Holy Carp!
By Andrew Bachteler
The rivers of the Midwest are faced with an unassuming danger that has already snapped bones and destroyed the livelihood of countless fishermen, but aquatic danger has the potential to ellipse these issues with a massive environmental and economic catastrophe that will shortly arise if the problem is not thoroughly dealt with. The problem is Asian carp, a relative of the goldfish. Asian carp grow to a massive size and if the current rate of the Asian carps expansion is not stifled, they could cause indefinite growth of problems, especially if they advance into the Great Lakes. Although the odds may be in the carp’s favor, many potential solutions coming from both local and governmental sources are arising to halt the increase in population and range of the Asian carp.
America did not always have this problem-these invasive species originally were brought here from Asia in the 1970-it wasn't until the 1990s when severe flooding swept Asian carp into waterways which lead them to the Mississippi river creating the real problem. These fish were easily able to outcompete the native fish for finite resources like food and space, removing some native populations entirely. There are a few things that contribute to the success of the Asian carp. Asian carp are filter feeders; fish who suck in zooplankton and algae from the water. Asian carp can also grow extremely fast and reach a large size. Once Asian carp reach adulthood they are large enough that they have no natural predators, which gives them free reign to eat and reproduce. One fish can produce 2,200,000 eggs per year, so they are able to quickly overtake a waterway. Currently, the main concern for the Asian carp is if they reach the Great Lakes, it would cause a large economic fallout. As of 2007 the great lakes has a seven-billion-dollar industry that could be devastated by the introduction of the carp.
However there may be hope: many people are concerned with this problem and they are taking action to contain and lower the Asian carp population. The most effective group is the US Army Corps of Engineers. By deploying an electronic barrier between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River they have slowed the carp’s progress. This is effective against the carp because Asian carp are highly susceptible to electricity. Local groups are also trying to contain the carp by catching as many as they can. These efforts are important, but the solution can’t rely on just containment and minor culling to the Asian carp, there must be a use for the fish once they are caught. In America, carp have been traditionally known as a garbage fish and is normally not eaten. Right now the most common use for Asian carp is fishmeal (pet food), and fertilizer. However people are trying to make Asian carp common table fair, for example, there are many chefs working to make fancy dishes based around the fish, although this trend hasn't yet caught on with mainstream consumerism in America.
Although the situation surrounding the Asian carp may currently seem bleak on many fronts, there are still a countless number of people working to smite this invasive species. With methods including electric barriers and the targeting of the carp the great lakes and their fisheries are temporally safe, but if funding were to lapse and the electric barriers defending the waterways around the lakes were to shut off, the carp would surely enter, wreaking havoc upon the native aquatic wildlife and the economically essential fishery. Although the threat is of the Asian carp’s spread to the Great Lakes is currently under control, the rest of the Mississippi river basin may not be spared from the wrath of the fish.
[Photo, U.S. Geological Survey, by Jon Amberg licensed by CC BY 2.0]
By Andrew Bachteler
The rivers of the Midwest are faced with an unassuming danger that has already snapped bones and destroyed the livelihood of countless fishermen, but aquatic danger has the potential to ellipse these issues with a massive environmental and economic catastrophe that will shortly arise if the problem is not thoroughly dealt with. The problem is Asian carp, a relative of the goldfish. Asian carp grow to a massive size and if the current rate of the Asian carps expansion is not stifled, they could cause indefinite growth of problems, especially if they advance into the Great Lakes. Although the odds may be in the carp’s favor, many potential solutions coming from both local and governmental sources are arising to halt the increase in population and range of the Asian carp.
America did not always have this problem-these invasive species originally were brought here from Asia in the 1970-it wasn't until the 1990s when severe flooding swept Asian carp into waterways which lead them to the Mississippi river creating the real problem. These fish were easily able to outcompete the native fish for finite resources like food and space, removing some native populations entirely. There are a few things that contribute to the success of the Asian carp. Asian carp are filter feeders; fish who suck in zooplankton and algae from the water. Asian carp can also grow extremely fast and reach a large size. Once Asian carp reach adulthood they are large enough that they have no natural predators, which gives them free reign to eat and reproduce. One fish can produce 2,200,000 eggs per year, so they are able to quickly overtake a waterway. Currently, the main concern for the Asian carp is if they reach the Great Lakes, it would cause a large economic fallout. As of 2007 the great lakes has a seven-billion-dollar industry that could be devastated by the introduction of the carp.
However there may be hope: many people are concerned with this problem and they are taking action to contain and lower the Asian carp population. The most effective group is the US Army Corps of Engineers. By deploying an electronic barrier between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River they have slowed the carp’s progress. This is effective against the carp because Asian carp are highly susceptible to electricity. Local groups are also trying to contain the carp by catching as many as they can. These efforts are important, but the solution can’t rely on just containment and minor culling to the Asian carp, there must be a use for the fish once they are caught. In America, carp have been traditionally known as a garbage fish and is normally not eaten. Right now the most common use for Asian carp is fishmeal (pet food), and fertilizer. However people are trying to make Asian carp common table fair, for example, there are many chefs working to make fancy dishes based around the fish, although this trend hasn't yet caught on with mainstream consumerism in America.
Although the situation surrounding the Asian carp may currently seem bleak on many fronts, there are still a countless number of people working to smite this invasive species. With methods including electric barriers and the targeting of the carp the great lakes and their fisheries are temporally safe, but if funding were to lapse and the electric barriers defending the waterways around the lakes were to shut off, the carp would surely enter, wreaking havoc upon the native aquatic wildlife and the economically essential fishery. Although the threat is of the Asian carp’s spread to the Great Lakes is currently under control, the rest of the Mississippi river basin may not be spared from the wrath of the fish.
[Photo, U.S. Geological Survey, by Jon Amberg licensed by CC BY 2.0]