Black carp are an invasive species quietly threatening the waterways of Arkansas. They were originally imported to control snail populations in private fish farms. (I have also read that they are mistakenly shipped to the U.S. in 1973.) However, back in the 1990s these bottom-feeding fish started escaping into rivers like the Arkansas and White because of flooding, where they feast on native mussels and snails that are vital to the health of aquatic ecosystems. As they spread, black carp pose a serious risk to the biodiversity of Arkansas’s rivers and lakes, putting native species—and the balance of entire river systems—at risk.
This is where anglers can help.
According to Rachael Irby, invasive carp biologist for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, any angler can report the catch of a black carp in Arkansas to her and receive up to 10 payments per month, with each reward equaling $100.
AGFC
Anyone, including commercial fishermen, who catch a black carp are eligible.
Anyone who catches a fish that they believe to be a black carp should keep the fish, humanely dispatch it and place it on ice. Transporting a live invasive carp is illegal in Arkansas, so the fish must be dispatched before moving it. Make note of the location (preferably GPS coordinates), the type of fishing gear and bait used, and habitat conditions such as depth, water temperature and current conditions. Photos of the fish’s head and mouth and total length will be required for identification purposes as well. Send all materials to Irby at rachael.irby@agfc.ar.gov or call her at 501-517-3904 to submit your entry. Please keep the carp on ice or frozen so the AGFC can arrange pickup to analyze the fish.
AGFC
By staying alert and taking these extra steps to report black carp, anglers can play a crucial role in protecting Arkansas’s rivers and native wildlife from the spread of these invasive fish. Every reported catch helps scientists track this invasive species and prevent it from causing further harm to the ecosystems we all depend on.
Let’s go Arkansas!
Full details here.
