Education and Outreach on Asian Carp In Support of the Asian Carp Region Coordinating Committee
The term Asian carp can evoke images of dozens of large fish leaping from water, startled by boat engines and colliding with boats and people. The fish in these well-known videos are predominantly Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), though the broader term, Asian carp, includes three additional non-native carp species of Asian origin currently in North America: Bighead Carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), and Black Carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus). Unfortunately, these invasive fish present more concerns than just the threat of injury to recreational boaters. Asian carp were brought to the United States in the 1960s (Grass Carp) and 1970s (other three species) for use in aquaculture, but these species eventually made their way to the Mississippi River watershed and have been expanding their range since. Silver and Bighead Carp feed on plankton by filtering it out of the water (filter feeders), while Grass Carp eat vegetation and Black Carp eat mollusks, like clams and snails. Asian carp are voracious and often outcompete native fish for food and habitat, which is of great concern to wildlife and resource managers. Due to their potential negative impacts, Bighead, Silver, and Black Carp are now listed as “injurious” species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which can invoke legal transportation limitations. The movement of Grass Carp is regulated by many individual states as well.
Author(s) Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee; Great Lakes Network; Great Lakes Restoration; The Ohio State University Year 2017 Pages 56 Region NY Great Lakes
(631) 632-6905
© New York Sea Grant 2023. All Rights Reserved.
Website Design by Gatorworks