(Scroll down to see a video on how to identify Asian carp.)
COLUMBUS — Asian carp environmental DNA (eDNA) has been detected in three of 350 water samples collected from western Lake Erie’s Maumee Bay and Maumee River between July 31 and Aug. 4.
The three samples, all positive for silver carp eDNA, were found in Maumee Bay — two in Michigan waters and one in Ohio waters.
The water samples were collected by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as part of an extensive sampling effort developed in response to the discovery of Asian carp eDNA in water samples taken from Maumee and Sandusky Bays in summer 2011.
In Sandusky Bay, too
In addition to the three positive eDNA samples recently found in Maumee Bay, the ODNR, MDNR and Service previously announced that of 150 samples collected from Sandusky Bay in late July, 20 tested positive for silver carp eDNA.
The western Lake Erie response plan also included intensive electrofishing and test netting in the Maumee Bay and River and the Sandusky Bay and River in August 2012, during which time no Asian carp were found.
Aggressive
“I cannot overstate the importance of our Great Lakes fishery to the economy and quality of life in Michigan,” said MDNR Fisheries Chief Jim Dexter. “We will continue working with our partner agencies to identify the source of Asian carp eDNA in western Lake Erie so we can effectively protect the Great Lakes from the threat posed by silver and bighead carp if the species were to establish viable populations in the Great Lakes or their tributaries.”
Addressing the Asian carp threat is a priority issue for the Great Lakes Fishery Commission’s inter-jurisdictional Lake Erie Committee, which includes representation from Pennsylvania, New York, and the province of Ontario in addition to Michigan and Ohio.
“We are aggressively searching for live Asian carp in Lake Erie through different techniques,” said Rich Carter, ODNR executive administrator of Fish Management and Research.
The agencies are asking anglers to watch for these species as well.
Lots unknown
Researchers say these latest positive results heighten concern about the presence of Asian carp in western Lake Erie. However, the analysis cannot provide or confirm information about the number or size of possible fish.
“Our field crews were out on the water numerous times over the last couple of months, using multiple gear types and they found no live Asian carp,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Midwest Deputy Regional Director Charlie Wooley. “We are still trying to pull back the curtain on what the source is for these positive eDNA samples.”
At present, eDNA evidence cannot verify whether the DNA may have come from a live or dead fish, or from other sources such as bilge water, storm sewers or fish-eating birds.
All anglers are strongly encouraged to learn how to identify Asian carp, including both adults and juveniles, as the spread of juvenile Asian carp through the use of live bait buckets has been identified as a possible entry point into the Great Lakes.
Video on identifying Asian carp:
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