ManagementManagement andand ControlControl ofof AsianAsian CarpsCarps inin thethe UnitedUnited StatesStates

GregGreg ConoverConover AsianAsian CarpCarp WorkingWorking Group,Group, ChairChair USFWS,USFWS, CartervilleCarterville FROFRO ‘‘AsianAsian CarpCarp’’

„ 77 carpscarps nativenative toto AsiaAsia introducedintroduced intointo U.S.U.S. „ AsianAsian carpscarps == bighead,bighead, black,black, grass,grass, silversilver carpscarps „ GoldfishGoldfish (1600(1600’’s),s), CommonCommon carpcarp (1800(1800’’s)s) „ CrucianCrucian carpcarp (1900(1900’’s)s) –– Chicago,Chicago, IllinoisIllinois

Crucian Carp

Sketch Courtesy of Matthew Thomas GrassGrass CarpCarp

Sketch Courtesy of Matthew Thomas

• Aquatic vegetation control • Live food fish markets

USGS BlackBlack CarpCarp

Sketch Courtesy of Matthew Thomas

• Horseshoe Lake, Alexander County (2001) USFWS • Mississippi River, below Lock and Dam 22 (2004) BigheadBighead CarpCarp

USFWS

• Live food fish markets

Sketch Courtesy of Matthew Thomas SilverSilver CarpCarp

Sketch Courtesy of Matthew Thomas

USFWS • Injurious Wildlife – Lacey Act (8/2007) InvasiveInvasive SpeciesSpecies

TheThe lifelife historyhistory traitstraits ofof allall fourfour ofof thesethese speciesspecies indicatesindicates that,that, wherewhere established,established, thesethese fourfour speciesspecies havehave aa highhigh probabilityprobability ofof beingbeing consideredconsidered aa nuisance;nuisance; thatthat is,is, theythey areare likelylikely toto causecause adverseadverse ecologicalecological andand economiceconomic effects.effects. NuisanceNuisance SpeciesSpecies

„ BroadBroad climateclimate tolerancetolerance BigBig FishFish withwith BigBig AppetitesAppetites

„ BigheadBighead carpcarp „ ~ 5 feet, 90 pounds „ SilverSilver carpcarp „ > 3 feet, 60 pounds „ SpecializedSpecialized filterfilter feedersfeeders –– planktonplankton „ NoNo stomachstomach == feedfeed continuouslycontinuously „ QuicklyQuickly growgrow tootoo largelarge forfor predatorspredators PopulationPopulation ExplosionExplosion

„ ReproduceReproduce quicklyquickly „ SexuallySexually maturemature inin 22--33 yearsyears „ MatureMature femalefemale == 11--55 millionmillion eggseggs „ DominateDominate fishfish assemblagesassemblages

Bill Dance Sarah Bauer RapidlyRapidly DispersingDispersing

„ StrongStrong swimmersswimmers

„ Bighead and silver carp Bighead Carp in the Illinois River 40 miles / day „ CollectedCollected withinwithin 2121 milesmiles ofof thethe dispersaldispersal barrierbarrier andand 5050 milesmiles ofof thethe GreatGreat LakesLakes

USGS PotentialPotential NegativeNegative EffectsEffects

„ CrowdCrowd outout nativenative fishesfishes „ EatEat thethe samesame foodfood thatthat nativesnatives dependdepend onon „ AllAll juvenilejuvenile fish,fish, severalseveral adultadult fish,fish, && musselsmussels „ CompeteCompete forfor limitedlimited resourcesresources „ PotentialPotential toto alteralter foodfood webswebs „ ResultResult == fewerfewer andand smallersmaller nativenative „ LowerLower qualityquality sportsport andand commercialcommercial fisheriesfisheries „ PersonalPersonal injuryinjury andand propertyproperty damagesdamages CommercialCommercial HarvestHarvest

„ ReportReport increasingincreasing numbersnumbers ofof AsianAsian carpscarps inin MississippiMississippi andand IllinoisIllinois riversrivers „ 55--66 tonstons inin aa singlesingle dayday „ FewFew marketsmarkets –– quicklyquickly saturatedsaturated „ FishersFishers abandoningabandoning traditionaltraditional sitessites IllinoisIllinois RiverRiver -- 20032003 CommercialCommercial HarvestHarvest „ BuffaloBuffalo decreaseddecreased 35%35% (pounds)(pounds) „ AsianAsian carpcarp increasedincreased 124%124% (pounds)(pounds) „ ““atat leastleast inin partpart dodo toto competitioncompetition withwith increasingincreasing numbersnumbers ofof AsianAsian carpscarps””

Illinois Commercial Catch

60.0 50.0 40.0 30.0 20.0 10.0

Percent of Total Weight Total of Percent 0.0 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Buffalo Asian Carps IL DNR WhatWhat aboutabout thethe GreatGreat Lakes?Lakes?

„ AsianAsian carpcarp == HighHigh riskrisk chancechance „ Cannot be certain about specific effects „ Do know there is incredible potential „ MultiMulti--billionbillion dollardollar fisheriesfisheries andand economieseconomies atat stakestake „ Could affect salmon fishery and delay trout restoration „ StatisticalStatistical modelingmodeling predictedpredicted thatthat silversilver carpcarp couldcould becomebecome establishedestablished „ 2222 tributarytributary riversrivers identifiedidentified thatthat couldcould potentiallypotentially serveserve asas spawningspawning sitessites „ Potential impacts to entire Great Lakes drainage AsianAsian CarpsCarps == InvasiveInvasive SpeciesSpecies

„ InvasiveInvasive speciesspecies degradedegrade basinbasin ecosystemsecosystems andand thethe economieseconomies theythey supportsupport „ EconomicEconomic healthhealth dependantdependant uponupon healthyhealthy ecosystemsecosystems „ EffectEffect howhow wewe enjoyenjoy andand utilizeutilize thethe outdoorsoutdoors „ RecreationRecreation „ BusinessBusiness „ ManagementManagement actionsactions areare warrantedwarranted NationalNational ManagementManagement PlanPlan

„ AsianAsian CarpCarp WorkingWorking GroupGroup „ Goals:Goals: „ PreventPrevent introductionsintroductions „ LimitLimit dispersaldispersal „ ExtirpateExtirpate oror reducereduce populationpopulation abundancesabundances „ 4848 strategiesstrategies andand 136136 recommendationsrecommendations PreventionPrevention

„ HumanHuman mediatedmediated activitiesactivities „ PrimarilyPrimarily anan issueissue forfor interiorinterior waterswaters andand GreatGreat LakesLakes „ 44 highesthighest riskrisk pathwayspathways „ Baitfish transport „ Transport of wild-caught fish „ RegulationsRegulations && OutreachOutreach Bill Dance

Bill Dance ContainmentContainment

„ NaturalNatural abilityability ofof fishfish toto dispersedisperse „ ImmediateImmediate actionsactions necessarynecessary toto limitlimit spreadspread andand minimizeminimize affectedaffected waterswaters „ 66 strategiesstrategies „ PreventPrevent interbasininterbasin transferstransfers andand limitlimit intrabasinintrabasin movementsmovements „ Forecast,Forecast, detect,detect, andand rapidlyrapidly respondrespond toto newnew introductionsintroductions oror rangerange expansionsexpansions DispersalDispersal BarriersBarriers

„ PreventPrevent interbasininterbasin transferstransfers andand limitlimit intrabasinintrabasin movementsmovements „ BarriersBarriers –– specificallyspecifically identifiesidentifies needneed forfor redundantredundant barrierbarrier systemssystems inin ChicagoChicago SanitarySanitary andand ShipShip CanalCanal „ Canals,Canals, waterways,waterways, andand waterwater diversionsdiversions „ Permanent and temporary connections „ Des Plaines River and Deep Run Creek SurveillanceSurveillance && EarlyEarly DetectionDetection

„ Forecast,Forecast, detect,detect, andand rapidrapid responseresponse „ HighHigh riskrisk locationslocations andand waterswaters ofof specialspecial concernconcern „ EarlyEarly detectiondetection monitoringmonitoring „ DevelopDevelop rapidrapid responseresponse plansplans SonicSonic TelemetryTelemetry ProjectProject

„ DifficultDifficult toto detectdetect withwith traditionaltraditional samplingsampling methods,methods, especiallyespecially whenwhen lowlow abundanceabundance „ NetworkNetwork ofof acousticacoustic receiversreceivers „ 1212 stationarystationary receiversreceivers „ 6060 milemile reachreach immediatelyimmediately belowbelow dispersaldispersal barrierbarrier „ 3030 surgicallysurgically implantedimplanted transmitterstransmitters (2(2 yearyear life)life) „ ContinuousContinuous monitoringmonitoring DistributionDistribution inin thethe IllinoisIllinois RiverRiver

„ StarvedStarved RockRock „ Established and abundant populations „ MarseillesMarseilles andand DresdenDresden IslandIsland „ Low numbers of bighead and silver carp confirmed „ BrandonBrandon RoadRoad „ At least one undocumented report

X

Peoria Starved Rock Marseilles Dresden Brandon Lockport Island Road ReportReport NewNew Sightings!Sightings! PopulationPopulation ControlControl

„ IntegratedIntegrated PestPest ManagementManagement „ GreatGreat LakesLakes SeaSea LampreyLamprey ControlControl ProgramProgram „ 88 potentialpotential toolstools „ HarvestHarvest enhancementenhancement „ BiologicalBiological controlscontrols „ SterileSterile AsianAsian carpscarps „ TransgenicTransgenic AsianAsian carpscarps „ PheromonesPheromones „ HabitatHabitat oror hydrologichydrologic modificationsmodifications „ PiscicidesPiscicides HarvestHarvest EnhancementEnhancement

„ OnlyOnly nearnear--termterm tooltool „ ImportantImportant componentcomponent ofof integratedintegrated controlcontrol „ SportSport harvestharvest „ Small,Small, localizedlocalized benefitsbenefits „ CommercialCommercial harvestharvest „ VeryVery limitedlimited marketmarket demanddemand Î minimalminimal harvestharvest „ RisksRisks toto considerconsider „ Demand for sustainable fishery „ Incentive to stock new waters „ SufficientSufficient riskrisk toto prohibitprohibit harvestharvest ofof otherother AISAIS MoreMore QuestionsQuestions ThanThan AnswersAnswers

„ InIn additionaddition toto needneed for:for: „ DevelopingDeveloping andand enforcingenforcing regulationsregulations „ ImplementingImplementing effectiveeffective containmentcontainment measuresmeasures „ DevelopingDeveloping controlcontrol toolstools andand IPMIPM programprogram „ ManyMany additionaladditional researchresearch needs:needs: „ UnderstandUnderstand basicbasic lifelife historyhistory „ Understand,Understand, quantify,quantify, andand predictpredict impactsimpacts „ AccuratelyAccurately /precisely/precisely assessassess stocksstocks „ EvaluateEvaluate andand modifymodify managementmanagement actionsactions ForFor additionaladditional informationinformation contact:contact: [email protected][email protected] CartervilleCarterville NFWCONFWCO 618/997618/997--68696869

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