What the WVDNR is doing How you can help Do not use Asian Carp
as bait Information on Asian Carp Asian Carp are native to
eastern China. They were introduced into the United States for
use as biological control in aquaculture ponds and wastewater
treatment facilities. They have all since escaped into the
Mississippi River Basin, and now pose a threat to West
Virginia’s aquatic systems. They are well-suited to the climate
the Ohio River basin, which is similar to that of their native
region; biologists expect that Asian carp would disrupt the food
chain that supports the native fish of the Ohio River basin.
While not yet established in West Virginia’s waters, two species
of Asian carp, the silver and bighead carp pose the greatest
threat to our ecosystem. These fish are fast growing and can
weigh up to 100 pounds. They are also highly prolific, producing
up to one million eggs. They are also voracious feeders. Their
diet consists of plankton, aquatic vegetation, aquatic insects
and native fish larvae, which pu