LAKE CITY, Minn. – he organization Friends of the Mississippi River called on the Minnesota Natural Resources Department to do something – anything – to keep flying silver carp out of the river’s upper stretches. “It’s time for action, for deterrence and barriers, and they’re not doing those,” said Colleen O’Connor Toberman, president of the organization. For decades the carp have been moving upriver and already have moved into Pool 8 dam above Genoa. That’s 90 miles from Lake City, 48 miles from Winona, and 17 miles from LaCrosse. In fact, the carp already are at LaCrosse and in the tributary Black River. Carp feed o nplankton and other smaller items on which native species rely. The carp can jump out of the water and knock boaters off their boats. “I’ve heard there are places on the Missouri River where water skiing is too dangerous,” An ironic point to note: Toberman lives in Lake City, whose Lake Pepin claims to be birthplace of water skiing. Toberman noted that DNR’s campaign against carp has focused on Pool 8. “Not enough,” she said. “If we saw spawning activity tomorrow, it would be too late”
Carp frenzy. These heavy-bodied fish, native to Vietnam, were imported to the United States in the 1970s to help clear commercial ponds in southern states. Then they got away. The skittish carp are easily frightened by boats, which cause them to leap eight to 10 feet into the air. They can be three feet long and weigh 80 pounds. Many boaters have been severely injured: Cuts from fins, black eyes, broken bones, back injuries, concussions. The fish live about 20 years and spawn regularly.
Upper Mississippi pools
Pool 8: Behind Genoa dam.
Pool 7: Behind Dresbach dam.
Pool 6: Behind Trempealeau dam.
Pool 5: Behind Fountain City-WinOna dam.
Pool 5A: Behind Minneiska dam.
Pool 4: (Lake Pepin); Behind Alma dam.
Grace Loppnow, Minnesota state invasive fish coordinator: “I actually got hit in the face by a silver carp and got a black eye.”
Dorsal danger. Sharp top fin is knife-like. Wallop can knock a boater over.