MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced that silver carp, an invasive species, have been detected in portions of the lower Chippewa River and lower Black River in western Wisconsin.
In May 2024, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) collected 134 water samples from the lower Chippewa River to examine carp invasive habitat DNA (eDNA). At that time, no eDNA had been found for the invasive carp.
In July, the DNR began receiving reports from anglers of jumping fish suspected of being invasive carp at Dells Dam on the lower Chippewa River in Eau Claire. The Dells Dam in Eau Claire prevents invasive carp from continuing to flow upstream in the Chippewa River system.
On August 1, DNR staff went to the dam and observed fish jumping, but were unable to verify the species of fish. On Aug. 27, the DNR downloaded data from an acoustic receiver designed to listen for transmitters embedded in fish in the lower Chippewa River, 6 miles below Dells Dam.
Data showed that a single silver carp, originally tagged and caught in the Mississippi River near Davenport, Iowa, was detected on July 21, August 4, and 26, confirming that the silver carp was migrating to the lower Chippewa River at that time.
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On September 26, DNR staff downloaded data from an acoustic receiver in the lower Black River near Melrose that showed one silver carp had passed there on May 25 and June 5. This fish was originally caught and tagged in Basin 5A of the Mississippi River. .
It is believed that the carp may have migrated in June and early July due to high water levels observed in the Mississippi River, which allowed the fish to move upstream to adjacent tributaries.
Tributaries of the lower Chippewa River, such as the Red Cedar River to the Lake Menomin Dam and the Eau Claire River to the Lake Altoona Dam, may be other potential locations where invasive carp may be observed because these bodies of water do not have barriers to prevent movement fish upstream from the adjacent lower Chippewa River.
The Black River Falls Dam acts as a barrier to upstream fish migration and there have been no reported sightings or other detections of invasive carp in the lower Black River at this time.
USFWS is currently in the process of resampling the Chippewa River and citizens should notify local staff dealing with aquatic invasive species Or fisheries biologists if suspected invasive carp have been observed or caught in the lower Chippewa and Black Rivers or their tributaries.
What to do if you catch an invasive carp
Prevention remains the best way to protect Wisconsin’s waters.
Under Chapter No. 40, Wis. Admin. Codeogre, silver, grass and black carp are prohibited species in the state of Wisconsin, meaning they cannot be transported, possessed, transferred or introduced without a permit. However, a permit is not required for a person to possess and transport a deceased prohibited species to a DNR office for identification.
Anglers and others catching potentially invasive carp are asked to euthanize the fish, place them on ice and contact local staff dealing with aquatic invasive species, fisheries biologist Or guardian to confirm identification.
Although no technology currently exists to eradicate invasive carp, the DNR is working with other state and federal agencies to research and develop technologies to prevent and control invasive carp.
