are common carp bad for lakes
Fishing › Fishing Tips by Species › Carp. From the shores of Lake Erie through Columbus and down to the Ohio River, common carp are in a majority of Ohio’s waters. Originally found in China and Europe, carp were stocked nationwide in the 1900s; thus, they are considered to be an exotic species. Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) are domesticated ancestors of a wild form native to the Caspian Sea region and east Asia. Carp degrade shallow lakes by causing excessive turbidity, which can lead to declines in waterfowl and important native fish species. The common carp was introduced by unintentional release in 1879. Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC) Common carp are one of the world’s most widely introduced and invasive species of fish. Currently, they dominate the fish biomass of many shallow lakes, rivers, and wetlands in North America and around the world, including many lakes in central and southern Minnesota. Carp Fishing Tips. From the shores of Lake Erie through Columbus and down to the Ohio River, common carp are in a majority of Ohio’s waters. Originally found in China and Europe, carp were stocked nationwide in the 1900s; thus, they are considered to be an exotic species. Officials say common carp often mistaken for invasive Asian carp. The Sarnia Observer (7/15) Ontario's Invading Species Awareness Program is asking the public to be on the lookout for Asian carp in the Great Lakes. Invasive Asian carp found spawning in Great Lakes tributary. Though not considered game fish by most anglers, common carp and suckers (white, longnose, northern hog and redhorse) provide much angling enjoyment -- as well as table fare -- to many Michigan anglers. They are fair game for all manner of anglers, including those who spear and bowfish. A number of guides now often charters for common carp fishing in the Great Lakes bays with fisheries in Grand Traverse Bay and Saginaw Bay of special significance. Because common carp regularly weigh into double digits -- the state record is 61 ½ pounds -- heavy rods and strong leaders are required. In the early 1990s, for example, biologists exposed control groups of carp to 1600 chemicals commonly present in United States waters; only 135 of the pollutants killed all the fish. This is not to deny that the carp can have a negative impact on its own, however. Widespread in Michigan, both in the Great Lakes as well as inland lakes and streams, common carp have become a prime target of fly anglers in recent years. Anglers wading the flats as they would in the Caribbean for bonefish, sight-fish for common carp using wet flies tied to resemble crawfish or nymphs. How they spread. Common carp are renowned for their fast growth, large size, high fecundity, and physiological resiliency, all of which contribute to their large numbers in many Minnesota lakes. They spawn in shallow lakes and wetlands, which enhances their ability to spread.
Yes, Carp degrade shallow lakes by causing excessive turbidity, which can lead to declines in waterfowl and important native fish species.