Asian Carp Problem

[fishinwrench]

Yep,  now we have a tablecloth that I keep getting yelled at for mistreating.  

Gonna recruit Oldplug to help sand and refinish the table this Spring

[straw hat]

Silver Carp

It is cultivated in China. More silver carp are produced worldwide in aquaculture than any other species by weight. They are usually farmed in polyculture with other Asian carp, or sometimes Indian carp or other species. The species has been introduced to, or spread by connected waterways, into at least 88 countries around the world. The reason for importation was generally for use in aquaculture, but enhancement of wild fisheries and water quality control have also been intended on occasion. The silver carp reaches an average length of 60–100 cm (24–39 in) with a maximum length of 140 cm (55 in) and weight of 45 kg (99 lb).

The silver carp is a filter feeder and possesses a specialized feeding apparatus capable of filtering particles as small as 4 µm. The gill rakers are fused into a sponge-like filter, and an epibranchial organ secretes mucus which assists in trapping small particles. A strong buccal pump forces water through this filter. Silver carp, like all Hypophthalmichthys species, have no stomachs; they are thought to feed more or less constantly, largely on phytoplankton. They also consume zooplankton and detritus. Because of their plankton-feeding habits, they are thought to compete with native planktivorous fishes, which in North America include paddlefish (Polyodon spathula), gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum), and young fish of almost all species.

Because they feed on plankton, they are sometimes successfully used for controlling water quality, especially in the control of noxious blue-green algae (cyanobacteria). Certain species of blue-green algae, notably the often toxic Microcystis, can pass through the gut of silver carp unharmed, picking up nutrients in the process. Thus, in some cases, blue-green algae blooms have been exacerbated by silver carp. Microcystis has also been shown to produce more toxins in the presence of silver carp. These carp, which have natural defenses to their toxins, sometimes can contain enough algal toxins in their systems to become hazardous to eat.

The silver carp in its natural range migrates upstream for spawning; eggs and larvae then drift downstream, and young fish hatch in the floodplain zone. Larvae and small juveniles feed on zooplankton, switching to phytoplankton once a certain size is reached. The species is somewhat sensitive to low oxygen conditions.

Silver carp are filter feeders, thus are difficult to catch on typical hook-and-line gear. Special methods have been developed for these fish, the most important being the "suspension method", usually consisting of a large dough ball that disintegrates slowly, surrounded by a nest of tiny hooks embedded in the bait.[4] The entire apparatus is suspended below a large bobber. The fish feed on the small particles released from the dough ball and bump against the dough ball, with the intention of breaking off more small particles that can be filtered from the water, eventually becoming hooked on the tiny hooks.[citation needed]

In some areas, it is also legal to use "snagging gear", in which large, weighted treble hooks are jerked through the water, to snag the fish. In the United States, silver carp are also popular targets for bowfishermen; they are shot both in the water and in the air. In the latter case, boats are used to scare the fish and entice them to jump, and the fish are shot when they jump.

By 2003, silver carp had spread into the Mississippi, Illinois, Ohio, and Missouri Rivers and many of their tributaries in the United States. By August 2009, they had become abundant in the Mississippi River watershed from Louisiana to South Dakota and Illinois, and had grown close to invading the Great Lakes via the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. Navigation dams seem to have slowed their advance up the Mississippi River, and until late November 2008, silver carp had not been captured north of central Iowa on the Mississippi. Dams that do not have navigation locks are complete barriers to upstream natural movement of silver carp, and it is important for fishermen not to unintentionally assist this movement by the use of silver carp as bait.

Boaters traveling in uncovered high-speed watercraft have been reported to be injured by running into the fish while at speed. In 2003, a woman jet-skiing broke her nose and a vertebra by colliding with a silver carp, and nearly drowned In another example, a leaping silver carp broke the jaw of a teenager being pulled on an inner tube. Water skiing in areas where silver carp are present is extremely dangerous

 

　

Missouri (Courtenay et al. 1991; Robinson 1995; Pflieger 1997; Rasmussen 1998; Lien 2003), the Little River Ditches, Upper Mississippi-Cape Girardeau, and The Sny drainages (Southern Illinois University), the Lower Missouri-Moreau, Lower Grand, Lamine, Lower Osage drainages (Chapman, pers. comm.)

In their native range, silver carp reach maturity at between 4 and 8 years old but are noted in North America to mature as early as just 2 years old. They can live to 20 years. Spawning occurs at temperatures greater than 18oC. A mature female can lay up to 5 million eggs per year. Eggs require current to stay suspended, with a minimum length of spawning river estimated at 100km and a current speed of 70cm/s.

Pflieger (1997) considered the impact of this species difficult to predict because of its place in the food web. In numbers, the silver carp has the potential to cause enormous damage to native species because it feeds on plankton required by larval fish and native mussels (Laird and Page 1996). This species would also be a potential competitor with adults of some native fishes, for instance, gizzard shad, that also rely on plankton for food (Pflieger 1997). A study by Sampson et al. (2009) found that Asian carp (silver and bighead carps) had dietary overlap with gizzard shad and bigmouth buffalo, but not much of one with paddlefish.

Freedman et al. (2012) showed that resource use and trophic levels of the fish community change when Asian carps are present. They also demonstrated an impact on Bigmouth Buffalo and found isotopic values similar to Bluegill, Gizzard Shad, and Emerald Shiner. Irons et al. (2007) showed significant declines in body condition of Gizzard Shad and Bigmouth Buffalo following invasion by Silver and Bighead carps. They state that ultimately, declines in body condition may decrease fecundity.

Distribution in Missouri: Large rivers and lakes throughout Missouri.

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10530-015-0964-6

http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Hypophthalmichthys_molitrix/en

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF02850518

http://www.fao.org/fishery/affris/profil-des-especes/silver-carp/references/fr/

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00028487.2015.1069211

http://afs.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1577/M08-081.1?journalCode=fima

And many more...

Next - Distribution maps and pitures of each.

　

　

　

[straw hat]

I think these maps will surprise you and demonstrate that the populations may have already spread beyond our control.

Next subject is control methods.

Maps.odt

[Old plug]

I can do that wrench i need a warm garage first. It will not be hard we can  peel the current finish. Get the person whos idea it  was in the first place to rub it with steel wool then put about 4 or 5 coats of wipe polly on top. I think though I might be able to get the craft ladies around your place real interest in learning how to do this. That way you avoid any disturbing loss of fishing time. It also 100% blameless work in  the case of a mess up. I can guarantee that. 

The short version of this problem Pat tells me is to make a pasty mix of baking soda and water and scrubthe table top with it leaving it set awhile then washing it off.

[MOPanfisher]

Its pretty obvious that eradication is unlikely unless there are some very isolated disconnected pockets of them.  Its also obvious that they must be reproducing in more places than are shown due to the wide distribution.  Some of those waterways are not even connected so there had to be multiple "release events".  Even grass carp in places like small university lakes/ponds have proven difficult to manage and control, as they jump like salmon when attempting to seine them.  The one I am aware of resorted to Roetenone to kill everything.  Like most invasive species they are here to stay, its a matter of control, education, and learning to live with them.  Hopefully they won't make it into most of the COE lakes, but give it time and there will be some.  Grass carp are already in most of the lakes, escapees from farm ponds but the silvers and bigheads I am not aware of any populations yet.

[fishinwrench]

8 minutes ago, MOPanfisher said:

Its pretty obvious that eradication is unlikely unless there are some very isolated disconnected pockets of them.

That actually happens quite a bit on the Osage.  There are times that the first 50-60 yards below the dam, and all the backwater eddy's from the dam to Tuscumbia are absolutely loaded with them.     If you could toss a Dupont spinner in the middle of them you could kill a semi-truck load real quick.

[MOPanfisher]

I gotta admit that would be a blast, no pun intended.

[straw hat]

Last entry!!

Control Methods

http://www.anstaskforce.gov/Documents/Carps_Management_Plan.pdf

Official US Policy

http://mdc.mo.gov/your-property/problem-plants-and-animals/invasive-animals/asian-carp-control

Mo official Policy. Typical policy by the states. Probably not very effective.

http://www.asiancarp.org/

http://www.nwf.org/What-We-Do/Protect-Wildlife/Invasive-Species/Asian-Carp.aspx

http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/aquatics/asiancarp.shtml