Invasive fish species still swims Mississippi River. There’s a reward if you catch one

Hundreds of black carp have been reported in the Mississippi River basin, and the invasive fish harm the local ecosystem by threatening important native species.

A study released in December by researchers from Southern Illinois University, the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Missouri State University and the Missouri Department of Conservation found black carp have been established in the Mississippi River basin.

Black carp are native to eastern Asia and were introduced to the U.S. in the 1970s and 1980s in imported, contaminated grass carp stocks shipped to private fish farms, according to the USFWS.

“The use of black carp in these types of aquatic environments is regulated and requires permits, and there isn’t a clear understanding on how black carp escaped those settings,” the December USGS release said.

The USGS maintains an online database of nonindigenous aquatic species, including black carp. The species has been reported in the Mississippi River, as well as Kaskaskia River, Horseshoe Lake, the Illinois River, Ohio River and more.