Asian carp is a name given to several kinds of hardy freshwater fish that are native to Asia. These fish have spread to parts of Europe, the Middle East, and the United States. Asian carp are considered invasive species (see Invasive species). They may harm native animals, plants, and other living things.
In the United States, the name Asian carp usually refers to bighead carp, black carp, grass carp, and silver carp. These carp species (kinds) were imported to the United States for various purposes. For example, catfish farmers imported Asian carp to remove weeds from catfish ponds. During floods, many of the ponds overflowed and released the fish into local waterways. Since their escape into the wild, Asian carp have spread rapidly throughout the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Tributaries are waterways that flow into larger bodies of water.
Asian carp are large fish that grow quickly. They may reach between 60 and 110 pounds (27 and 50 kilograms). They can grow to more than 4 feet (1.2 meters) long. Asian carp feed aggressively. Some species can consume as much as 40 percent of their body weight each day. Grass carp eat primarily vegetation. Black carp feed on such animals as mussels and snails. Bighead and silver carp feed on plankton (microscopic water life).
Asian carp may harm many native species. Grass carp have wiped out underwater vegetation in many rivers. This vegetation provided important habitat for fish and other living things. Black carp could reduce the numbers of rare or endangered mollusks (shellfish). Bighead carp and silver carp compete with native fish for food. These two carp species have already become the most abundant fish in parts of the Mississippi River and its tributaries.
Scientists are concerned that Asian carp may reach the Great Lakes. The fish have been found in the Illinois River, which connects the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan. Asian carp could do great harm to living things in the Great Lakes. They also could badly damage the area’s valuable fishing industry. Wildlife officials have built an electrical barrier on the canal that connects the Illinois River to Lake Michigan. They hope that the barrier can prevent the spread of Asian carp to the Great Lakes.
See also Carp.
