the silver menace: invasive asian carp in the midwest symposium... · the silver menace: invasive...

The Silver Menace: Invasive

Asian Carp in the Midwest

Timothy Spier, Michael Flinn, Neal Jackson,

Jessica Morris, Allison Lebeda, and Brad Hartman

Murray State University

http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/explore/native-and-invasive-species/species/fish-species-in-

michigan-and-the-great-lakes/asian-carp/silver-carp-no-background/

Outline

The Asian Carps

Carp biology

Status and Current Research

Introducing: The Asian Carps

4 species:

Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix

Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis

Black Carp Mylopharyngodon piceus

Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella

What are they not?

They are NOT

Common Carp

Cyprinus carpio

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0MVBae24rNo/maxresdefault.jpg

Where are they

from?

http://cdn.thinglink.me/api/image/718674606201765889/1240/10/scaletowidth

Where are they

from?

Eastern China

Vietnam

Korea

Eastern Russia

http://cdn.thinglink.me/api/image/718674606201765889/1240/10/scaletowidth

Bighead Carp and Silver Carp

Brought over to use in polyculture

Bighead Carp and Silver Carp

Brought over to use in polyculture

Multiple species fish culture

Bigheads and Silvers improve water quality and provide a

secondary source of income

Escaped from culture ponds in Arkansas in early 1970’s

Bigheads and Silvers are

BIG!

https://www.nps.gov/miss/learn/nature/ascarpover.htmhttp://thelakenews.com/wp-

content/uploads/2015/05/Giant-Asian-Silver-Carp.jpg

Are they good sportfish?

Are they good sportfish?

Nah….

Some bowfishing, some snagging, but not much

Kentucky State Record

233 kg (106 lbs) but hooked

accidentally

http://thelakenews.com/wp-

content/uploads/2015/05/Giant-Asian-Silver-Carp.jpg

Are they good to eat?

Are they good to eat?

Absolutely!

Tasty flesh, high in Omega 3’s, low in contaminants

But a little bony…

Silver Carp are jumpers

Dangerous to

boaters, skiers,

jet skis, etc.

Illinoistimes.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoLjf0TeoXk

Biology of Silver Carp

Large Size, Fast Growth

Become invulnerable to predation around age 1

Silver Carp Growth

Age (yrs)

Tota

l Length

(m

m)

2 4 6 8 10

0200

400

600

800

1000

1200

lt = 912 (1 – e-0.8849 (t – (0.6630)))

n = 173

Extremely Fecund

Up to 1,000,000

eggs per female

Age 0

Silver Carp

http://illinois.edu/lb/iList/518/2/skinId=10420

Feed low on the food web…

Bigheads = zooplankton and phytoplankton

Silvers = phytoplankton and zooplankton

How do they get so big when they eat

stuff that is so small?

How do they get so big when they eat

stuff that is so small?

They eat a lot! Maybe 20% of their body weight per day!

Typical Kentucky

Lake Food Web

blueplanetsociety.blogspot.com

http://ulrichhopp.de/bilder/kleinkrebse/Kleink_29_Leptodora_029.jpg

Scott Shupe

Scott Shupe

Short Circuiting the

Food Web

blueplanetsociety.blogspot.com

http://ulrichhopp.de/bilder/kleinkrebse/Kleink_29_Leptodora_029.jpg

Distribution

Knocking on the

door of the Great

Lakes

$7B fishing industry

USGS Silver Carp Distribution as of October 2016

Kentucky Lake as Surrogate for Great

Lakes

Kentucky Lake as Surrogate for Great

Lakes

Largest reservoir east of the Mississippi

Important commercial and recreational fisheries

Also recreational boating

Our Research at Murray State U.

Population demographics of the KY Lake population

Movement patterns of Silver Carp in KY Lake

Population Demographics

Silver Carp Growth

Age (yrs)

Tota

l Length

(m

m)

2 4 6 8 10

0200

400

600

800

1000

1200

lt = 912 (1 – e-0.8849 (t – (0.6630)))

n = 173

Tracking Silver Carp in Kentucky Lake

Surgery

Tags about size of a roll of dimes

http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/files/2015/07/Acoustic-tag1.jpg

VR2W Passive Receiver

Sits on bottom and listens

Where did they go?

Passive receivers

Fish Tracking Results

Hancock Biological Station

Silver Carp 51730

December 13-14, 2016

Silver Carp 51730



Silver Carp 51730



December 20, 2016

Silver Carp 51730



December 20, 2016

December 21, 2016

Silver Carp 51730

December 23, 2016

December 21, 2016

How do we stop them?

How do we stop them?

Stop expansion

Reduce numbers

Carp Barriers

Electric barrier system at Romeoville, IL

Bubble curtains

CO2

Sound barriers

Electric Barrier – Romeoville, IL

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fprogressillinois.com%2Fquick-hits%2Fcontent%2F2012%2F01%2F09%2Fargument-chicago-waterway-changes-strengthened-study-findings&psig=AFQjCNEOwEHwdYIz-ZpI_KfSW8YBPH4bAg&ust=1476554358005012

http://archive.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/asian-carp-fight-to-feature-new-

barrier-stepped-up-detection-b99714583z1-377340781.html

Carp Barriers

Electric barrier system at Romeoville, IL

Bubble curtains

CO2

Sound barriers

Being considered for other

areas, such as Pickwick

Dam on the Tennessee

River

Reducing Numbers

Reducing Numbers

Few options

Piscicides?

Predators?

Commercial harvest

Commercial Harvest

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKE

wiz8qWWhNnPAhXBRyYKHWJBANQQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.prairiestateoutdoors.com%2Fpso%2F

article_print%2F13087&psig=AFQjCNEE92zeHJYeLBD4GjZlctVjX66K1g&ust=1476490962700313

http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-

/439421e44881cea8dc8e5f4c6a15eb5e5db9c2e5/c=0-264-2832-

1864&r=x329&c=580x326/local/-

/media/2015/02/04/Louisville/Louisville/635586676713404841-carp1.jpg

https://www.flickr.com/photos/acrcc/29983831432/

Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee

Acknowledgements

Field Help:Dalton Lebeda

Jessica Morris

Ronnie Hopkins

Brad Richardson

Clint

Nathan Ward

Ben Tumolo

Matt May

Alex Vaisvil

Christy Soldo

Nathan Tillotson

Josh Revell

Project Funding:Graduate Innovation AssistantshipHattie Mayme Ross ScholarshipLarry D. Pharris Memorial Wildlife Fund ScholarshipDr. Morgan Emory Sisk Jr. Memorial ScholarshipWatershed Studies Research Institute GrantsJesse D. Jones College of Science, Engineering and Technology Travel Grants

the silver menace: invasive asian carp in the midwest symposium... · the silver menace: invasive...

Documents