Ky. worries Asian carp will wreak havoc on other fish in the Ohio River and its tributaries

Fears about the impact Asian carp could have on the Ohio River watershed are leading Kentucky to investigate new markets for the invasive fish. "The fear is that these Asian carp, which can grow to 100 pounds, will crowd out more desirable native fish like sauger, white bass, crappie and catfish that help support a nearly $1 billion a year recreational fishing industry in Kentucky," James Bruggers of The Courier-Journal reports. The invasive fish have already caused problems for the fishing industry along the Mississippi River, and lawmakers and scientists are developing strategies to keep them out of the Great Lakes. (Commercial fishermen catch an Asian carp on Lake Barkley; Kentuckiy state photo by Paul Rister)

"This is a pretty serious situation," Ron Brooks, director of fisheries for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, told Bruggers. "It’s definitely one of the most important problems we are going to have to deal with for a while." The silver and bighead varieties of Asian carp have already reached popular Barkley and Kentucky lakes in the western part of the state. "They’re here to stay," Brooks told Bruggers. "The risk for us is whether they will … out-compete our natives."

Brooks said the state is looking at ways to sell the carp to Maine lobster fishermen as bait, but still need to figure "how to ship the fish across state lines without violating rules or recommendations designed to prevent the spread of fish diseases," Bruggers writes. Brooks also plans to attend a meeting this summer in Chicago with representatives from China to explore possible markets for the fish there. (Read more)