AUTHORS: Jessica Howell, US Fish & Wildlife Service; Kevin Drews, US Fish & Wildlife Service; Jason Goeckler, US Fish & Wildlife Service; Adam McDaniel, Missouri Department of Conservation; Joe McMullen, Missouri Department of Conservation; John Schulte, Missouri Department of Conservation; Kasey Whiteman, Missouri Department of Conservation; Liam Odell, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks; Chris Steffen, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks; Brett Anderson, University of Nebraska at Lincoln; Kirk Steffensen, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission; Matt Acre, US Geological Survey; Jesse Fischer, US Geological Survey; Josey Ridgway, US Geological Survey;
ABSTRACT: Given the widespread impacts of Silver Carp in areas where they have become established, a focus on effective management strategies for this invasive fish has increased in recent years. State and federal research and management agencies have been working nationwide to identify effective control methods such as deterrents to limit distribution, conduct removals to reduce abundance, and research and develop novel management techniques. In the Missouri River Basin, Silver Carp have invaded over 1,300 kilometers of the Missouri River and numerous tributaries along that stretch, representing a large and diverse set of challenges for managers. The Missouri River Basin Invasive Carp Partnership of State, Federal, and University partners collaborate to address this interjurisdictional challenge for the basin. In addition to projects aimed at better defining the risk and delineating populations, Missouri River Basin partners are focused on developing and refining gears and techniques to limit Silver Carp distribution and abundance. The Partnership seeks to integrate successful strategies from other river basins as well as to innovate new approaches, including developing and testing sonar and modeling techniques to estimate populations, refining herding techniques to concentrate and remove fish, working to assess interest in commercial fisheries, testing intensive versus sustained agency removal efforts, and more. By developing and testing multiple strategies, effective techniques and approaches can be applied across this highly diverse and dynamic system to elicit a population-level impact. Population assessments and delineations being conducted concurrently can direct management efforts to where they will be most effective as well as measure the effectiveness of deterrents and exploitation placed across the landscape. This presentation will highlight collaborative research and management efforts from the Missouri River Basin Invasive Carp Partnership and the results of recent efforts.
