Local Travel Features

'War on Carp' Update

September 25, 2018 | Staff Report

In a Facebook post made on Monday, Lyon County Judge Executive Wade White gave an update on the “War on Carp”, the ongoing efforts to eradicate Silver, Bighead and Black Carp in Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley.

Meetings were held last Saturday and Monday with processors, giving them the opportunity to submit ideas on how more fish could be removed from the lakes. Electrofishing was discussed as an option. Combined with the unified blocking method with sound and blocking nets, commercial fishermen could push them into a bay and harvest the carp with nets.

Judge White also reiterated the overall goal of the “War on Carp”.

“We want to get funding from Congress so we can block movement of the Asian Carp at our dams with barriers, over-fish them in our lakes and then retreat the commercial fishing efforts back into the rivers,” said White.

“We have a goal of five to six years making Barkley and Kentucky lakes not profitable to commercial fishing because they are rare to find. That is a huge goal but I'm convinced in the next five to six years if we can get help from Congress we will return Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake to how it was around 10 years ago as
far as Carp population,” added White.

Judge White said that the goal was to not sustain the processors’ business on Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake. The rivers would provide enough carp for their business when they are removed from the lakes.

To follow the progress of the “War on Car”, follow their Facebook page.

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