How to solve Asian Carp problem...

As most are aware the Asian carp problem is a huge problem for many Fisheries. Kentucky lake is no exception. I feel that it is a 1 million dollar problem.

This sounds crazy but my idea is to have Asian carp fishing tournaments held every week. The boat with the most pound of fish wins $5,000. You would have a lot of Bubba's out there catching fish every week.

Again, I know it sounds crazy but think how many pounds of fish would be pulled out of the water every week. $5,000 is a lot of money. Take $5,000 out of the 1 million. By the time that million dollars is gone so could the Asian carp. I would have the tournament every week on a Tuesday or Wednesday when the least amount of fisherman are on the water.

However they can get the Asian carp in the boat - doesn't matter. I know there would be a lot of issues to figure out to make this doable but I challenge anyone to think of an idea better to get these fish out of the water.

Thoughts?

I don't know, but I would think it would be a waste of time & money IMHO ... which is based on the results of the "tournament" held by KDFWR back in 2013 which had commercial anglers running nets for 2days straight. That's commercial anglers with large nets, not "bubba" with a bow, cast net, fish gig, or rod/reel snagging outfit. (the winners of the tournament would have had to catch over 700 Carp @ average of 40lb each to get that weight) And I don't see many people, even for $5000, willing to mess up their boats with those slimy things ... much less have a boat capable of carrying enough weight in carp to even compete.

(copied in part from a Sentinel Newpaper article)
... there was an Asian carp tournament on Kentucky and Barkley lakes that featured a $10,000 first prize. It wasn’t the typical fishing tournament with rods and reels and fishermen looking for one or two really big fish. The fishermen used commercial gear and the typical tournament scales would have ran and hid if they had seen the winning catch coming.
How bad is the Asian carp problem on the two lakes? In two days the winners netted 28,670 pounds of carp.
“We were in them all day long,” said the winner, Barry Mann, of Benton, Ky. “They were still jumping around the boat when we had to leave. What we went for was 20,000 pounds. We were pleased with our weight.”
Participants in the tournament weighed-in an incredible 83,000 pounds — over 41 tons — of Asian carp.



Officials with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, the organizers of the tournament, called it a “drop in the bucket.”

You're spot on Pappy. I was thinking what you just posted. I saw on the TV when they had that Tournament! Didn't put a dent in the population!

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I remember that tournament and felt like it was a success. It's a shame that they haven't been able to put together more of those tournaments. Just how many fish is 83k pounds of carp?? I'd say that type of progress would make a dent if they continued having these tournaments.

We need our politicians to tackle this issue by securing funds to at least try and fight these things and minimize their damage. Can you imagine a scenario where they're forced to kill every fish in the lakes and start over from scratch??

I could be wrong but my recollection of that tournament was that it's purpose was more to bring awareness then put an actual dent in the population. At the time I got the impression that they were hoping that commercial fisherman signing up for the tournament would possibly realize that harvesting Asian Carp as a course of business might be another option for them after seeing the numbers that were harvested in the tournament.

Regular harvesting is what is needed. If they are going to throw money at it then a larger stipend per pound for the commercial fisherman would likley work better. I believe now it is only a small amount.

Need to help commercial fisherman who harvest them,that's the best chance to slow it down.

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I’d donate 100 bucks towards the winning purse but would not fish the tournament


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I would absolutely donate money to these carp tournaments, especially if it's a write off. I would donate regardless, as a property owner down here, I'm concerned.

I know it seems like a pipedream but I really do think it would put a huge dent in the Asian Carp population.

Fisherman in tourneys wouldn't have to fish only with bow. Nets would be welcome! Like all other fishing tourneys, have rules and lie detector tests...

Imagine if only 10 boats per week (that know what they are doing) got serious about it.

If it was properly promoted through all media outlets, including social media for remaining part of 2018 and it began in 2019. It won't happen but neat to think about. 1 million pound of fish. EASY. could be taken out of water with men that know what they are doing.

I'm from way up in N. KY and have, luckily, yet to come across any Asian Carp but it seems clear to me the only way you will ever get it under control is for the state or federal government to heavily subsidize the harvesting. You'll get the numbers of commercial fisherman out there necessary to keep the population under control. Set some amount that you think is enough to make it lucrative and do a retrospective in a year and decide if adjustments need to be made. I know many others have suggested the same approach.

If you were to add, say, $5 to every Ky fishing license, and explain that $5 is going toward that, I would think most would not complain.

mbk

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Originally Posted by mbk

I'm from way up in N. KY and have, luckily, yet to come across any Asian Carp but it seems clear to me the only way you will ever get it under control is for the state or federal government to heavily subsidize the harvesting. You'll get the numbers of commercial fisherman out there necessary to keep the population under control. Set some amount that you think is enough to make it lucrative and do a retrospective in a year and decide if it's enough. Eliminating them will probably never happen at this point. I know many others have suggested the same approach.

If you were to add, say, $5 to every Ky fishing license, and explain that's what it is going toward, I would think most would not complain.

mbk

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I agree 100%

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Originally Posted by mbk

I'm from way up in N. KY and have, luckily, yet to come across any Asian Carp but it seems clear to me the only way you will ever get it under control is for the state or federal government to heavily subsidize the harvesting. You'll get the numbers of commercial fisherman out there necessary to keep the population under control. Set some amount that you think is enough to make it lucrative and do a retrospective in a year and decide if it's enough. Eliminating them will probably never happen at this point. I know many others have suggested the same approach.


If you were to add, say, $5 to every Ky fishing license, and explain that's what it is going toward, I would think most would not complain

mbk

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Yeah that was my earlier point. They need to pay out more per lb if they want to drive more commercial fisherman focusing more on the Asians. I don't believe the current subsidy is very large and the open market pays them less for these fish. Also keep doing everything to help drive up demand so the prices rise over time.

These fish are such prolific breeders that if only a few breeding pair survive you will right back in a mess within a few years. Each female lays hundreds of thousands of eggs more than once a year and they have an incredible survival rate.

It's going to take a biological agent to get them. Or a market for them which will allow huge harvest every year just to hold their numbers in check. Using them as the basis for fish food and fertilizer and cat food would be a good start. Turning them all into a base product that could be added into products that use fish meal would be a good .

Problems in State budgets as a whole and the percentage of Fish and Wildlife budgets dedicated to fisheries is an insurmountable problem at this point it would appear.

A private enterprise that could produce this universal fish meal and have their own fishing fleets could put their numbers in check if the market existed. I am not sure if it ever will.

I haven't heard much lately about the attempt to export them back to the Asian countries that do consume them regularly . Not sure how much success they have had.

It's just too bad these fish weren't easily fished with rod and reel. With their size they would attract a lot of people targeting them as a game fish.
Then just pass a regulation that catch and release was illegal unless released dead or mortally wounded. :biggrin

There is a market for these in Asia. It will require several states, plus the Feds, paying a subsidy to commercial fishermen, and probably the processors.
Our challenge, as sportsmen, business owners, etc, is to get the attention of state, and federal politicians.

Someone needs to convince a Bill Gates type that that donating a few billion dollars to harvest these fish and figuring out a way to then use them to feed starving people of the world is a project worth attempting.

Just found this on a website....I did not attach the link because I am not sure the website is secure. This is an excerpt regarding the plant at Wickliffe.

Asian carp: from problem to profit

By MAY ZHOU in Houston | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2017-03-17 05:56http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/world/t...iles/f_art.gifhttp://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/world/t...iles/w_art.gifhttp://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/world/t...les/in_art.gifhttp://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/world/t...s/more_art.gif

http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/world/a...1a35530239.jpg

Processed Asian carp are ready to be bagged for shipping at the Two Rivers Fisheries in Wickliffe, Kentucky. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY

Fisheries in the American South imported Asian carp from China in the 1970s to clean their commercial ponds. However, Asian carp spilled into the freshwater system due to flooding.
Since then, Asian carp has become an environmental problem due to its ability to prodigiously reproduce and crowd out native spices, upsetting the ecological balance and harming the local fishing industry.
While hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent to fight Asian carp, Angie Yu, owner of Two Rivers Fisheries in Wickliffe, Kentucky, came up with an idea to make money instead of spending money in the battle against Asian carp – sell them and eat them.
Yu, a Chinese American from Los Angeles, first read about the Asian carp dilemma in 2010. At that time, she already had developed a business by exporting Iceland's lumpfish, discarded after roe was removed for consumption, to China.
"I thought to myself, Asian carp is very popular in China; people consider it very delicious. Yet here in the US, it's viewed as a disaster and something to be rid of. Why not export them to China?" Yu said.
After some research, Yu chose Wickliffe to run her business. "This is where the Ohio River and Mississippi River meet with Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake nearby. There is ample Asian carp available, and the government wants to get rid of them, said Yu.
Wickliffe is a town of about 700 located in Ballard County, which has a population of roughly 8,000.
Yu had to overcome some obstacles: she never processed fish before and so she needed to build a processing facility. Nobody was catching Asian carp, and she needed to mobilize local fishermen.
"Most local fishers are on a part-time basis. They are also farmers. Since local people don't eat Asian carp, they never tried to catch them before. They had to learn how to catch Asian carp," said Yu.
A gill net is used to capture Asian carp, which often weigh more than 10 pounds and can weigh as much as 100. "It's common to see fish of 30 to 40 pounds," Yu said.
Two Rivers Fisheries was opened in July 2013. After receiving the fish from fishermen, employees process them into patties, tail, sausages, ribs or even dumplings. Then they are flash frozen and boxed for shipping.
Yu said now more than 30 teams of fishermen have registered with her company to supply Asian carp. However, each team consists of only two or three fishermen, and they capture fish only a couple of times every week, so the supply is insufficient.
To increase supply to meet the capacity of her processing facility and market demand, Yu began setting up her own full-time fishing team this year.
"We are starting with two fishing boats first and will go from there," she said.
Yu went into the business intending to export the Asian carp to China, but that had to change.
"First, Chinese consumers favor live fish instead of frozen fish; second, commercially raised carp is cheap there. Eventually most of our products are exported to European countries," Yu said, adding that she also is exploring opportunities to market the fish in the US.
Yu said most American consumers don't eat carp. However, that can be changed.
"We have a culinary kitchen at Two Rivers Fisheries. Our Chinese employees, sometimes our Chinese customers when they visit here, would cook up delicious dishes with carp and invite people to eat," Yu said.
This practice has changed some locals' views of Asian carp. "Now we have some local people coming to us to buy carp," Yu said.
Yu's business has been steadily growing since 2013. Capacity has increased from 1 million pounds in the first couple of years to 2 million pounds in 2016, and Yu expects it to double to 4 million pounds in 2017, with her own fishing boats in place.

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Originally Posted by Slow Retrieve

It's just too bad these fish weren't easily fished with rod and reel. With their size they would attract a lot of people targeting them as a game fish.
Then just pass a regulation that catch and release was illegal unless released dead or morally wounded. :biggrin

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You can snag them easily. They fight hard.

I can't even snag paddlefish in some of the Mississippi river tributaries I use to because their is so many of these things in the way your constantly hitting them.

Evidently they taste good if prepared properly. If local restaurants were smart they would start serving these fish in an attempt to slowly build a demand because if the fishing/tourism dies it will hurt many of the local restaurants. They should have a vested interest in promoting the idea of eating them.

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Originally Posted by Slow Retrieve

Evidently they taste good if prepared properly. If local restaurants were smart they would start serving these fish in an attempt to slowly build a demand because if the fishing/tourism dies it will hurt many of the local restaurants. They should have a vested interest in promoting the idea of eating them.

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I heard local restaurants are selling them,heard they were calling them some kinda snapper,maybe blue snapper.Say if they call it carp no one would order any

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Here is one example of "if you can't beat them, eat them"

https://youtu.be/BrYfAbeHPR4

If they keep migrating north maybe they solve the problem :biggrin

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FAYETTE COUNTY, Tenn. (localmemphis.com) - Beware of Alligators. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency says there have been several confirmed sightings in southwest Tennessee.
The agency posted video to Facebook Tuesday of a seven-foot alligator spotted at the Wolf river WMA in Fayette County.
The following information was posted with the video:
“Alligators are naturally migrating into Tennessee from the southern border states. TWRA has not stocked any alligators in Tennessee. Alligators migrating into Tennessee is just another species that we must learn to coexist with like many of the other southern states.
Alligators are opportunistic feeders that prey on fish, turtles, snakes, frogs, and waterfowl. Occasionally they will feed on larger animals such as possums, raccoons, and deer.
Alligators can survive Tennessee winters by going into a hibernation-like dormancy called brumation. They can withstand periods of ice by sticking their snout out of the water before it freezes which allows them to continue breathing.
TWRA would like to remind everyone that alligators are a protected species and catching or shooting one is a violation of the law. If you come across one while exploring the outdoors in West TN, leave it alone and enjoy Tennessee’s unique biodiversity.”

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Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Says Alligators Have Been

Dead fish make great fertilizer. All through history many cultures used this method. No reason we can't harvest them for that reason. It's also organic.

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Originally Posted by Nathan Brotzman

Dead fish make great fertilizer. All through history many cultures used this method. No reason we can't harvest them for that reason. It's also organic.

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Nate ... they are doing that with the "leftovers". The problem is not what to do with them, once they're taken out of the water, it's HOW to take them out of the water in sufficient numbers & on a consistent basis .... fast enough to severely dent the population. They just breed so often & in such great numbers, lock thru upstream just like boat/barge traffic, and are in the local major river systems in such numbers that they're almost impossible to control or stop without a biological agent that would render them sterile.

Asian countries still have them in their river systems, which are polluted to all get out, which is why there's a market for ours (better tasting to the Asians). The problem with our market system is cost vs profit, for the processing plants and the commercial anglers.

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Originally Posted by CrappiePappy

Nate ... they are doing that with the "leftovers". The problem is not what to do with them, once they're taken out of the water, it's HOW to take them out of the water in sufficient numbers & on a consistent basis .... fast enough to severely dent the population. They just breed so often & in such great numbers, lock thru upstream just like boat/barge traffic, and are in the local major river systems in such numbers that they're almost impossible to control or stop without a biological agent that would render them sterile.

Asian countries still have them in their river systems, which are polluted to all get out, which is why there's a market for ours (better tasting to the Asians). The problem with our market system is cost vs profit, for the processing plants and the commercial anglers.

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Sounds like we the sportsmen need to unite. Getting sufficient numbers out is the easiest part it's the financial aspect that's the bottle neck. No game fish + no sports fishing = revanew losses for state parks. Thus means job cuts, park closers and so on. We need to press the matter with local government. We all be verbal about this. We can talk among our selves all we want but it's time take action.[emoji15]

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Originally Posted by Slow Retrieve

Here is one example of "if you can't beat them, eat them"

https://youtu.be/BrYfAbeHPR4

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THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT![emoji39]

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If you catch one do you simply kill it and throw it back in, or do they want you to take it and get rid of the carcass somewhere else?

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Originally Posted by JCsHOOK

If you catch one do you simply kill it and throw it back in, or do they want you to take it and get rid of the carcass somewhere else?

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Kill it (cut the gills & puncture the air bladder so it will sink) and throw it back is the simplest way for the average angler that happens to get one in the boat. BUT ... be advised ... they're slimy, stinky, and profuse bleeders, so you might want to do the "killing" somewhere other than in your boat. Like, maybe in a net out over the water beside the boat. Definitely not at the ramp or just flinging them onto the shore. That's my :twocents opinion, anyway.

That's what I figured, Up here we do the same with the Gobys in Lake Erie.

Eliminating from the lake is one thing, keeping them out is another. Ohio river is the source of the problem, keeping from passing thru the locks is another.

Crappiepappy, good advice on dispatching the Carp and this should work. I've never tried to catch these things and don't know how big your normal fish is. I know I used to fish with a friend for trout at Laurel Lake at night(from his nice ski boat) and we kept a 'mud' bucket in his ski boat to keep all the blood from flying around on his seats/carpet. We'd land them in he mud bucket. We'd unhook the trout in the bucket and dump the trout into a cooler. Now, the dang carp may not fit in a mud bucket, but this may be another solution to minimize the mess if you are targeting these things. May have to get one of those 'Outdoor plastic garden tubs' with rope handles on the sides, about 3 feet in diameter, and dispatch them there before throwing them back for the turtles or catfish which would probably love them.

Here's one that's fun shot them like shooting Clays I got the perfect boat for that 2015 1648 SS Xtreme

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Originally Posted by bigjoeed

Here's one that's fun shot them like shooting Clays I got the perfect boat for that 2015 1648 SS Xtreme

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Uhhh, no .... sorry buddy, but that's illegal in these parts. nonono

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Originally Posted by CrappiePappy;[URL="tel:3610571"

3610571[/URL]]Uhhh, no .... sorry buddy, but that's illegal in these parts. nonono

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I have seen guys shooting with arrows as long as you use steel shot ask TWRA shot gun shot want go far there is no way now to stop them they grow to fast with out hurting game fish gill nets they kill other fish.

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Originally Posted by bigjoeed

I have seen guys shooting with arrows as long as you use steel shot ask TWRA shot gun shot want go far there is no way now to stop them they grow to fast with out hurting game fish gill nets they kill other fish.

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I'm sorry, but shotgun pellets do travel far enough to hit or hurt someone. The average distance is around 300 yards depending on the pellet, shell and powder charge.
Regardless, these fish don't jump high enough to remove the danger of being similar to a "low bird" scenario. That's all we need is a bunch of idiots in Jon boats running around wielding shotguns and probably some beer aboard, during daylight hours with the other senseless idiot recreational boats running all over the place.
Sounds like a bad publicity stunt to me. If ya want to try it, keep it down in the TN part of the Lakes, I don't want it up in the central and northern parts of the Lake.

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