Thread: Carp

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    #2
    He hit a really big point when he said "...eventually a house bill was passed in early 2017. This was a difficult task considering 97% of legislators in Tennessee are not affected by carp." There's a lot of truth to that in Kentucky too where we have 120 counties, with only maybe 8 counties in KY currently being substantially affected by Asian Carp, it's hard to accomplish much at the state level. You can have all of your local leadership (house districts 1 thru 6 and senate districts 1 & 2) on board, but at the end of the day that's simply not enough without some hardcore lobbying and extraordinary political strategies.


    For those without Facebook who couldn't read what was at the link above:

    Written by Ben Duncan of Dover, TN:

    I normally don't comment on public Facebook pages. I work a job dealing with the public, so I receive enough ridicule in my daily life!! But after reading some of the comments below concerning state funding for Asian Carp, I thought I would weigh-in. In no means am I a politician or involved in any political dealings. I am a high school assistant principal and commercial fish in my spare time. My dad has owned Hart's Fish Market since the mid-1980's, therefore, I've been around the commercial industry all my life. I agree 100% with most people on here that who state that TWRA is behind in their efforts dealing with carp. KDFWR and their team jumped on the issue 7-8 years with some aggressive policy changes that have paid huge dividends. I will, however, disagree with everyone who states that TWRA has done "nothing" and that now Asian Carp have become a "campaign topic".

    Here's the timeline from my perspective - based on what I know on how it affected the commercial side. I remember making a call to Eric Ganus in 2008 giving him the heads up on how overrun Kentucky Lake was becoming with silver carp. His response at the time was that few people were reporting issues, but he was concerned and would look into the situation. In 2010 I collected several 8-10 inch silver carp and froze them for him. At this time, TWRA's stance was one of uncertainty on a Kentucky/Barkley Lake spawn. Around 2012 KDFW started implementing programs that would help control the carp population, spearheaded by the 2013 carp madness 1 tournament used to spread public awareness. Around late 2012 Tennessee had a fish processor who said they were interested in setting up a facility in west Tennessee to process silver carp. We harvested several thousand pounds and sold them to this processor so they could "adjust their machinery", and after about 8 months they closed shop and vanished. During this time Kentucky had two major processors, not without major growing pains, become established in western Kentucky. One processor only a 45-50 minute drive from the Paris Landing area. The capital required for these type of establishments is major!

    Fast forward to 2015, TWRA in conjunction with the state legislature established an Asian Carp Task Force composed of state senators, representatives, sport fishing industry, and commercial fishing industry. Regionally, senator Mark Green, Rep. Jay Reedy, and Rep. Tim Wirgau (chairman) represented the local lake counties. The Task force met multiple times late 15' and early 16' and eventually decided to establish "buying stations" around Kentucky/Barkley Lakes who would then distribute the carp to Kentucky's multi-million dollar processing facilities. Through persistent efforts of Rep. Wirgau, eventually a house bill was passed in early 2017. This was a difficult task considering 97% of legislators in Tennessee are not affected by carp. Other locals who were hugely influential in this effort were Henry Co. Mayor Brent Greer, Paris Mayor Carlton Gerrell, and David Hamilton from Paris/Henry County Chamber of Commerce. With this, two buying stations were established around the Paris Landing area. I can speak for one to show the affect the Bill had on Asian Carp harvest from Kentucky and Barkley Lakes. Our harvest totals (which were sold) annually from 2014 - 2016 were from 400,000 - 650,000 pounds. In 2017, with the buying station becoming operable around July, harvest totals were over a million pounds. Numbers for 2018 are on track to be around 1.5 - 1.8 million.

    I would also have to disagree 100% with anyone who says this hasn't impacted the carp population (harvestable size). Besides the class of 15' carp that everyone is seeing, ask yourself when was the last time you saw a 15-20 pound carp jump like you were seeing in 2014. From a fisherman's perspective, you have to go with double the tackle now compared to 2-3 years ago to harvest the same amount. And when the class of 15' get a little larger, many who are just getting there this year, they will be caught down too. I'm a life-long Stewart County resident and there has been zero effort from our county to address the carp issue. It's not even in the discussion. Henry County folks should be thankful for the aformentioned individuals for the work they've done to make an impact. Even TWRA who is always the easy target for complaints has done more than they get credit for. In no way am I saying the problem is resolved, however, state officials have not been sitting on their hands the last 5-6 years doing nothing. And politicians are not just now talking about the carp issue.

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    #3
    I also agree with the timeline he has given as it matches my experiences.

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    #4
    Good read.

    I spoke with a Murray State faculty member or grad assistant (can’t remember her title) who said she’s a part of the invasive carp research conducted through MSU. She said there’s been no evidence of a hatch since 2015 and the university is asking anyone who finds juvenile carp (if they do exist) to preserve them and bring them to MSU if possible. Her claim was that with heavy commercial fishing we should see a decrease in population. Water levels and temp have not been in the correct range for a spawn the past few years is what she said.
    "If you only have men that will come when there is a good road, do not send them. I want men who will come when there is no road at all."

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    #5
    What are the correct ranges for them to spawn? You hear so many rumors, like millions of eggs seen on the river bank, that bass are eating the hatches, etc. Would be nice for someone like MSU to publish the scientific findings.

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    #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Sokyangler View Post
    What are the correct ranges for them to spawn? You hear so many rumors, like millions of eggs seen on the river bank, that bass are eating the hatches, etc. Would be nice for someone like MSU to publish the scientific findings.
    That she didn’t specify, don’t know why I didn’t ask. I agree though, those findings would be another good read. Wonder what a google search on that would pop up?
    "If you only have men that will come when there is a good road, do not send them. I want men who will come when there is no road at all."

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    #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Cdd8 View Post
    That she didn’t specify, don’t know why I didn’t ask. I agree though, those findings would be another good read. Wonder what a google search on that would pop up?
    From all my research it's the current level that affects it more than anything. The current level has to be high enough to keep the eggs suspended high enough in the water column for 2 days in order to survive, without enough current the eggs sink to the bottom and die.

    Their spawn doesn't revolve around the calendar, their spawn is triggered by a rise in current.

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    #8
    One thing you guys should look up sometime is the Yangtze River where the Asian carp originated. The area thrived on the Asian carp population for years, as commercial fishing for them was a common career in the area.

    A dam was built for hydropower, after it was built it greatly reduced the annual current swings in the river, meaning that spawning no longer occurred annually due to lack of current. The population of Asian carp dropped from 2.5 billion down to less than 42 million. Current plays a HUGE role in reproduction of these fish. KDFWR and other agencies have sent staff to the Yangtze area to talk with and even shadow the local commercial fishermen to learn how to effectively catch the Asian carp.

    https://blog.nature.org/conservancy/...collaboration/

    The majority of the Silver Asian carp in KY and Barkley Lakes are a result from the successful spawn in either 2014 or 2015 where we had quite a bit of current in the lake, that's why the silvers in the lakes are mostly all the same size. The bighead have been in there much longer and had successful spawns just like the silvers, but in additional years prior. The bighead population is much larger than the silvers, people just don't realize it because the bighead don't jump like the silvers.

    We also have quite a few of the silvers and bighead from below the dam that come up through the locks. KDFWR received funding from the USFWS to test a bubbler and acoustic device called a Bio Acoustic Fish Fence (BAFF) below the lock at Barkley Dam, it's to be installed later this year. It's a 3 year study to monitor it's effectiveness, if results are favorable then they will be installed in places all across the country at similar type locations to prevent the spread. If the asian carp can at least be kept below KY and Barkley Dams, that will eliminate them from the lakes once the existing ones die of old age or are caught by commercial fishing. Hopefully the BAFF works!


    http://www.fish-guide.com/baff-system.html

    https://fw.ky.gov/Documents/2018_March_newsletter.pdf

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    #9
    Quote Originally Posted by artcarney_agr View Post
    . KDFWR received funding from the USFWS to test a bubbler and acoustic device called a Bio Acoustic Fish Fence (BAFF) below the lock at Barkley Dam, it's to be installed later this year. It's a 3 year study to monitor it's effectiveness, if results are favorable then they will be installed in places all across the country at similar type locations to prevent the spread. If the asian carp can at least be kept below KY and Barkley Dams, that will eliminate them from the lakes once the existing ones die of old age or are caught by commercial fishing. Hopefully the BAFF works!


    http://www.fish-guide.com/baff-system.html

    https://fw.ky.gov/Documents/2018_March_newsletter.pdf
    Thats something the lady from MSU mentioned also. Apparently the BAFF is being studied with the intentions of saving the Great Lakes $7billion commercial fishing industry. It would be great to quarantine and isolate our lake population and then pray the current and temps do not promote another hatch. In the mean time, advocate for commercial fishing and consumption! Bon appetite!
    "If you only have men that will come when there is a good road, do not send them. I want men who will come when there is no road at all."

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    #10
    I wonder if any type of prevention is being planned for the new lock at Ky Dam? I would think that would be a good time to put something in place before it's completed.

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    #11
    Good point there greenwing.
    "If you only have men that will come when there is a good road, do not send them. I want men who will come when there is no road at all."

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    #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Greenwing1 View Post
    I wonder if any type of prevention is being planned for the new lock at Ky Dam? I would think that would be a good time to put something in place before it's completed.
    Well considering that they don't know whether or not it works yet, it wouldn't be money very well spent at the moment.

    Plus it would be in the way of construction right now. Maybe by the time the project is complete, we'll know whether or not the BAFF works. Let's all hope that the BAFF works!