June 24, 2010 6:17 PM

Asian Carp: They're Getting Near and Why That's Bad News

By
Charles Cooper
Topics
In The News ,
Tech Talk

20-pound Asian carp is held after being caught beyond the electric barriers constructed to keep the dreaded invasive species out of the Great Lakes.

(Credit: AP)

Late Wednesday, an Asian carp was caught in Lake Calumet, about six miles from Lake Michigan.

That set off alarms. Michigan U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow made headlines when she called for the deployment of poison to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes. Unfortunately, they may already be there. Politicians like Stabenow are willing to turn to unconventional warfare against this invader because this is a very unconventional sort of fish, one that could devastate a $7 billion regional fishing industry.

Some background:

Common carp were first brought to the United States in 1831 and rapidly flourished in the Upper Mississippi River System. In the 1960s and 1970s, southern fish farmers imported two species of Asian carp -- the bighead and silver - thinking they might help improve the water quality of aquaculture ponds by cleaning out algae. But it didn't take long before the fish spread north. Flooding in the early 1990s resulted in many catfish farm ponds overflowing their banks. Some Asian carp got released into local waterways feeding into the Mississippi River basin and the rest, as they say, is history.

Last year, the Army Corps or Engineers finding traces of the Asian carp only a few miles away from Lake Michigan - this despite the presence of an advanced barrier system which cost millions to construct.

By any measure, this is a voracious invader When it comes to chow time, Asian carp have the muscle to get their way as they can eat up to 40 percent of their body weight daily and grow as large as 100 pounds. By way of anecdote, researchers investigating carp populations in the upper Mississippi a few years ago described the difficulty of catching Asian carp with the usual sampling gear.

"For example, they are often seen breaking the water surface many meters ahead and along the sides of our electrofishing boats. Asian carp have often entered our boats without the use of dip nets. In fact, many of our staff members have been hit multiple times by large jumping fish."

Mapping out a battle plan has been fraught because of political divisions in the Great Lakes region. Illinois fought a request by Michigan to shut down close the locks on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. (In the end, Michigan's request was turned down.

Chicago Area waterways map showing location of carp barrier

(Credit: Phil Moy, University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute)

It so turns out that carp also is used in the preparation of gefilte fish, a Jewish delicacy popular during Passover. That has raised suggestions among some looking for a positive takeaway that perhaps a carp invasion might create a new market, including the possibility of holiday exports to Israel. But scientists are less enthusiastic. In 2007, the U.S. Department of the Interior declared Asian carp to be an invasive species.

As for Stabenow's proposal, let's note that something similar was tried earlier. In 2009, Illinois carried out what was the largest organized fish kill in the state's history when boats dumped poison into the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal in a bid to stop the carps dead in their tracks.

$3 million and three days later, officials were able to identify one dead carp, amid tens of thousands of dead fish.


  • Charles Cooper is an executive editor at CNET News. He has covered technology and business for more than 25 years, working at CBSNews.com, the Associated Press, Computer & Software News, Computer Shopper, PC Week, and ZDNet. E-mail Charlie.

Add a Comment See all 11 Comments
by DelmarSmith December 15, 2010 9:17 PM EST
I believe i know a way to get rid of these fish. The answer is staring us in the face.and probably for a fraction of the cost. us there jumping ability against them. built some sort of under water vibrating system having them jump into a some kind of net or barg thing. remember you heard it from me first here. i am a inventer and had other poeple take credit for my stuff before. anyways i believe this is key. Thank you,Delmar Smith.
Reply to this comment
by cyberus-2009 June 25, 2010 2:08 AM EDT
They need to give this critter some exotic name and start serving it in restaurants ... people start thinking its a delicacy and price per lb will have scientists calling in endangered in a decade.
Reply to this comment
by rf35 June 25, 2010 4:08 AM EDT
Rename it "jumping Jesus fish" (it practically walks on water!) and the Christians will go ape for it. Advertise it as a good source of omega-3 (which it might well be, along with mercury) and it can become a health food craze.
by rwsmith29456 June 25, 2010 9:31 AM EDT
That's a good idea. Maybe we could sell it to Japan as 'Freshwater Whale."
by mahdeealoo June 25, 2010 1:08 AM EDT
The answer is quite simple - change the DNA of these fish so they can not breed by making them sterile. Catch and release "treated" fish. They can lay millions of eggs and none will hatch.
Reply to this comment
by zebra8835 June 25, 2010 12:46 AM EDT
I heard these fish were actually quite good eating and put up a heck of a fight! Is there any special way to clean them and can anyone confirm they are good eating? Here in Missouri in the Mississippi River they fly out of the water when you speed by in your boat and knock you silly if you get hit by one.
Reply to this comment
by democracy3 June 25, 2010 7:53 AM EDT
I've heard that they are good eating, but perhaps a bit bony.
by rwsmith29456 June 24, 2010 11:35 PM EDT
The carp were intentionally introduced to our lake system in SC and it's been downhill since. Another idiot transplanted kudzu here and now the place is covered with it. Why can't people just leave nature alone?
Reply to this comment
by rwsmith29456 June 25, 2010 9:28 AM EDT
Oh, I might add that the carp were introduced to eat the imported elodea weed that is choking our lakes.
by alphaa10000 June 24, 2010 7:27 PM EDT
CARPING PRAISE

Thanks, CBS, for a good article, interestingly written, on something of long-term importance. If the Gulf Gusher has not made it sufficiently clear every ecosystem is connected to others, the spread of carp brings the point home with a news hook.

This is one of the reasons I visit CBSNews.com-- your news/editorial staff understands the importance of news vs. "headline twittering" about celebrities.
Reply to this comment
by hk94 June 24, 2010 11:38 PM EDT
If we come up with a fancy name for this fish and convince people it's good to eat, we could almost wipe them out in 20 years or so. Chilean Sea Bass is not a bass at all but a really ugly ocean fish. Tilapia is an ugly river fish too. We are eating both of these fish in huge numbers. Let's promote these carp as food.
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