Asian Carp
The Asian carp species is taking over the Midwest
How it all Started
Carp were first introduce in America when We had them imported in 1970 from Asia. They were used to clean the ponds from weeds and harmful parasites.
Asian Carp in the Midwest
The Carp are jumping from and electrical shock in the water so the people can count them
Bighead Carp
Species of Carp
All the species of carp that are invasive. As a whole their classified as Asian Crap
Why they are a Problem
Carp are out competing all pf the native fish in the Midwest because of how much they eat and how fast they reproduce taking up all of the space. A female carp can lay up to 2000000 eggs and spawn 3 times a year. Grass carp can eat up to 40% of their body weight in plants daily from the edge of the river. The rest of the Asian carp are eating up to 20% of their body weight in plankton each day which other native fish to the area rely on as a food source out competing all other fish for their food source.
How are they Spreading
Asian Carp are spreading by floods. These floods will come and spill over the lake giving the cap free ways to get to other bodies of water that were not connected till the flood.
What is Being Done.
The main concern of the carp is that they will move into Lake Michigan from the river in Illinois and if that happens they can quickly and easily take over the lake so people are forming groups to stop the spread of these carps. One way they are doing this is with electric fences blocking their way up steam. Another new way that was just developed was a sound barrier that only Asian carp were sensitive to. It had a 100% success rate because all the carp one once side of the fence were not caught on the other side.