Asian carps are invasive fishes threatening to invade the Great Lakes. The term Asian carps collectively refers to four species of fish that are native to the continent of Asia, and includes: Black, Bighead, Grass, and Silver carps.
Asian carps were introduced to the southern United States (US) in the late 1960’s and 1970’s for use as biological control in aquaculture facilities based on their specific diets. Flooding events allowed at least three of the four species (Bighead, Silver, and Black carps) to escape these facilities and eventually make their way into the Mississippi River Basin. The spread of Grass Carp has largely been the result of stocking for the purposes of aquatic vegetation control. Grass Carp in particular, are the most immediate threat to Canadian waters due to recent evidence of natural reproduction in two US tributaries of Lake Erie. There are currently no established populations of Grass Carp, or the other species of Asian carps, in the Canadian waters of the Great Lakes.
What’s the big deal?
Asian carps have voracious appetites. With the ability to consume up to half of their body weight in food daily, they quickly outcompete native species for food and resources. They grow very large, very quickly, and would quickly outgrow the gape (mouth) size of any native predators that could affect their population size. They can reach lengths of over 5 ft and weigh over 80 lbs. Overall, they also reduce water quality, and Silver Carp are a safety risk due to their extreme jumping behaviour. Asian carps would have serious ecological, social, and economic impacts to the Great Lakes if they were to become established. Angling activities in the Great Lakes would be negatively impacted. Popular angling species such as Walleye, Muskellunge, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Northern Pike and more would all experience negative impacts because of Grass Carp establishment specifically.
https://www.asiancarp.ca/impacts/ecological-impacts/
https://www.asiancarp.ca/socio-economic-impacts-new/
How can you help?
The more eyes on the water, the better! You can do your part by learning how to identify Asian carps and how to report suspected sightings. The most immediate threat of the four species is Grass Carp. Grass Carp have a short, narrow dorsal fin, with their eyes in the middle of their head. They also lack barbels (whiskers).
- Grass Carp.png (505.21 KiB) Viewed 2254 times
Print or download this identification guide and keep it with you while on the water so you have identification features and reporting at your fingertips!
https://www.asiancarp.ca/grass-carp-ide ... ing-guide/
If you’ve gone through the identification fact sheet and are confident you’ve captured a Grass Carp in Ontario waters, take a photo, note your location, and report it to the Invading Species Hotline: 1-800-563-7711, or info@invadingspecies.com, or https://www.eddmaps.org/ontario and follow the remaining steps on the fact sheet. If you are not able to reach someone directly, do not release the fish alive. Kill, gut and keep the fish in a cooler, with its head above the ice. Report it – Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) will collect it.
Resources
Confused with Carp https://www.asiancarp.ca/asian-carps/co ... with-carp/
Grass Carp Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY4y47Mva0M
Asian Carp Program Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oCiwbrlAuc
Confused With Carp Baitfish https://www.asiancarp.ca/asian-carps/co ... -baitfish/
