Invasive Fish Species Found in Ohio River
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife HAS to be tired of species of fish that do not belong in the rivers and lakes of Kentucky. And yet, they keep turning up.
The agency has long dealt with Asian carp which requires a great deal of effort and hard work to get them removed. The Asian carp species have not only been found in rivers but also in Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. Any non-native and aggressive species can wreak havoc on ecosystems by preying on wildlife that otherwise might have been left alone.
Natural predators are expected and don't throw anything off balance.
This always reminds me of what they deal with in the Everglades, where pythons and even monitor lizards have been a threat. A compelling docu-series on Animal Planet, set in Miami-Dade County, used to cover the topic, but I can't think of the name of it at the moment.
Well, AT THE MOMENT, Fish and Wildlife has its hands full with black carp, which have been discovered in the Ohio River at Meade County. Here's why that location is such a concern:
Now, see, that doesn't look out of the ordinary to me at all. But I'm not a fisherman and can't pick them out. But now that we DO have the image, it's clear we need to be on the lookout for them.
According to the United States Geological Survey, black carp are native to eastern Asia, specifically China, Vietnam, and, in some cases, Russia.
So, no, they don't belong here and they need to go.
I mean, don't we have plenty of fish already?