Michigan from 2009-2011 show that the bighead and silver carp populations could not only live in this environment, but continue to grow.

“Most areas of the lake had insufficient algal food for bighead and silver carp, but the model indicates that nearshore areas and embayments had plenty of algal food to support survival and growth,” said Karl Anderson, USGS scientist and lead author of the study.

These findings imply that if bighead and silver carp were to invade Lake Michigan, they might not spread randomly across the lake, rather follow coastlines where sufficient algal food exists. Coastal areas are particularly important not only for fisheries and biological reasons, but also because human activity is more common near shore than in the vast open areas of Lake Michigan. Silver carp often react to boats by jumping; this activity is a nuisance because silver carp often jump into boats, harming people and property. Concentration of silver carp near the coastline would enhance the propensity of such nuisance interactions with boaters.

Food availability and water temperature are the greatest sources of uncertainty for predicting fish growth potential. Water temperature is a key factor in determining how much bighead and silver carps need to eat. Models developed by USGS scientists helped determine how much algae carps need to eat to survive.

Source: GREAT LAKES BASIN REPORT

IL Conservation Police arrest commercial fisherman for sale of live Asian carp

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Illinois Conservation Police have arrested a commercial fisherman for the unlawful possession and sale of 1,800 pounds of live Asian bighead and silver carp. Randall E. Watters of Hamburg, IL was arrested October 7, 2014. He was charged in Calhoun County for the Unlawful Sale of Live Injurious Species (Class 3 Felony) and Unlawful Possession of Live Injurious Species (Class ‘A’ Misdemeanor). Ronald D. Watters of Hamburg, IL was ticketed for possession of live bighead carp.

 

“Commercial fishermen play a key role in our efforts to control Asian carp, and we make every provision to allow them to deliver fresh product to processing plants,” said Illinois DNR Director Marc Miller. “However, our Conservation Police Officers take the job of preventing the spread of invasive species seriously, and anyone who attempts to transport or sell live Asian carp will be cited.”

 

Rules governing “injurious” species, such as Asian bighead and silver carp, are designed to curtail the spread of these species. The complete rule can be found here: http://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/017/01700805sections.html. By state law, fish are considered to be live if they are held in a container with water, are held in a solution of salt, electrolyte, or other substance, or combination to promote health or longevity. The fish cannot be maintained by the addition of oxygen or compressed or supplied air to keep them alive in captivity.

 

A Class 3 Felony is punishable by up to 2-5 years imprisonment plus one-year mandatory supervised release, and up to $25,000 in fines or restitution. A Class A Misdemeanor is punishable by up to one year in prison, fines of up to $2,500, or restitution.

Source: Inland Seas Angler GREAT LAKES BASIN REPORT – GLSFC

No Asian carp environmental DNA found after additional testing in Lower Fox River

MADISON, Wis. -- Additional tests for Asian carp environmental DNA in the Lower Fox River have come back negative, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources officials said.

Bob Wakeman, aquatic invasive species coordinator for DNR, said the additional tests were requested after one out of 200 sample collected in June and July from the Lower Fox River tested positive for silver carp. The latest round of testing - by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - included collecting 200 additional samples from the Lower Fox River on two days of sampling in the weeks following the initial results.

"We're pleased that the results came back negative and it's a good indication there are no live silver carp in the river," Wakeman said. "We're particularly grateful to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for their work in carrying out the water sampling and analysis. Through continued monitoring and the preventive efforts of Wisconsin anglers, waterfowl hunters, recreational boaters and commercial partners, we hope to keep Asian carp out of Lake Michigan."

Asian carp pose significant ecological and economic threats to the Great Lakes region and its fishery because they eat voraciously and compete directly with valuable native fish for food. Asian carp species including bighead and silver carp were introduced into the southern United States in the 1970s.

The tests for eDNA are extremely sensitive and can detect genetic material shed in mucus or excrement from fish as well as from birds that have eaten the fish elsewhere. Contaminated bilge water also can carry traces of the fish and the latest negative results suggest the source of eDNA from the summer sampling originated from a temporary source.

While the genetic fingerprints are clear enough to identify specific invasive carp species, the eDNA testing program relies on multiple positive samples over time to indicate the likelihood of live fish. The single positive result among 1,950 samples from Wisconsin tributaries to Lake Michigan in June and July followed by the negative results returned this week recalls a similar situation in 2013. Then, a single positive sample from the Sturgeon Bay area was followed by all negative results.

In addition to the federal eDNA monitoring, DNR fisheries team members conduct a variety of netting, electroshocking and trawling operations in state waters. To date, these efforts have not captured any Asian carp in any waters of the Lower Fox River, Green Bay or Lake Michigan.

DNR encourages anglers and others to review Asian carp identification materials, to report any sightings of Asian carp and to make sure that bait buckets don't inadvertently contain the fish because young Asian carp resemble popular bait species. Photo identification tools and more information on Asian carp can be found on DNR's website, dnr.wi.gov, by searching "Asian carp."

MN researchers plan on fighting Asian carp with underwater speakers

Researchers at the U. of Minnesota have a bold plan to use sound to contain the spread of Asian carp in the Mississippi River. According to WCCO 4, the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center intends to place underwater speakers in key sections of the Mississippi River, but they have to act fast.

“Just a few months ago, it was announced, somewhat surprisingly, that their eggs were just found south of the Minnesota border,” said Peter Sorenson, a University of Minnesota professor and director of the center. Sorenson’s plan is to install the acoustic barriers at Lock and Dam Number 8 near Genoa, Wisconsin. The center is now scrambling for funds to build the custom speakers, estimated to cost $60,000, before the carp arrive. In March, scientists from the US Geological Survey (USGS) announced that Asian carp have penetrated as far north in Wisconsin as Lynxville, which is about 150 miles from Genoa. Since acoustic barriers only deter carp rather than kill them, researchers will have to work fast to get the speakers in place before the invasive fish pass the barrier.

Asian carp have spread quickly since the species first arrived in the Mississippi River in the late 1960s. The fish can now be found in 31 states and are considered to be highly detrimental to native fish and plant life. Carp have very good hearing, up to 100 times better than some other fish species. This is especially true of bigheaded carp, which are easily disturbed by changes in water flows. The underwater speakers work by emitting a low-frequency sound in conjunction with high velocity water jets that repel Asian carp. Sorenson’s team is not the only group of researchers studying acoustic tools to use against the fish; the USGS’s Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center is also developing its own sound barriers.

Researchers admitted that sound barriers are not guaranteed to stop Asian carp in their tracks, but said the technology compliments other deterrence methods well. More traditional barriers include screened flow gates, electric barriers, and fish-killing treatment plants. The center is currently accepting donations.

Source: Great Lakes Basin Report –(Great Lakes Sport Fishing Council)

DNR partnership expands invasive carp monitoring and detection

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC), will begin comprehensive monitoring and detection of bighead, black, grass, and silver carp in Minnesota waters this year. Currently, small numbers of bighead, grass, and silver carp are present in Minnesota. 

The goal of monitoring is to better understand the current status of invasive carp in the waters of Minnesota where habitat may allow them to establish self-sustaining populations. Detecting invasive carp in Minnesota waters is challenging because their numbers are low and they are difficult to catch using traditional sampling equipment.

The DNR employs a variety of techniques to gather data about invasive carp, including:  commercial fishing contracts, targeted field sampling, eDNA (genetic surveillance), and telemetry. Detecting individual fish and observing changes in overall population, helps inform management efforts and identify ways to prevent the spread of invasive carp.  

“These efforts are an important element of the Minnesota invasive carp action plan, because invasive carp species are not yet established in Minnesota,” said Nick Frohnauer, DNR invasive fish coordinator. “Expanding our knowledge of their presence and population dynamics is important to establish timelines and direct deterrence measures.”
Previous monitoring efforts for these invasive carp were focused on the Mississippi River from Hastings to Coon Rapids, St. Croix River to Taylor’s Falls, and the mouth of the Minnesota River. These efforts, combined with additional data from Iowa and Illinois, indicate that for the Mississippi River, the leading edge of established populations of bighead and silver carp is in northern Iowa. As a result, the DNR and partner agencies plan to:

• Expand sampling into Mississippi River Pools 5a, 6, and 8 (in southeastern Minnesota).
• Conduct detection surveys of invasive carp on the Minnesota River while also gathering baseline data on native aquatic communities.
• Maintain sampling stations established on southwestern Minnesota rivers and streams to detect if invasive carp expand into Minnesota via the Missouri River.
• Continue collaborating with MAISRC on collecting water samples from Lock and Dam 1, Lock and Dam 5, and Taylor’s Falls for future analysis. 

The DNR is also working on or supporting additional projects to deter the expansion of invasive carp into Minnesota, including: St. Anthony Falls, Lock and Dam 1, Mississippi River Lock and Dams 2, 5, and 8 (MAISRC research locations), and southwestern Minnesota.

Bighead caught in St. Croix underscores urgency around Asian carp

The discovery late last week of another Asian carp at the mouth of the St. Croix River underscores the need to move ahead with efforts to stop their spread, according to officials with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
On Thursday, April 19, commercial fishermen working near Prescott, Wis., netted a 30-pound bighead carp from the St. Croix River where it flows into the Mississippi. One of several nonnative species of Asian carp that can cause serious ecological problems, bighead carp have been working their way north in the Mississippi River.

Thursday's catch was the second time this year Asian carp have been found by commercial fishermen in Minnesota waters. In March, a bighead and a silver carp were netted on the Mississippi River near Winona. Last April, another bighead was taken from the St. Croix near Prescott. While no established populations of bighead or silver carp are known to exist in Minnesota, environmental DNA (eDNA) testing last year suggests the fish may be more common in Twin Cities segments of the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers than either agency or commercial netting have been able to confirm.

"This latest discovery – the third in the last year – underscores the urgency surrounding Asian carp," said Steve Hirsch, director of DNR's Division of Ecological and Water Resources. "These invaders have huge potential to wreak havoc on Minnesota's fisheries and aquatic ecosystems, so we need to do everything we can to stop them from spreading, and we need to do it now."
Hirsch said the highest priority action now is for Congress to authorize closure of the lock at Upper St. Anthony Falls. Bills to that effect have been introduced by Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Keith Ellison, with other members of Minnesota's congressional delegation as co-sponsors. Those bills also would increase federal support for Asian carp control efforts in the Mississippi River and its tributaries, which has until now been limited to the Great Lakes.
As part of an Asian carp control plan, the DNR also is working on several other measures to halt or slow their spread:

• Obtain funds for a carp barrier at Lock and Dam #1 in Minneapolis.
• Continue eDNA monitoring and increase contract netting by commercial fishing operators.
• Do a vulnerability assessment to evaluate the risk Asian carp pose to Minnesota waters statewide.
• Support research to develop control techniques.
• Restore habitat for native fish species to increase ecosystem resiliency in the face of invading carp.

Populations of bighead and silver carp are established in the Mississippi River and its tributaries downstream of Dubuque, Iowa. Bighead carp can weigh up to 110 pounds and silver carp, which leap from the water when disturbed, can grow up to 60 pounds. They are voracious eaters, capable of consuming 5 to 20 percent of their body weight each day. They feed on algae and other microscopic organisms, often outcompeting native fish for food. Scientists believe Asian carp could severely disrupt the aquatic ecosystems of Minnesota waters.

More information about Asian carp is available on the DNR's website at www.dnr.state.mn.us/asian-carp/index.html.

U.S. Asian carp official to speak at Wisconsin Lakes Convention

GREEN BAY—The nation’s top advisor on efforts to protect the Great Lakes from Asian carp will speak at the annual Wisconsin Lakes Partnership Convention April 10-12 in Green Bay.

Asian Carp Director John Goss of the White House Council on Environmental Quality will talk about the administration's recently released 2012 Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework. That plan outlines 58 action items and more than $50 million in investments to keep Asian carp from establishing self-sustaining populations in the Great Lakes. Goss also will provide an update on actions to prevent the invasive fish from entering the Great Lakes (exit DNR).

“Asian carp in the Mississippi and some of its tributaries represent the single biggest threat to the fisheries and ecologic balance we now enjoy in Wisconsin inland waters,” says Paul Schumacher, a board member of Wisconsin Lakes, a nonprofit statewide lakes group that is co-sponsoring the conference along with the Department of Natural Resources and University of Wisconsin-Extension.

“We're very pleased to have Mr. Goss come to Wisconsin to update us on the actions underway and those planned to prevent Asian carp from entering our waters,” Schumacher said.

Several species of Asian carp, voracious eaters that compete for the same food as young fish and other aquatic life, have on occasion been found in Wisconsin waters (pdf) of the Mississippi River and Asian carp environmental DNA has been found above the electric dispersal barriers in Lake Calumet, seven miles from Lake Michigan on the Indiana-Illinois border.

Lakes convention speakers include John McKnight, an internationally renowned community development expert with Northwestern University, and Darby Nelson, author of 2011 book, “For Love of Lakes,” that some reviewers have hailed as the lakes counterpart to Aldo Leopold's classic, “Sand County Almanac.” Nelson, a former Minnesota lawmaker and professor, is a 2012 Minnesota Book Awards nominee in the category of Memoir and Creative Nonfiction.

Convention attendees also will hear from DNR Deputy Secretary Matt Moroney, Wisconsin Wildlife Executive Director George Meyer, Lisa Conley, a long-time lake advocate and former president of the North American Lake Management Society, and State Assembly Rep. Cory Mason.

“These speakers will not only talk about our love affair with lakes, but they will also help us understand our roles as individuals and community members in protecting and restoring lakes,” says Eric Olson, who leads the UW Cooperative Extension effort for lakes education.

Conference details

The convention, set for the KI Convention Center in downtown Green Bay, is one of the nation’s largest gatherings of lake enthusiasts. It is sponsored by the Wisconsin Lakes Partnership, comprised of DNR, Wisconsin Lakes, and the University of Wisconsin-Extension. The event’s 2012 theme, “Partnering for Lakes,” focuses on how different groups can join together to better care for Wisconsin’s 15,000-plus lakes, Olson says.

People can attend all three days of the conference or select one or two days to attend, Olson says. In-depth workshops will cover subjects ranging from the basics of running a lake organization to aquatic plant identification methods. Participants can also take part in more than 40 concurrent sessions about topics including shoreland restoration, algae, climate change, and invasive species.

For more information on the convention or to register, go to www.uwsp.edu/cnr/uwexlakes/conventions or contact UW-Extension Lakes at (715) 346-2116.

After 18,000 fish, bowfisher lands a world record

MADISON - It’s hard to say what’s more impressive over the sweep of Wesley Babcock’s 40 years of bowfishing: the more than 18,000 carp and other fish he’s taken with a bow and arrow, or the eye-popping lunker he hauled in last month from the Castle Rock Flowage.

Babcock, a biology teacher for the Pardeeville School district for 33 years, shot the quillback/river carp sucker hybrid while bowfishing on the Castle Rock Flowage.

He’s been bowfishing since he was in middle school, keeping his dad company on trips to the Rock River. It was pretty low-tech, but lots of fun, back then. “We used to tape a coffee can to our recurve bow and wrap line around it,” Babcock recalls. “The arrow was tied to this string. You could not shoot very far.”

Next, they moved on to a 3-foot circumference hoop they shot through the middle of and wrapped line around. Now they use a bottle reel which allows longer shots and fast retrieval of the line after shots.

“Carp shooting has always been a fun pastime for me,” he says. “I used to only shoot as many as I could bury in our garden for fertilizer, and then had to stop because of no way to dispose of them. This was normally 100 to 200 a year.”

Eight years ago, when the Beaver Dam Lake Improvement Association began offering a 50-cent bounty on each carp shot with a bow, Babcock and his 14-year-old son, Aaron, started shooting over there every chance they got.

“The first year we shot more than 900,” he says. “The next year, it was 2,700-plus, and the third year, we topped 2,300.”

Aaron died suddenly on August 26, 2004.

The elder Babcock continued to find peace and relaxation in bowfishing, shooting more than 2,000 every summer since. The total is now over 18,000. “I plan to back off after reaching hopefully, 20,000,” he says.

A day he’ll never forget…

Babcock was on the Castle Rock Flowage shooting carp and buffalo when he shot the carp sucker hybrid.

“I saw two fish swim in front of the boat in cloudy water. Thinking they were buffalo, I shot at one,” he says. “It took out a lot of line and got tangled in the boat motor. When I managed to get it in, I was shocked to see it was actually a sucker. I thought it was a quillback, but now find out that it was a quillback/river carpsucker hybrid.”

He knew it was huge for a sucker and started checking. The Bowfishing Association state record was 11 pounds and the official state record for quillbacks was 10 pounds plus change.

John Lyons, a longtime DNR researcher with an encyclopedic knowledge of fish and a mission of updating George Becker’s seminal Fishes of Wisconsin, a compendium of information about fish species in Wisconsin, indeed had never seen a bigger carpsucker. He looked at the frozen fish and sent photos and a small fin clip to a Tulane University expert, who concurred that the fish was the hybrid.

But Lyons said it was far larger than any of the thousands of hybrids he has personally observed. That was pretty exciting.”

“This carpsucker is huge,” Lyons says. “Based on my own field experiences and my quick review of the literature, this may be the largest carpsucker ever recorded anywhere.

“I've handled thousands of carpsuckers of all three species found in Wisconsin and various hybrid combinations from all over the state and elsewhere, and I've never seen one more than about 8-9 pounds. Becker lists the largest carpsucker he was aware of from Wisconsin, a river carpsucker, at just over 10 pounds. Other literature sources from other states list the maximum size of carpsuckers in the range of 9-12 pounds; the angling record is a 12-pound quillback, the largest carpsucker I can find in the literature. So this fish, at 18.17 pounds, shatters all records.”

Babcock hasn’t decided whether he will have the fish mounted or have a replica made. In the meantime, he’s back out there bowfishing.

“I have always enjoyed being outside and observing other things in nature as I hunt or fish. No two days are the same. Seeing things like an eagle stealing a fish from a pelican, an osprey diving into the water and catching a fish, muskies swimming around where I shoot, or having an otter get in the boat and eat a carp while I was away shooting in the canoe,” he says. “I also enjoy the hunting experience without the hassle of owning land. I enjoy the peace and quiet and escape from every day work related stress.”

Advice for new bowfishers
His advice for novice bowfishers is to invest in a bottle reel and good arrows.

“They will get frustrated with losing fish and poor shot accuracy with inferior equipment. Also, don't worry about getting a fancy bow. Any used bow with a lower draw weight (45 pounds or less) will work. You will hopefully be shooting a lot of times and often must shoot quickly, so a bow that is easy to pull back works better.”

One more thing, he says, “Make sure you have arrows equipped with ‘slides’ to prevent dangerous line tangles on the bowstring when you shoot. Never tie the line directly to the arrow. I used to do that and almost lost an eye when a loop formed on my bowstring and the arrow snapped back, missing my eye by about an inch. I've used slides ever since.”

7 state fishing records fall in first five months of 2010

MADISON – State fishing records are falling fast -- literally with a “thunk” -- as anglers have been hauling in a boatload of true lunkers.

By June 1, seven new state fish records had been confirmed in 2010 in the “alternate methods" category. The fish ranged from 4 pounds to more than 200 pounds, and the longest stretched more than seven feet long. Six of the seven were taken with a bow and arrow, one with a spear, and one new record was only on the books for a month before it was eclipsed.

A monster fish – a quillback-river carpsucker hybrid – has also been harvested in recent weeks from Wisconsin waters but didn’t qualify for a record because the state no longer accepts records for hybrid fish.

“Bowfishing seems to be growing in popularity and our record books are starting to reflect that trend,” says Karl Scheidegger, the DNR fish biologist who coordinates the state record fish program.

“More people are learning about the alternate methods category and seem to be targeting those records.”

Bowfishing involves using specialized archery equipment to target carp, drum, burbot and the like during an open season that coincides with the statewide spearing seasons. The Guide to Wisconsin Spearing, Netting, and Bait Harvest Regulations 2010-2011 can be found on the fishing regulations page of the DNR website.

The parade of record fish, and the people who landed them, are listed with the most recent first (following links exit DNR to WiscFish website, a collaborative effort by the Wisconsin DNR, University of Wisconsin Center for Limnology and University of Wisconsin Sea Grant):

•Taylor Hanson of New Lisbon shot a 4-pound, 1.6 ounce, 29-inch short nose gar from the Wisconsin River in Grant County on May 29.
•Lance Lyga of Independence shot a 3-pound, 8 ounce, 19-inch long spotted sucker, from the Mississippi River in Trempealeau County on May 22.
•Nathaniel Fritsch of Ettrick shot a 28-pound, 13.3 ounce, 35-inch long sheepshead, from the Mississippi River in Trempealeau County on May 17.
•Kyle Lakey of Trempealeau shot a 29-pound, 10.9 ounce, 33.15-inch smallmouth buffalo, from the Trempealeau River in Trempealeau County on April 18.
•Crae Wilke of Hortonville shot a 10-pound, 15 ounce, 26.6-inch silver red horse from the Weyauwega Mill Pond on March 23.
•David Kropp of Sauk City shot a 13-pound, 28 1/4 inch smallmouth buffalo on March 6, 2010, while bowfishing on the Wisconsin River in Sauk County. He held this record for a month before Kyle Lakey bettered it.
•Ron Grishaber of Appleton speared a 212-pound, 3.2-ounce lake sturgeon that stretched 84.25 inches long on Feb. 13, 2010, opening day of the Lake Winnebago lake sturgeon spearing seasons.

Wesley Babcock of Pardeeville hauled in an 18-pound, 2.7 ounce, 29-inch quillback-river carpsucker hybrid from the Castle Rock Flowage, a fish that nearly doubles the weight of the state record quill back and carp sucker records. He received an “Exceptional Catch” certificate from DNR for his efforts.

What to do if you think you’ve caught a record fish?

If you think you or someone else has caught a fish that may be a state record, here's what you need to do:

•Don't clean the fish
•Freeze the fish if possible or keep it cool, preferably on ice
•Get the fish weighed as soon as possible on a certified scale (usually found in grocery, hardware stores, etc.) and witnessed by an observer
•Contact a fisheries biologist at the nearest DNR Service Center to get the fish species positively identified and to find out whether the fish is actually a state record.
•Obtain and complete a record fish application, downloadable from the DNR websit or available from a DNR service center.
•If possible, take a photo of you holding your prize catch and e-mail it to [Karl.Scheidegger@wisconsin.gov] or send a print to his attention at the DNR Bureau of Fisheries Management, Box 7921, Madison, Wis., 53707.

Carp catch and release tournaments; you can have 'em. We don't want them

Anglers of southeast Wisconsin and throughout the state prefer their native fish. Yet, the common carp, a relative of bighead silver carp, goldfish and koi, is attempting to jump from bow and arrow rough fish category to catch and release fish status in our state.

Unfortunately, making this invasive species one worthy of being released is like having a contest to see who can catch the most mosquitoes and then having all successful contestants release their unwanted blood suckers and disease transmitters back into our world.

Seeing carp in a contest where they are returned to their non-native waters is sickening. It shows that if we let it continue, we have sunk to a new level in not caring about our Wisconsin waters.

Carp replace our native gamefish, not on a one-to-one basis but in highly inflated numbers. Where 3- to 5- walleyes is a good number per acre for walleyes, common carp do fine when there are 75 per acre.

Common carp were brought to America by people, pre-dating our modern DNR, who wanted to get rid of native aquatic plants in their waters. The fish escaped rearing ponds into our native waters, and unwittingly, the blue heron spread the nuisance, big-scaled fish throughout our state. The adhesive eggs of the common carp stick to the skinny legs of the bird. The birds fly from waterway to waterway and transplant eggs.

To fish, “aquatic plants,” are wonderful. Pike cruise through and along the weeds in search of food. Bass cruise the outer and inner weed edges and hide amongst weeds to ambush day dreaming, smaller, prey fish and crayfish, the latter is the favorite dinner treat for smallmouth bass. Walleyes and pickerel use weeds, not only for oxygen but as an area to hunt food.

Hungry panfish use weeds for aquatic insects and for fish that eat these creatures. Find a nice, leafy aquatic plant, and it often holds bass or a musky. Let the carp take over, and these oxygen-producing weeds are gone and so are the bass, muskies, pike, etc., except for those fish that dine on carp, and these include flathead catfish and dogfish.

Is this the sad future of Wisconsin’s waters? Are they to be mostly carp, flathead catfish, dogfish, and bullheads?

Hopefully, fishing clubs, individual anglers, conservation minded organizations, lake associations, resort owners, tourism organizations, water skiers who don’t want to bounce off of big carp at full speed, boaters who don’t want to lose their lower ends to these swimming suitcases, conservation minded tournament promoters, those who contribute to conservation via their Wisconsin State Income Tax forms, and more will band together and stop the practice of removing carp and then restocking these nuisances via releasing the non-native fish back into our waters where they can reproduce to the level of native species elimination.

On May 8, 2010, there was a catch and release CARP (catch and restock?) Tournament/Fisheree in the Oconto River Harbor at Oconto. Fishing started at 8 a.m. & ended at 6 p.m. Entry fee - $25.00. This is the qualifier for the Wisconsin State Championship. (Who would tell anyone that they won?) To voice an opinion direct to the contact, call Lee Young at (920) 834-4494.

L.A. Van Veghel

Asian Carp Update

Update from the Environment Report

http://environmentreport.org/story.php?story_id=4835

http://environmentreport.org/asian_carp.php

Mich. Takes Invasive Carp Battle to Supreme Court

By TARYN LUNTZ of Greenwire

Published: December 22, 2009

Michigan has taken its fight against invasive Asian carp to the U.S. Supreme Court, suing Illinois to force the closure of Chicago-area waterways that provide the fish a pathway to the Great Lakes. [Full Story]

Source: New York Times

Van Hollen joins fight against carp

He seeks to stop fish invasion of Lake Michigan

Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said Wednesday he is willing to use his official authority to try to stop Asian carp from invading Lake Michigan.

"I am determined to take appropriate action to ensure that the integrity of Lake Michigan is not harmed by the introduction of these carp," Van Hollen said in a statement. [Full Story]

Source: JSOnline

Asian carp: Illinois gets $13 million from U.S. in battle to keep fish out of Great Lakes

Illinois was awarded $13 million in federal funds Monday to bolster efforts to keep invasive Asian carp out of the Lake Michigan. [Full Story]

Source: Chicago Tribune

Carp barrier maintenance not just Corps' problem, official says

By Dan Egan of the Journal Sentinel

A lot of noise has been made in recent weeks about President Barack Obama's $5 billion Great Lakes restoration plan, but nobody in the federal government right now is willing to spend a penny so necessary maintenance can be done on the Asian carp barrier built to keep the jumbo jumping fish from spilling into Lake Michigan.

The electric barrier, located about 20 miles south of the Lake Michigan shoreline on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, was turned on last April but requires regular maintenance every six months. Biologists liken it to an oil change in a car, and to do the work the barrier needs to be shut down for a day or two. [Full Story]

Source: JSOnline

Carp Anglers Invited to Participate In Free Tournament

We are inviting our fellow carp anglers to take part in the first ever FREE INTERNATIONAL ONLINE CARP FISHING COMPETITION. While doing something you enjoy, carp anglers around the world can win prizes and gain international recognition.

Currently there are 61 anglers registered from nine different countries and these numbers are sure to grow in time.

As the list of registered anglers continues to grow, more sponsors are showing their interest as well. A company who has recently been added to the list of sponsors for the Eastern Region is CC Moore. Known for their collection of quality baits and supplies, CC Moore supplied a variety of items to the Eastern Region Prize Table.

Another company added to the list of sponsors for the Western Region isBank Fishing Systems. This American company is a supplier of the most innovative bank fishing equipment available in the U.S.

YOU SHOULD KNOW !! -- The TOKS Big Four International Prize Table is getting BIGGER as we speak and will continue to GROW with each passing contest. As the TOKS Big Four International evolves, carp anglers in the many different regions of the world will be given the same opportunity for winning prizes; making this competition fun and fair for everyone.

WORLDWIDE RECOGNITION !! -- There are several international magazines interested in highlighting the different regional winners. MORE NEWS TO COME IN THE NEAR FUTURE!!

NOW EXPANDING !! -- As a result of our growing list of sponsors, two more regions will be added to the TOKS Big Four International. Also, we will soon introduce the Winter Contest sometime this year. STAY TUNED FOR THIS !!

NOTE: IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE, PLEASE CONTACT Ken@TheOnlineKeepsack.com

Check website here...

Grand River Marsh Wildlife Area Marsh Experiencing a Partial Drawdown

Target: One foot below normal summer level this year will help wildlife.

BERLIN – The Department of Natural Resources will be lowering the water level of the Grand River Marsh Wildlife area in Green Lake for most of this summer as part of routine wildlife and wetland system management activities. This technique is commonly used by wetland managers to rejuvenate the ecological health and quality of the marsh. This year, the water level in the main impoundment at the Grand River Marsh Wildlife Area in Green Lake and Marquette Counties will be lowered about 1 foot below the normal summer level this year.

“The partial drawdown, or drying out, has several benefits that will provide long term habitat improvements to the marsh that many different species of wetland related wildlife will enjoy and utilize,” said Jim Holzwart, DNR Wildlife Biologist.

The lower water levels provide important habitat conditions that allow different species of plants to grow and re-colonize areas of the marsh that higher water has eliminated. Many of these plants provide critical food and cover for resident and migratory species of wildlife. In many cases these species depend on the lower water level to expose mud flats for the seeds to germinate and grow, and to prepare for both northward and southward migrations.

Holzwart added that by drawing down this marsh in late spring and early summer will also reduce the amount of shallow marsh that can be used by spawning carp. The spawning and feeding behavior of carp can be extremely detrimental to the health of any water body, and the lower water will prevent a large influx or hatch of young carp into the marsh.

The Grand River Marsh Wildlife area of Green Lake will be slowly re-filled, starting in late summer. With adequate rain fall, the marsh will have normal fall water levels for the waterfowl hunting season.

Asian Carp and the Great Lakes

Asian carp have been found in the Illinois River, which connects the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan. Due to their large size and rapid rate of reproduction, these fish could pose a significant risk to the Great Lakes Ecosystem.

To prevent the carp from entering the Great Lakes, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. EPA, the State of Illinois, the International Joint Commission, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are working together to install and maintain a permanent electric barrier between the fish and Lake Michigan. [Full Story]

Barrier to keep Asian carp out of Great Lakes almost complete

By James Janega Tribune reporter

A long-awaited permanent electric barrier built to keep invasive Asian carp in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal out of the Great Lakes could be up and running by the end of April, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Thursday.

Workers spent the day repairing a series of cooling pipes necessary to chill the heavy equipment that creates the underwater electrical barrier. [Full Story]

Source: The Chicago Tribune

Perch, pickerel, bass return to Cootes after carp leave

Eric McGuinness
The Hamilton Spectator

The burly, bronze-coloured carp thrashed strongly as Melissa Fuller displayed it to a crowd of spring break walkers at the Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG) fishway separating Cootes Paradise from the open water of Hamilton Harbour. [Full Story]

Source: The Spec.Com