Asian Carp Overview

Asian Carp Overview	Bighead Carp
Common Carp	Silver Carp
Grass Carp	Black Carp

United States Geological Survey

Asian carp get really big! This particular Bighead carp is about to be studied by USGS scientists

Invasive Asian Carp

Asian carp have received a lot of media attention recently. What is so bad about these fish, and what is being done about it?

• The Mississippi National River Recreation Area is working with a Task Force to create an Action Plan for Minnesota
• Asian carp reproduce quickly and are very difficult to track
• Asian carp grow fast, and they consume plants, mussels, snails, and plankton that our native species depend on (Nature Conservancy video, 1 min)
• If Asian carp spread throughout the Mississippi River watershed, they would reach 31 states and 40% of the continental United States
• Asian carp can dominate entire streams (Asian Carp Problem video, 45 sec)
• In some parts of the Mississippi River basin, densities of Asian carps are thought to be among the highest in the world (US Fish and Wildlife Service)
• Silver carp are a particular hazard to boaters and water skiers because they can jump 10 feet out of the water

What are carp?

Carp are a family of fish native to Asia. Cyprinus carpio, the common carp, has been in the US for over 100 years. That's long enough that we don't know what our waters would be like without them. The common carp shares a scientific name with the flashy koi that live in Japanese-style fish ponds. These "new" Asian carp, however, are not cousins of your pet goldfish; they are four separate invasive exotic species that have been recently introduced to our waters.

How do they spread?

While the adult carp prefer slow moving water, they look for high, fast moving water when laying eggs (a process called spawning). Recent floods may have helped the fish spread further. They lay hundreds of thousands of eggs at a time, and can lay eggs multiple times per year, which means their population grows quickly (USGS PDF, 3mb). These fish, with their voracious appetites and fast-growing population, will dramatically change the ecology of the Mississippi River.

 

Asian Carp Invasion

How are Asian Carp moving up the Mississippi? What does a crazy school of jumping silver carp look like?

Check out this documentary: Asian Carp Invasion (video, 7min)

What do they eat?

Asian carp eat a lot. One species, the Grass carp, can eat up to 40% of its body weight in plants every day. The other three species consume up to 20% of their body weight daily. They can reach a maximum weight of 110 pounds (although the average is closer to 50). Bighead and silver carp eat plankton, which native mussels and young native fish depend on. Grass carp consume plants, and can drastically change river and shoreline vegetation. Black carp have human-like molars and eat snails and mussels, including native species that are already endangered. When the amount of plants, mussels, and plankton are lower in our lakes and rivers, the ecosystem becomes unbalanced and our native species that depend on these food sources suffer.

What is being done?

State and federal agencies are monitoring the Mississippi River and its tributaries for Asian carp, and studying various barrier technologies that would prevent the further spread of these species. The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area is working with other agencies on a task force to create an Action Plan for Minnesota.

We're also studying how far these fish have spread. The USGS and the Upper Mississippi River states keep a record of "known established populations," which are areas that we know carp live and reproduce. The NPS is also working with other agencies in a Task Force to see how close these fish are to the Twin Cities. If you have more questions about carp, check out the Frequently Asked Questions on Asiancarp.org.

If we don't do something to slow the spread of these fish, future generations might not know our waters without them.