the carp are coming! the carp are coming!

Recent test results indicate that invasive Asian Carp are now in the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers in Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and other agencies used a relatively new genetic test, eDNA, to look for evidence of Asian Carp in Minnesota waters. The most recent tests found Asian Carp genetic material in 29 percent of Mississippi River samples collected downstream of the Ford Dam. This comes after earlier tests found evidence of Asian Carp in 44 percent of samples along the St. Croix River downstream of Taylors Falls.

Governor Dayton’s recently released action plan includes pushing for emergency and/or permanent closure of locks at the Ford Dam and St. Anthony Falls as well as measures to address the spread of Asian Carp downstream of the Ford Dam. This approach aligns well with objectives developed by Clean Water Action and a coalition of other environmental, conservation, recreation and lake organizations working to prevent the Asian Carp’s spread:

• Ensure there are no Asian Carp above the Ford Dam
• Reduce the passage of additional Asian Carp through Iowa and into Minnesota; and,
• Control Asian Carp that may already be in the state.