Pasted below is a press release from the Iowa Department of
Natural Resources regarding non-native, invasive species of carp being found in
a Clay County lake.
For
immediate release: September
27, 2011
INVASIVE CARP
SPECIES FOUND IN CLAY COUNTY LAKE
SPIRIT
LAKE - Contract commercial anglers hired by the Iowa Department of Natural
Resources to remove rough fish recently collected several invasive carp from Elk
Lake in Clay County.
Ralph
Mahn, a commercial fisherman from Harpers Ferry, reported catching bighead carp
and silver carp in a recent seine haul at the lake where common carp and buffalo
were being removed.
“These
fish likely originated from flooding that occurred this summer on the Missouri
River and traveled into the lake from the Little Sioux River and its tributary
Elk Creek,” said Mike Hawkins, DNR fisheries biologist.
This
is the second collection this year of invasive carp species in lakes that are
connected to the Little Sioux River. In August, DNR personnel captured two
bighead carp in East Okoboji while conducting routine
sampling.
Bighead and silver carp are
included in the Asian carp family and are non-native species that have invaded
the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers recently. Extreme flooding that
occurred this summer allowed these fish to travel past barriers on the Little
Sioux River that would normally prevent their passage.
DNR
fisheries personnel will continue to monitor waters that have been invaded to
assess their populations and impact they might have on these lakes. Much
remains to be learned about these species; however it is unlikely that they will
spawn in lakes, since they require large river systems to successfully
spawn.
For
more information contact Iowa DNR Fisheries Biologist, Mike Hawkins at the
Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery, 712-336-1840.
-30-
Kevin
Baskins
Communications Bureau
Chief
Iowa Department of
Natural Resources
515-281-8395
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