Minnesota DNR updates invasive carp action plan
File photo of silver carp, the invasive carp species. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) (Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has updated its plan to help prevent and manage invasive carp in the state for the next decade.
The goal of the DNR's updated plan is to continue to build upon current efforts made by the organization to prevent invasive carp species. Additional actions will be taken in these categories of its current action plan:
- Monitoring invasive carp populations to support response actions
- Prevention to limit migration in Minnesota
- Prepared responses for swift actions if the invasive carp is found in new locations
- Strategies to remove the carp and reduce populations
- Working with partners and the public to minimize risk to the state
"Minnesota is a leader in the use of cutting-edge invasive carp management strategies to protect our waters as well as a leader in collaborative planning," DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen said in a statement. "I want to thank the partners who engaged in the process to inform this plan. Today’s updated action plan is a road map that will guide the DNR’s work with our partners and all Minnesotans to minimize the impact of silver, grass, bighead and black carp on our state."
The DNR already has efforts to manage the invasive carp by tagging and tracking the fish to better understand their movements. The DNR says it also works with commercial fishing operations to help reduce their population.
According to the DNR, there has been no evidence of the invasive carp reproducing in Minnesota. The carp have been moving into the state since the 1970s after the fish entered the Mississippi River from fish farms in Arkansas. The DNR says the fish compete with native species, and they are known to jump out of the water, which can be risky for boaters.