Graham, Page 1
Combating the Invasive
Species of Asian Carp
By Catherine Graham
Edited by Nicholas Falduto
(Photography by Spencer Green)
Graham, Page 2
Table of Contents
Abstract: 2-3
Ecosystems and Disturbances: 3-4
Invasive Species: 4-5
Lineage of Asian Carp: 5
Pathways of Introduction: 5-6
Types of Asian Carp: 6-10
Natural Predators to the Asian Carp: 10-12
Special Asian Carp Bodily Functions: 13-14
Special Adaptations of the Asian Carp: 14
Spawning Habits of the Asian Carp: 14- 17
Locating the Asian Carp Invasion: 17-18
Methods of Controlling the Asian Carp Population: 18-22
Where are they now?: 22-26
How endangered are the Great Lakes? : 26-28
Conclusion: 38-30
Works Cited: 31-34
Acknowledgements: 34
Abstract
In the freshwater rivers in North America, the Asian Carp have threatened to disturb the
ecosystem. There are four types of Asian Carp that are harming the environment: the Grass Carp,
Black Carp, Bighead Carp, and Silver Carp. These Carp overpopulate areas, eating the natural
resources causing native inhabitants to decrease in population.
Graham, Page 3
Asian Carp are a risk to the Great Lakes’ ecosystem and fishing industries. There are no
natural predators of adult Asian Carp living, and human intervention is necessary to suppress the
Asian Carp populations. Asian Carp are tracked by eDNA testing and once located, electric
fences are put up to guide the Asian Carp away. The chemical Rotenone, a harmful pesticide, is
used to kill the Asian Carp and control the population.
Asian Carp are a natural source of Omega 3 fatty acid and should be consumed, used as
fertilizer, and harvested for Omega 3 fatty acid.
______________________________________________________________________________
Ecosystems and Disturbances
“An ecosystem is the sum of all organisms living within its boundaries and all the abiotic
factors with which they interact” (Alters, Sandra, Biology). Each ecosystem is special in the
interdependence between animals that live there and the resources, both biotic and abiotic, that
exist within that region (see figure A); A delicate balance exists. “If an ecosystem is disrupted by
artificial or natural means (see figure B), it will not only affect all the living organisms within the
ecosystem, but will also affect neighboring ecosystems” (Alters, Sandra, Biology).
If two or more ecosystems begin to experience alterations, then this can cause a chain
reaction that will leave the abiotic and biotic components permanently altered. These large scale
changes within an ecosystem can have deleterious effects on our biosphere and the native
inhabitants within each individual ecosystem (Alters, Sandra, Biology). Food cycles, energy
webs, and ecological niches can be altered forever through ecological disturbances.
Graham, Page 4
Figure A: In an ecosystem, all organisms are dependent on each other. A delicate
balance exists between producers and consumers.; “Ecology”; Honors Biology @ Laurenceville;
http://biologywithsaxe.blogspot.com, 12 Apr. 2010; Web; 2 Jan. 2014.
Figure B: Anthropogenic disturbances are examples of disturbances that can disrupt and
change an ecosystem for generations of life, or possibly forever.; “Background on Disturbances”; NASACASA Project; http://geo.arc.nasa.gov, n.d.; Web; 2 Jan. 2014.
Invasive Species
Graham, Page 5
“An ‘invasive species’ is defined by the Executive Order as a species that is 1) nonnative (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and 2) whose introduction causes or is
likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health” (Invasive Species,
National Invasive). Invasive species can be introduced into the environment by physical
pathways; both man made and naturally made. Most invasive species are a result of human
interference with the environment.
Lineage of Asian Carp
“Silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, are native to eastern Asia and are
commonly found in northeastern China and Siberia” (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix Carp). Asian
Carp are not native to the North American freshwater ecosystems, only to Asia (hence the name).
There are four types of invasive Asian Carp, “Bighead Carp (Hypophthalmichthys
nobilis), Black Carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus), Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), and
Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix)” (Invasive Species, Asian Carp).
Pathways of introduction
Asian Carp were introduced to the United States in order to control weed growth in
aquatic farms, however the carp were not carefully kept and introduced to the American
ecosystems during periods of flooding.
“Bighead and Silver carp were first imported into the United States in the early
1970s. Soon after, both species were being used in research projects and were stocked
into wastewater treatment lagoons and aquaculture ponds in several states without regard
to their potential effects on the ecosystems to which they were introduced or on the
species inhabiting them. Bighead and Silver carp escaped confinement during flood
events and are now well established with reproducing populations in much of the
Graham, Page 6
Mississippi River Basin. The introduced range of both carp in the United States continues
to grow” (Kolar, Cindy S).
In 1970, scientists did not foresee that the Asian Carp had the potential to harm the
ecosystems of North America and the fish were not as cautiously confined as they should have
been.
Types of Asian Carp
Bighead Carp:
Bighead Carp are “[l]arge filter feeding fish that can weigh up to 110 pounds...
[and] have low-set eyes below the mouth and large upturned mouths without barbels.
Imported from China in the 1970s for use in aquaculture ponds to control plankton…
They eat huge amounts of plankton and detritus. Because they feed on plankton, these
fish compete for food with native organisms including mussels, larval fishes, and some
adult fish such as paddlefish. This competition for food could result in fewer and smaller
sport fish” (Bighead and Silver).
Photography by Ronnie Garrison
Silver Carp:
Graham, Page 7
“Silver carp are olive green in color on their dorsal side and silver on the ventral
side. They have a deep, laterally compressed body and a large head. Their eyes are
located near the ventral side, which makes them easily distinguishable from other carp.
Both dorsal and anal fins are present, but an adipose fin is lacking” (Hypophthalmichthys
molitrix Carp). Silver Carp are filter feeders, like the Bighead Carp, and compete for food
with other filter feeders. “In addition, boaters have been injured by silver carp because
they commonly jump out of the water and into or over boats in response to outboard
motors” (Why are they).
Silver Carp over Barge Crop: Photography by Michigan Sea Grant
Grass Carp:
“Grass carp, can eat up to 40% of its body weight in plants every day...Grass carp
consume plants, and can drastically change river and shoreline vegetation” (Asian Carp
Overview).
Graham, Page 8
Grass Carp have been known to cause, “direct and indirect impacts via:
competition for food; significant changes in the composition of macrophyte,
phytoplankton, and invertebrate communities; interference with the reproduction of other
fishes; decreases in refugia for other fishes; modification of preferred habitat; predation
or competition when plant food is scarce. Has significantly altered the food web and
trophic structure of aquatic systems by inducing changes in plant, invertebrate, and fish
communities” (Invasive Species, Asian Carp).
Grass Carp: Photography by Jiri Bohdal
Black Carp:
Black Carp are not filter feeders like Silver and Bighead Carp. They are carnivores and
feed on mollusks.
Graham, Page 9
“The black carp closely resembles the grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella. The
two species are similar in overall body shape, size and placement of fins. Both black carp
and grass carp have very large scales. In contrast to grass carp, the black carp is slightly
darker in coloration (not black) and its pharyngeal teeth (throat teeth) are large and
similar in appearance to human molars, an adaptation for crushing the shells of mollusks”
(Nico, L. G).
Mylopharyngodon piceus: Photography by Richardson
The term ‘Asian Carp’ is a very loose name that refers to eight different species of Carp,
but the four Carp invasive to the freshwater ecosystems of North America are the Black, Silver,
Bighead, and Grass Carp. These four invasive Carp are harmful to the food chains of the North
American freshwater habitats (see figure C).
Graham, Page 10
Figure C-Each of the different Carps eat a different food source and shift the food chain
of the ecosystem.; from Bardach, et al. 1972. Aquaculture: The
Farming and Husbandry of Freshwater and
Marine Organisms. J. Wiley & Sons.
Natural Predators to the Asian Carp
The only two known predators of the adult Asian Carp live in the Yangzi River in China.
These include the Giant Chinese Paddlefish and a species of freshwater dolphin that were known
to prey on the adult Asian Carp. “The Chinese river dolphin is a freshwater dolphin and one of
the most endangered animals on Earth. It is also known as the Yangtze river dolphin, baiji,
white-flag dolphin, and white-fin dolphin” (Chinese River Dolphin). Some scientists consider
this dolphin to be extinct because “[a] recent extensive survey of this species resulted in no
sightings” (Chinese River Dolphin).
Graham, Page 11
Time Photography by AFP/ Getty
The other known predator to the adult Asian Carp are Giant Chinese Paddlefish.
“Chinese paddlefish are thought by many to be the world's largest freshwater fish, with reports of
individuals reaching a mind-boggling 23 feet (7 meters) in length and weighing half a ton” (450
kilograms)....No young Chinese paddlefish have been seen in the wild since 1995, and there have
been no sightings of a wild Chinese paddlefish of any size since 2003—leading many to fear that
the megafish is already extinct” (Chinese Paddlefish).
Both of the natural predators of the adult Asian Carp are critically endangered or possibly
even extinct.
Graham, Page 12
BBC Photography by Liu Chen Han
Predators of the Asian Carp in the States
The United States have Paddlefish and dolphins in the freshwater river systems, but they
do not prey on adult Asian Carp.
“There are no North American fishes large enough to eat an adult Asian carp.
White pelicans and eagles, however, have been seen feeding on juvenile or smaller adult
Asian carp. Largemouth bass have often been observed feeding on small juvenile Asian
carp, and many other native predators probably also feed on them before they grow too
large. However, Asian carp produce many offspring which grow quickly and, if
conditions are good, rapidly become too large to be eaten by North American predators.
Juvenile Asian carp are also known to move into very shallow water where they are
inaccessible to many large predators” (Asian Carp Frequently).
Juvenile and small Asian Carp have many predators that will eat them, but the larger fish
have no known predators in the North American freshwater ecosystems.
Graham, Page 13
Special Asian Carp Bodily Functions
Asian Carp have a unique body structure that differs from others, mostly because they do
not have any teeth. Silver Carp and Bighead Carp have pharyngeal teeth. “The black carp looks
very similar to the grass carp. The way to distinguish between the two is the pharyngeal teeth.
On black carp the teeth appear molar-like, whereas the grass carp’s teeth have deep parallel
grooves in them” (Aquatic Invasive Species). In layman’s terms, pharyngeal teeth are teeth that
are like a bony plate instead of the standard human tooth. Pharyngeal teeth “are attached to the
gill arches – the same bony supports that serve as attachment points for gill filaments and gill
rakers” (Asian Carp, US Fish and Wildlife).
Image thanks to Google Images
Graham, Page 14
“Asian carp are eating machines! Each fish can consume an astounding 5‐ 40% of its
body weight in food each day...Bighead and silver carp lack a true stomach, which requires them
to feed almost continuously” (Asian Carp). Adult Silver and Bighead Carp can weigh more than
100 pounds.
Special Adaptations of the Asian Carp
People often refer to the Asian Carp as the ‘flying fish’ because it jumps out of the
water. In actuality, the ‘flying fish’ only refers to the Silver Carp. “Silver carp can jump up to
10 feet out of the water when disturbed by sounds of watercraft. They often jump into boats and
can injure boaters, personal watercraft operators, and water skiers” (Bighead and silver carp).
The ability to leap out of the water is an aptitude the Asian Carp learned in the United States,
however in Asia, the Asian Carp do not jump out of the waters.
School of silver carp jumping: Photography by Jason Jenkins
Spawning Habits of the Asian Carp
Graham, Page 15
“Asian Carp require large, low gradient, turbid rivers to complete their life cycle”
(Aitkin, J. Kevin, General). They are known to swim in groups and migrate together. “Spawning
happens as soon as the water starts to warm and takes place in turbid waters. The post spawning
adults do not die after spawning but they return upriver….Spawning begins when water
temperature is greater than 18°” Fahrenheit (Aitkin, J. Kevin, General). Eggs tend to hatch in the
main river and the larvae slowly move to smaller creeks, streams, and tributaries.
“Bighead carp become sexually mature at 5 to 7 years, black carp at 6 to 11 years, grass
carp at 4 to 7 years, and silver carp at 4 to 6 years of age in temperate regions (Nico et al. 2005;
Schofield et al. 2005). Eggs are semi buoyant and presumably require flow ‘Temporal and
Spatial’ The eggs must be kept above the water and must not sink into the water or else they die”
(Open Lake Waters).
Asian Carp need a minimum 18°F water temperature to survive until they pass into the juvenile
stage. “To survive, Asian carp eggs and larvae require sufficient water temperature for
development, water velocity to keep eggs suspended, river length over which to develop while
suspended and seek rearing habitat, and appropriate water chemistry” (Aitkin, J. Kevin,
General).
“Female Asian carp may produce over one million eggs in one season and prefer to
spawn in the flowing waters of large rivers” (Asian Carp, Sea Grant). Asian Carp do not parent
and nurture their offspring and once they are done breeding they abandon their young.
Graham, Page 16
Most of the fish were females and they were mostly eggs - the greenish mass:
Photography by Marilyn Kircus
Triploid Carp
Triploid carp are Grass Carp and Black Carp that have been genetically engineered to
harbor three chromosomes instead of two.
“Some states permit the introduction of genetically altered, or triploid, carps
under the assumption that these animals are sterile, unable to reproduce. However, there
Graham, Page 17
are studies that indicated methods of both induction and detection of triploidy may not
be 100% effective. The release of diploid organisms into the environment would result.
Additionally, some triploid organisms can produce viable gametes and offspring which
may allow triploid fishes to establish reproductively sustainable populations” (Invasive
and Exotic).
These Triploid Carp successfully thrive in the freshwater river ecosystems of North America.
They have the capability to crossbreed with other Asian Carp. Although crossbreeding is
relatively rare, it still is possible.
Locating the Asian Carp Invasion
eDNA is a new method of locating and monitoring a species of animals. eDNA can test for
an indication of the presence of a certain organism in a specified area. “Dissolved DNA
and/or fragments of tissue containing DNA, dubbed environmental DNA (eDNA), remain in
suspension [sig] for extended periods” (Mahon, A. Jerde). By using eDNA tests, we can
decipher if the Asian Carp are present in other waterways. “eDNA testing is a new but a
scientifically accepted method of screening water samples for genetic material originating
from an aquatic animal's mucus or excrement”(eDNA tests indicate). “The presence of
species can be detected by filtering water samples, and then extracting and amplifying short
fragments of the shed DNA” (Lodge, David M, Risk).
“Sources of error can come from the molecular method itself and also from the overall
monitoring process — from sample design, to sample processing, to interpretation of results”
Graham, Page 18
(EPA Notre Dame). eDNA is still a very accurate guess to the presence of a species in a
given area.
What does eDNA show?
“In 2009 a team of scientists from the University of Notre Dame and The Nature
Conservancy (TNC) discovered that two species of highly invasive Asian Carp were
much closer to the Great Lakes than federal and state officials had realized. Those two
species, bighead carp and silver carp, have already done extensive environmental
damage to the Illinois River—and much of the Mississippi River—by completely
altering the food web in sections of those two major watersheds” (Asian Carp and
eDNA).
“Water samples from the Mississippi River downstream from the Ford Dam in
Minneapolis have tested positive for genetic material from silver carp, indicating the
invasive Asian species may be present in the Twin Cities stretch of the river, according
to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR)” (eDNA Tests indicate).
“The Mississippi River eDNA testing was conducted in September by the National Park
Service and the DNR after similar testing in June indicated the presence of silver carp
in the St. Croix River” (eDNA Tests Indicate).
Methods of controlling the Asian Carp Population
Graham, Page 19
Kill them with Poison
“Rotenone is a chemical that is considered dangerous and chemically toxic. Rotenone is
a slow-acting poison which interferes with the electron-transport system in the
mitochondria. It acts as both a contact and stomach poison” (Material Fact Sheets).
“Rotenone is a natural substance derived from the roots of several tropical and
subtropical plants in the bean family. Use of this toxicant in North America began in
the 1930s in ponds and lakes as a tool to sample fish populations or to completely
eradicate undesirable fish populations. Rotenone is approved for fishery uses by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)” (Asian Carp FAQ’s).
Using Rotenone is an effective way of removing Asian Carp from an area. “Rotenone affects
all gill-breathing organisms and if used in the right doses does not have any know bad effects
on humans” (Battling Asian Carp). However, Rotenone is considered an emergency tool to
remove Asian Carp. Rotenone will kill all fish and any other gilled organisms in the area
when used. “The bad side effects of Rotenone include the deaths of channel catfish, and
rainbow trout which are both very receptacle to Rotenone" (Material Fact Sheets).
“Other uses for Rotenone include insect control, for lice and tick control on pets and in
general are used as a pesticide” (Material Fact Sheets). Fish that have been poisoned by
Rotenone are extremely dangerous to to consume. “USEPA recommends collecting and
burying fish killed by rotenone. The label specifically prohibits the consumption of treated
fish” (Asian Carp FAQ’s).
Graham, Page 20
Rotenone chemical formula: Alan Wood
Electric Barrier Fences
“Electric barriers are designed and operated to change an animal’s behavior. Electric
barriers are used for control of invasive species, for clearing fish from turbine raceways and
intakes, and for collecting runs to allow separating of fish species” (What does). Electric
barriers can channel schools of Asian Carp away from certain bodies of water, permanently
confining them to a specific area. “An Electric barrier can be calibrated for the size of the
fish. Electric barriers work to channel fish in a direction. They do not directly shock the fish
but they but they but an electric field in the water that the fish do not want to swim in” (What
Does).
“Fish have very sensitive touch to the water around them. They feel small changes in
the water with a body structure called a lateral line. Fish use it to detect depth and water
Graham, Page 21
pressure, prey, predators, current movement, orientation in the current, as well as to avoid
collisions” (Lateral Line).
“The lateral line system is a collection of small neuromasts located on the skin or just
under the skin in fluid-filled canals on the head and body of all fishes. Parts of the
lateral organ are modified into electroreceptors, which are organs used to detect
electrical impulses. The hair cell allows the fish to feel vibrations in the water and feel
slight changes in the water” (Lateral Line).
Lateral line system of a Fish: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc
“Electric Barriers are very successful in keeping many fish out of areas because of the
sensitive lateral lines that fish have that detect electrical impulses.
Graham, Page 22
Other means of controlling Asian Carp include:
·
Commercial harvesting below places where electric barrier is
·
Waterway separation measures separate the great lakes and the Mississippi River basin
·
Research monitor movement and movement patterns of carp
·
Environmental Deoxyribonucleic Acid: refining eDNA to monitor Asian carp
·
Enforcement Measures: try to limit the transport of Asian carp
·
Funding for this protection
·
And awareness of the carp”
(Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee)
Where are they now?
Silver Carp
This map shows the most current update on the location of the Silver Carp, the bulk of
the Silver Carp are found in the Illinois River and Mississippi River. Silver Carp filter feed on
plankton and can hybridize with the Big Headed Carp. They most famous for jumping out of
the water and injuring unsuspecting boaters.
Graham, Page 23
Guam Saipan
Maps from U.S. Geological Survey
Big Headed Carp
This map shows the most updated location of the Big Headed Carp. The bulk of the Big
Headed Carp are found in the Illinois River, Mississippi river, and the Missouri River. These
Carp eat plankton and can hybridize with the Silver Carp.
Graham, Page 24
Map from U.S Geological Survey
Grass Carp
This map shows the most current places where Grass Carp are found. Grass Carp
invaded the most territory out of all the invasive Asian Carp. They have made it to Lake
Michigan, Erie, Huron, and Ontario. Many solutions have been proposed to permanently
expel the Grass Carp from the Great Lakes.
Graham, Page 25
Alaska
Hawaii
Guam Saipan
Maps from U.S. Geological Survey
Black Carp
Black Carp have invaded the least amount of territory out of all the invasive Asian Carp
and are mostly found in the Illinois River and the Mississippi River.
Graham, Page 26
Map from U.S Geological Study
How endangered are the Great Lakes?
Are the Asian Carp as much of a threat as the media and the public make them to be?
The big scare is that these Asian Carp will eventually take over the Great Lakes and uproot
entire ecosystems in the Lakes. In reality the Asian Carp are not very suited for the Great
Lakes. “Lake Michigan, quagga mussels have eaten 80% of the plankton the Asian carp
would depend on for food”
(Lam, Tina). Black Head and Silver Carp filter feed and need a steady source of plankton.
Lake Michigan would not be able to support a great population of Bighead and Silver Carp.
Graham, Page 27
“In Erie the carp might be able to grow for six months of the year” (Lam, Tina). Lake
Erie is the warmest of the Great Lakes and is the most livable for Asian Carp. While Lake
Erie may be the most ideal locations for a carp to live, this specific lake does not harbor the
environmental qualities suitable for laying eggs. For example: Lake Erie has very stagnant
waters. Asian Carp would not be able to breed in Lake Erie as well as the other Great Lakes
because breeding takes place in mostly turbid waters. Maturing is also a difficult task in Lake
Erie because juvenile carp would not be able to easily access the small tributaries and
freshwater streams due to the stagnant nature of the waters.
“In Lake Superior Asian Carp may only be able to survive two months as the water
drops below 59 degrees the fish will lose weight in colder months of the year because it's too
cold for them to feed, and their sexual organs will atrophy” (Lam, Tina). Lake Superior is not
livable for many fish for it is too cold for them to go about their habitual nature. “Lake
Superior is, by surface area, the world's largest freshwater lake and is described as "the most
oligotrophic lake in the world" (Linder, Douglas O). Lake Superior also glaciates every year
and this deep freeze would not provide a healthy lifestyle for the Asian Carp. Thus, Asian
Carp would not be able to breed in Lake Superior very well. Lake Huron and Lake Ontario
are also too cold to support the optimum conditions of the Asian Carp.
The Great Lakes are not suitable for Asian Carp to thrive in. Lake Superior is an
oligotrophic lake; that means there is very little algae content and a dithering amounts of
nutrition. This would be a poor lake for filter feeders like the Big Headed Carp and the Silver
Carp to live in. Grass Carp would not thrive with such low nutrients and vegetation and Black
Carp may not have enough to eat in the Great Lakes.
Graham, Page 28
Although Grass Carp reside in the Great Lakes, they have yet to take over the
ecosystem. Grass Carp control aquatic vegetation and they eat the herbaceous plants in the
area. It is not likely that the Grass Carp would eat out the entirety of the Great Lakes
vegetation, but the Grass Carp pose the greatest threat to the lakes currently. However, Grass
Carps are restricted by their own breeding needs. They require flowing warm shallow river
waters in order to breed and may not optimally reproduce in the Great Lakes.
“It seems very unlikely the Asian Carp will survive in the Great Lakes. Asian Carp
thrive in the river ecosystems because of the shallow depths in the rivers. The length and
shape of the river must be the right length and shape for spawning to occur” (Aitkin, J Kevin,
General). There must also be flowing water for the eggs to survive. The eggs must float on
top of the water. If they eggs sink, they die. Asian Carp could theoretically survive in the
Great Lakes as fully matured fish, then migrate back to the rivers to reproduce.
Conclusion
“As the Government has poured in $156 million since 2010” (US to Spend) to control
the Asian Carp, it seems that the Asian Carp may not be as significant of an issue if the right
actions are taken. Individual states are taking action to stop the Asian Carp, however not every
state agrees on a uniform budget to spend on the Asian Carp. Some push for more funding and
others some push for less. Not only is funding an issue, but not every state agrees with
poisoning the Asian Carp with rotenone. Rotenone kills the native fish and Asian Carp
making the Asian Carp inedible.
Graham, Page 29
“Asian Carp are a good source of protein, they are low in mercury content, and they are
high in Omega fatty 3 acids” (Tareen, Sophia, Asian Carp). By utilizing the Carp, we as
Americans, now have an abundant food resource that is healthy and plentiful to a standard
diet. In addition, these fish have a high Omega fatty 3 acid content, much higher than that of a
normal fish. These Omega 3 acids are essential to human health. “The human body does not
naturally make Omega 3” (Omega-3) and Omega 3 is necessary for the body to function
correctly. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation. “Typical American diet tends to
contain 14 - 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids, which many
nutritionally oriented physicians consider to be way too high on the omega-6 side” (Omega3).
“Omega 3 is believed to help patients with the following disorders; high cholesterol,
high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, Rheumatoid arthritis, Systemic lupus
erythematosus (SLE), Osteoporosis, depression, bipolar disorder, Schizophrenia,
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Cognitive decline (including
Alzheimer's disease), skin disorders, Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Asthma,
Macular Degeneration, Menstrual pain, Colon cancer, Breast Cancer, and Prostate
cancer” (Omega-3).
Asian Carp should be farmed and researched for their medicinal properties, as well as
being incorporated into the diet of modern Americans. Scientists should examine the ways to
utilize the Omega 3 and chefs should cook these fish and incorporate them in their dishes. We
can use these fish as hunger relief for organizations that assist third world countries, and feed
the hungry in America. The Asian Carp can be used as fertilizer, a food for human
Graham, Page 30
consumption, and an Omega- 3 supplement. Rotenone should not be used to kill of these
creatures, for the Asian Carp are a precious untouched resource. Although invasive, they
should be highly praised for the supplements they can provide. New jobs in the fishing
industry can be opened and the private farming of these magnificent fish should continue. The
overpopulation of these Asian Carp can be solved by harnessing the potential power of
Bighead, Black, Silver, and Grass Carp.
Graham, Page 31
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Graham, Page 32
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Acknowledgements:
My mentor Mrs. Ervin helped me throughout my draft of this research paper and guided
me in the right direction and Nicholas Falduto helped me grammatically polish my final draft
of this research paper.