Lower Mississippi River Basin Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework _________________________________________ August 2019 1 Acknowledgements The Lower Mississippi River Basin Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework was created by the Asian Carp Team of the Lower Mississippi River Basin, including representatives from 11 states. Thanks to each state’s aquatic invasive species coordinator and other agency staff for input and review. Angela Erves, Cartographer with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Lower Mississippi River Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, is credited with all maps within the framework. Special thanks to Mark Boone, Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee’s Big River Specialist, for numerous hours compiling drafts, editing, and providing organization and assistance to complete this framework. Suggested citation for this document: Rodgers, A., editor. 2019. Lower Mississippi River Basin Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework. Lower Mississippi River Basin Asian Carp Team. Tupelo, Mississippi, 45 pp. 2 Geographic Scope For purposes of this document, the Lower Mississippi River Basin Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework (Framework) includes the entirety of the Lower Mississippi River basin, and also includes the following major tributaries and their watersheds: Arkansas River, Red River, White River, St. Francis River, Yazoo River, Obion River, Big Black River and Hatchie River. The area encompasses the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Hydrologic Units for Region 08 (Lower Mississippi Region) and Region 11 (Arkansas-White-Red Region). According to USGS, the Lower Mississippi Region includes “the drainages of: (a) the Mississippi River below its confluence with the Ohio River, excluding the Arkansas, Red, and White River Basins above the points of highest backwater effect of the Mississippi River in those basins; and (b) coastal streams that ultimately discharge into the Gulf of Mexico from the Pearl River Basin boundary to the Sabine River and Sabine Lake drainage boundary. Includes parts of Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee.” The Arkansas-White-Red Region includes “the drainage of the Arkansas, White, and Red River Basins above the points of highest backwater effect of the Mississippi River. Includes all of Oklahoma and parts of Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, and Texas.” (USGS Hydrologic Unit Map) Introduction Asian Carp Threats in the United States In North America, the expression “Asian carps” refers to a collection of four invasive species: Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis, Silver Carp H. molitrix, Black Carp Mylopharyngodon piceus, and Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella. Asian carps were imported into the United States several decades ago primarily to be used in aquaculture and wastewater treatment plants for control of algae (Silver Carp and Bighead Carp) and grubs and snails (Black Carp), but subsequently escaped and are an increasing threat to the ecological, recreational and economic value of the Lower Mississippi (LMR), Arkansas, and Red Rivers and their tributaries (Kolar et al. 2005). The Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force identified active control of Asian carps by natural resource agencies as a priority and developed the Management and Control Plan for Bighead Carp, Black Carp, Grass Carp, and Silver Carp in the United States (Conover et al. 2007) that identifies strategies to address Asian carps. Conover et al. (2007) and Kolar et al. (2005) provide concise summaries of the history of introduction, biology, life history, use, and potential adverse effects of Asian carps. Bighead Carp and Silver Carp prefer areas of low velocity (<0.3 m/s) and off-channel areas without flow. Bighead Carp are strongly associated with dikes and backwaters, but not sandbars without dikes. Bighead Carp feed primarily on zooplankton, but will feed on phytoplankton if zooplankton density is low. Conversely, Silver Carp select phytoplankton over zooplankton, but will feed on both. There is concern that competition for plankton can impact native planktivores, such as Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum, Threadfin Shad D. petenense, Bigmouth Buffalo Ictiobus cyprinellus, Paddlefish Polyodon spathula and juveniles of many fish species. Sampson (2005) and Schrank et al. (2003) documented such competition. DeBoer et al. (2018) found compelling evidence of multiple trophic-level effects from the Silver Carp invasion with 3 quick and negative impacts to zooplankton populations and perhaps phytoplankton populations. Fish and birds that feed on prey fish species could ultimately be impacted, which could have negative effects on sportfishes that create recreational and economic implications. Invasive Bighead Carp and Silver Carp are increasing in abundance and expanding their range in the LMR basin. Significant populations are established throughout many areas. Asian carps rapidly and densely colonize river reaches affecting the native food web in large river ecosystems (Freedman et al. 2012; Irons et al. 2007). According to the Ohio River Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework (ORFMT 2014), multiple biological synopses and scientific risk assessments of the Asian carps (Kocovsky et al. 2012; Kolar et al. 2007; Kolar, et al. 2005; Nico et al. 2005; Cudmore and Mandrak 2004; Mandrak and Cudmore 2004) identify their potential for establishment and negative consequences to much of the aquatic resources of North America. Kolar et al. 2005 stated that the organism risk potential in the United States for both Bighead Carp and Silver Carp was high; an unacceptable risk. This classification means that both species are organisms of major concern for the United States, justifying mitigation to control negative effects. There are federal and various state laws and regulations pertaining to the movement and sale of Asian Carps. Three species of Asian carp were added to the federal injurious species listing by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS); Silver Carp in 2007 (USFWS 2007a), Black Carp in 2007 (USFWS 2007b), and Bighead Carp in 2011 (USFWS 2011) by notices in the Federal Register. The injurious wildlife listing (title 18) under the Lacey Act prohibits importation and transport of live Silver Carp, Bighead Carp, or Black Carp, including viable eggs or hybrids of the species, between the continental United States, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any possession of the United States, except by permit for zoological, education, medical, or scientific purposes. Under the Lacey Act, an injurious wildlife listing means the species has been demonstrated to be harmful to either the health and welfare of humans, interests of forestry, agriculture, or horticulture, or the welfare and survival of wildlife or the resources upon which they depend. Since the 1960s the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has interpreted the shipment clause in the Lacey Act (18 U.S.C. § 42(a)(1)) as giving them the authority to prohibit live shipments between the 49 states in the continental United States of species federally designated as “injurious wildlife” in the Lacey Act(18 U.S.C. § 42(a)(1)). The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia held on April 7, 2017 that 18 U.S.C. § 42(a)(1) does not prohibit transport of injurious wildlife between States within the continental United States. The D.C. Circuit Court found the shipment clause to be unambiguous and its interpretation consistent with the legislative history. Whereas, due to this ruling by the D.C. Circuit Court, any species of injurious wildlife can be legally shipped between states in the continental United States that do not have state laws or regulations prohibiting such shipment. 4 Lower Mississippi River Worldwide, the Mississippi River is one of the largest rivers according to length, drainage area, and discharge (Baker et al. 1991). The LMR extends 953.5 miles from the confluence of the Ohio River at Cairo, Illinois, to the Head of Passes, Louisiana (USACE 2013) (Figure 1). Baker et al. (1991) indicate at least 91 fish species reside in the LMR (e.g., reproducing populations), but they mention other studies list up to 121 species. This list does not include ‘strays’ from tributaries or recent additions of aquatic invasive species. Several federally listed species are contained within this list including Pallid Sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus (endangered) and Shovelnose Sturgeon S. platorynchus (threatened based on similarity of appearance with Pallid Sturgeon to protect that species; it is only in effect where their ranges overlap and “take” only applies to commercial harvest). A few fish species of concern in the LMR as determined by state agencies include Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens, Gulf Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi, Paddlefish Polyodon spathula, Alligator Gar Atractosteus spatula, Sturgeon Chub Macrhybopsis gelida, and Sicklefin Chub M. meeki. Some popular game species include Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides, Spotted Bass M. punctulatus, White Crappie Pomoxis annularis, Black Crappie P. nigromaculatus, Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus, Blue Catfish I. furcatus, Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris, and White Bass Morone chrysops. The Mississippi River and Tributaries Project (MR&T) was initiated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) subsequent to the 1927 flood (USACE 2013). Levees, revetments, flood storage reservoirs, and floodways were constructed to reduce flood risk, while dikes and other river training structures were