American and Canadian wildlife officials are collaborating to fight an invasion of Asian carp in western Lake Erie with a field exercise planned for this week.
Using netting and electrofishing to combat the non-native fish, 10 U.S. and Canadian agencies will participate as they work to smooth out the logistics of keeping the carp at bay, the Associated Press reported.
Asian carp, which were brought to America in the 1970s to clean up fresh water, can grow to as much as 100 pounds. While reproducing populations of the fish haven't yet made their way to Lake Erie, officials say bighead, silver and grass carp pose a threat to the Great Lakes and their valuable ecosystems.
Around 60 employees from six states and the province of Ontario as well as federal agencies will be part of this week's practice response.
"This exercise will help us fine-tune our abilities to respond to an invasive species finding in the Great Lakes," Tammy Newcomb, senior water policy adviser with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, said in a statement quoted by the AP. "It's also a great opportunity for the Michigan DNR to work closely with other natural resources agencies to implement the Great Lakes invasive species mutual-aid agreement with our partner agencies."
Earlier this summer, carp were reportedly leaping out of the Illinois River and catching a ride on passing boats.
"It's like somebody set off an explosion under water. They're just everywhere. These fish are probably the equivalent of getting hit in the head with probably a brick or a bowling ball," fisherman Zach Nayden told CNN affiliate WHOI-TV in June.
Officials in Indiana have been keeping an eye on the carp population as well even though the Wabash River's 400 miles of flowing water is an unfriendly breeding ground for carp. Possible methods to combat the species include a virus or bacteria lethal only to the Asian fish.
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