Environment & Climate Change

A bighead carp at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.

Asian carp have been making their way up the Mississippi River system for years after escaping from fish farms and wastewater treatment ponds in the southern U.S.They’re knocking on the door of the Great Lakes, and a number of people are concerned about what could happen if carp become established in the region.In this five-part series, we’ll take a look at what officials are trying to do to keep the fish out, what might happen if carp get in, and why some people want to turn carp into a business opportunity.

DNR to search lake after illegal carp report

Michigan Public | By Michigan Radio Newsroom

Published June 18, 2012 at 2:09 PM EDT

Wildlife experts are searching a southern Michigan lake for illegal carp this week after a fisherman submitted a photo of a 3-foot-long grass carp, a species of Asian carp.

A crew traveled today to set up nets in Marrs Lake in Lenawee County, about 20 miles southeast of Jackson. Department of Natural Resources agency biologist Todd Kalish says the crew plans to pull out the nets on Thursday to inventory what's found.

MDNR Fisheries Specialist Elizabeth Hay-Chmielewski traveled with that group today. She says the grass carp is capable of disrupting a lake's ecosystem.

"They eat the vegetation and out-compete native fish."

She says a high enough population of grass carp can completely strip a lake of plant matter.

Hay-Chmielewski says the MDNR is still working to confirm the presence of grass carp in Marrs Lake.

-Elaine Ezekiel, Michigan Radio Newsroom