Kentucky wildlife officials are turning invasive carp into a cash crop for motivated anglers.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources increased bounties for silver, bighead, black, and grass carp in Kentucky and Barkley lakes from 10 cents per pound to 15 cents per pound. It's part of the effort to thin the invasive species' populations, which are threatening native fish by crowding the environment and devouring most of the food, according to a news release.
"We have several lines of evidence suggesting our management strategy is reducing invasive carp populations in both lakes," program coordinator Joshua Tompkins said. "To keep that trend going, we're adapting our efforts to maintain harvest at effective levels."
The targeted carp were brought in from Europe and Asia in the 1970s to control algae, weeds, and parasites — and as a form of sewage treatment, the National Park Service reports. But they escaped their enclosures and spread. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that invasive species cause $138 billion in damages each year, impacting rangeland, fishing and boating, and even domestic properties.
Bounties have been successful elsewhere. The top northern pikeminnow angler in Oregon earned $107,800 in 2023 as part of a population-control program.
Adults of some of the carp species can weigh 75-plus pounds, representing a payout of over $11 per fish. The department reported in December that it had nearly $749,000 remaining for the bounty program.
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Missouri Coast Fisheries owner Greg Trial told The Cool Down in 2024 that silver carp are so plentiful in the Missouri and Platte rivers that they jump into boats. Trial's business earns money from turning the carp into food, leather, and other products. In Tampa Bay, Florida, Inversa is making designer handbags from the invasive lionfish in another unique solution.
Kentucky commercial anglers netted 15 million pounds of troublesome carp in 2024. Officials are using technology that generates light, sound, and bubbles to deter their movement, as well.
"We have a large population that is subsisting in the Ohio River and the Mississippi River, so we still have a lot of work to do in those areas," Tompkins told The Paducah Sun.
Consumers can help by staying informed about invasive species and efforts to reduce their numbers. Supporting companies with solutions is a great place to start.
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If a carp steak or lionfish purse isn't your bag, simply counting birds in your backyard is an easy way to contribute data that helps experts determine biodiversity health.
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