May 2

Written by:
5/2/2011 5:02 PM 

From the Kentucky New Era News staff reports...

 

Asian Carp Draw Interest of KDFWR

There is a war going on in the waters of Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake and for area anglers, the winner is an Asian invader with ideas of taking over. For years Asian carp have been multiplying in the area lakes. And at the same time, game fish, in particular crappie, have been disappearing. Local fishermen have been complaining for years that the carp would eventually destroy game fishing on the lakes and now someone is apparently listening.

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources has proposed a regulation that establishes the requirements for the Asian carp harvest program, which allows commercial harvest of the fish in waters restricted to commercial fishing. It also authorizes the department to enforce regulations to set up seasons, establish bag or creel limits, regulate the buying, selling or transporting fish and wildlife and make these requirements apply to a limited area. Dan Cayce, the president of the local League of Kentucky Sportsman chapter, said the proposed regulation isn’t good enough. “We’re losing our lakes as we know them,” he said. “We’ve got predators. “They’ve (carp) have been here for 15 years or so and now they are at a dangerous level,” he continued. “If you are trying to eradicate something, why take baby steps. You better get out there with all your armor. We want it attacked, not just played with it.”

A public hearing on this administrative regulation is scheduled for 8 a.m. (Central) May 24 at the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources in the Commission Room of the Arnold L. Mitchell Building in Frankfort. Anyone wanting to attend the meeting must notify the KDFWR in writing at least five days before the meeting. Any person who attends the meeting will be given the opportunity to comment on the proposal. Anyone who doesn’t want to attend the meeting but wants to submit a written comment must do so by May 31. Written notifications of intent to attend the hearing or written comments on the proposed administrative regulation can be sent to Rose Mack, Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Arnold L. Mitchell Building, #1 Sportsman’s Lane, Frankfort, Ky., 40601.

In this regulation, commercial fishermen will be allowed to fish otherwise restricted water for Asian carp. It is believed that the carp will provide the anglers $0.07 to $0.15 per pound when sold to fish processors. The program may initially cost the KDFWR $30,000 to provide observers, coordination and reports. The source of funding is the State Game and Fish Fund, although it is believed that no increase in fees is anticipated to fund the program. Asian carp are plankton eaters, but often eat minnows when they feed on algae off the top of the water. They also are able to spawn up for four times a year compared to only once for game fish such as crappie and bass.