Kentucky 'stuns' its Asian Carp to deal with the invasive population
Kentucky has a serious Asian carp problem, and it’s using ‘shocking’ means to to deal with the invasive species.
Asian carp are a fish species that are known to cause serious damage to other native fish populations in the bodies of water they infest.
The carp dominate water streams, out-competing other fish for food and space, thus pushing native species out of their habitat.
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources posted a video on Facebook where they used boats to ‘zap’ the carp so they could be collected, measured, and studied.
The video is meant to reflect how uncontainable the invasive fish species have become. It depicts dozens of fish leaping out of the water in unison after the boat sent an electrical current through the Barkley Dam.
While stunning fish with electricity does cause them to halt, it doesn’t kill them, the Wildlife department explained.
In fact, it’s a fairly common practice when it comes to dealing with excessive fish populations in the United States.
Stunning only temporarily shocks the species, making it easier for them to be caught, collected, and tagged.
"It's just to give folks an idea of how many fish we're dealing with below the dam. We collect and try to distribute to them to buyers," said Ron Brooks, the department's fisheries division director.
Credit: Pixabay
The fish were being collected for a study into how a ‘bio-acoustic fish fence’ will keep the carp out of waterways.
Asian carps were first introduced to the United States in the 70s’ to help control weed and parasite growth in aquatic farms.
The once-controlled captive fish managed to escape into the Mississippi River basin, and eventually established their own excessive populations.
The carp also reduce water quality standards in the streams they invade, resulting in the dwindling population of other sensitive aquatic organisms.
The big fish are prone to being exceptionally large, and can weigh as much as 100 lbs.
The invasive species are threatening Kentucky’s tourism sector as well, discouraging recreational fishing and boating in the area.
Silver carp are known for their ability to make high jumps out of the water when threatened, presenting a risk to boaters.
They’re famous for damaging fishing boats, breaking equipment, and occasionally injuring boaters.
"They're the ones you hear about jumping up and hitting people and even breaking bones sometimes," Brooks said. "They spew blood and mucus as a stress response. If they land in your boat, they'll be flopping around, and they'll get slime around."
