Invasive Species
Invasive Species: Asian Carp
Asian carps are different species of fish that originated in many parts of Eurasia. There are 4 different types of Asian carps, but the silver carp and bighead carp are mostly found in the Mississippi River drainage basin and Illinois River.
The silver and bighead carp first came to North America from China in 1973. Being filter feeders, they were imported to remove algae and suspended matter, ultimately trying to improve water qualities in aquaculture ponds. However, this species adapted surprisingly very well to the new environment and rapidly spread beyond the ponds. Carps like big warm-water rivers and impoundments, allowing them to thrive tremendously along the Upper Mississippi River System and to the Illinois River. Asian carps can grow to 100 pounds, making it hard for other predators to consume them. There are not many factors that can stop this species from spreading. The only thing I foresee happening is a natural predator, such as disease or parasites, stopping them in their tracks. However, these natural predators to Asian carps are only in their homeland. Also, another factor that can stop this species from spreading is a change in their preferred habitat or changing the impoundments. Environmentally, they have a huge impact. These fish compete with many native fish, such as freshwater mollusks and paddlefish. Asian carps can eat almost anything. Silver carps feed on plankton, which native larval fish and mussels depend on. The carps even feed on the native mussels, which are already endangered. If patterns continue, the carps could eventually hurt native fish by damaging their habitat or by driving them toward extinction. Economically, fishers report of catching these Asian carps, and having to release them because the weight of the fish was too much to carry in with nets. Also, the silver carps are known to jump out the water into the boats, in turn injuring people. This eventually led to the abandonment of fishing
Asian carps are different species of fish that originated in many parts of Eurasia. There are 4 different types of Asian carps, but the silver carp and bighead carp are mostly found in the Mississippi River drainage basin and Illinois River.
The silver and bighead carp first came to North America from China in 1973. Being filter feeders, they were imported to remove algae and suspended matter, ultimately trying to improve water qualities in aquaculture ponds. However, this species adapted surprisingly very well to the new environment and rapidly spread beyond the ponds. Carps like big warm-water rivers and impoundments, allowing them to thrive tremendously along the Upper Mississippi River System and to the Illinois River. Asian carps can grow to 100 pounds, making it hard for other predators to consume them. There are not many factors that can stop this species from spreading. The only thing I foresee happening is a natural predator, such as disease or parasites, stopping them in their tracks. However, these natural predators to Asian carps are only in their homeland. Also, another factor that can stop this species from spreading is a change in their preferred habitat or changing the impoundments. Environmentally, they have a huge impact. These fish compete with many native fish, such as freshwater mollusks and paddlefish. Asian carps can eat almost anything. Silver carps feed on plankton, which native larval fish and mussels depend on. The carps even feed on the native mussels, which are already endangered. If patterns continue, the carps could eventually hurt native fish by damaging their habitat or by driving them toward extinction. Economically, fishers report of catching these Asian carps, and having to release them because the weight of the fish was too much to carry in with nets. Also, the silver carps are known to jump out the water into the boats, in turn injuring people. This eventually led to the abandonment of fishing
Cited: Sampson, Schuyler J., John H. Chick, and Mark A. Pegg. "Diet overlap among two Asian carp and three native fishes in backwater lakes on the Illinois and Mississippi rivers." Biological Invasions 11.3 (2009): 483-496. Lohmeyer, Adam M., and James E. Garvey. "Placing the North American invasion of Asian carp in a spatially explicit context." Biological Invasions 11.4 (2009): 905-916. "Asian Carp." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. "Asian Carp." UMESC. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. Koel, Todd Marvin, Kevin S. Irons, and Eric N. Ratcliff. Asian carp invasion of the upper Mississippi River System. US Department of the Interior, US Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, 2000.