10-12-2004, 02:22 AM
Common Carp
The common carp (Cyprinus carpio) is a fish species native to Asia. In 1880, 75 carp were obtained from the U.S. Commission and forwarded from the carp ponds at Washington D.C., to the Nevin Hatchery in Madison, Wisconsin. In 1881, 163 carp fingerlings in lots of 20-22 were distributed to individuals in Rock, Columbia, Fond du Lac, Sauk and Manitowoc counties. As many as 35,000 carp were placed into Wisconsin waters in 1890; distribution continued until 1895, when the program was discontinued. By that time plantings had been made throughout the state, including the northern and central counties of Barron, Douglas, Eau Claire, Langlade, Marathon, St. Croix, Ashland, Marinette, Polk, Price, Sawyer, Shawano, Taylor and Washburn (Becker 1983). Today, carp are present in 63 Wisconsin counties. As of the mid-1970s, carp were not present in Florence, Bayfield, Price, Iron, Vilas, Oneida, Lincoln, Langlade and Menominee counties (Hacker 1975). Carp are an abundant and characteristic species in large, shallow lakes and streams in southern and central Wisconsin. In the 1980s, carp were thought to be common in some northern Wisconsin Waters (Becker 1983).
Although carp are known to survive under a wide range of conditions, they prefer warm streams, lakes, and shallows containing an abundance of aquatic vegetation. Carp tolerate all bottom types and clear or turbid waters, but are not normally found in clear, cold waters or streams of high gradient. Carp adapt to a wider variety of conditions than almost any native North American fish. Habitat requirements permit carp to range the state's extensive warm waters with little concern for low oxygen content, pollution, or sudden temperature changes (Becker 1983). The carp's ability to tolerate low oxygen levels is well known and often it is one of the last survivors in oxygen depleted waters. This relates to its ability to use atmospheric oxygen (MacKay 1963).
Problems associated with the carp were recognized as early as 1901. Fisherman considered the species a nuisance. There are many illustrations of the loss of aquatic vegetation where carp are abundant. A 1944-45 study conducted in Madison, documented the aquatic vegetation destruction by carp. Carp were stocked at an equivalent of 532 kg/ha (475 lb/acre) in a pond with a dense growth of waterweed, sago pondweed, and lesser amounts of pickerel weed, coontail, and wildrice (Black 1946). Fifty-one days later the aquatic vegetation was reduced to a very critical stage; the wild rice had been uprooted within a few days of stocking, the sago pondweed was torn out quickly, and the coontail soon after; only the waterweed, heavily grazed, and the pickerel weed remained. When the pickerel weed was attacked, however, it was destroyed completely in less than two weeks (Becker 1983). Carp are also known to attack and uproot larger emergent plant species such as cattails.
Carp not only destroy aquatic vegetation stands they also resuspend sediments, which increases water temperature, lowers dissolved oxygen levels, and reduces light penetration. These abrupt changes in the aquatic ecosystem, reduce new plant growth, and deteriorate suitable habitat for other fish and aquatic organisms.
Competition exists between young largemouth bass and carp of all ages for the availability of food and in areas of spawning the largemouth is at a definite di
vantage (Sigler 1958, Mraz and Cooper 1957). Competition between the carp and the green sunfish for available habitat takes place because both fish frequent shallow water and occasionally compete for the same spawning area (Sigler 1958).
The contention that the presence of carp even in small numbers is detrimental to game fish is strongly disputed by the fact that nearly every lake in southern Wisconsin has carp present, yet game fish thrive except in those lakes where a dense carp population exists (Mraz and Cooper 1957). Nonetheless, there is constant pressure by the public to remove the carp, even from waters where their numbers are known to be small (Becker 1983).
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The common carp (Cyprinus carpio) is a fish species native to Asia. In 1880, 75 carp were obtained from the U.S. Commission and forwarded from the carp ponds at Washington D.C., to the Nevin Hatchery in Madison, Wisconsin. In 1881, 163 carp fingerlings in lots of 20-22 were distributed to individuals in Rock, Columbia, Fond du Lac, Sauk and Manitowoc counties. As many as 35,000 carp were placed into Wisconsin waters in 1890; distribution continued until 1895, when the program was discontinued. By that time plantings had been made throughout the state, including the northern and central counties of Barron, Douglas, Eau Claire, Langlade, Marathon, St. Croix, Ashland, Marinette, Polk, Price, Sawyer, Shawano, Taylor and Washburn (Becker 1983). Today, carp are present in 63 Wisconsin counties. As of the mid-1970s, carp were not present in Florence, Bayfield, Price, Iron, Vilas, Oneida, Lincoln, Langlade and Menominee counties (Hacker 1975). Carp are an abundant and characteristic species in large, shallow lakes and streams in southern and central Wisconsin. In the 1980s, carp were thought to be common in some northern Wisconsin Waters (Becker 1983).
Although carp are known to survive under a wide range of conditions, they prefer warm streams, lakes, and shallows containing an abundance of aquatic vegetation. Carp tolerate all bottom types and clear or turbid waters, but are not normally found in clear, cold waters or streams of high gradient. Carp adapt to a wider variety of conditions than almost any native North American fish. Habitat requirements permit carp to range the state's extensive warm waters with little concern for low oxygen content, pollution, or sudden temperature changes (Becker 1983). The carp's ability to tolerate low oxygen levels is well known and often it is one of the last survivors in oxygen depleted waters. This relates to its ability to use atmospheric oxygen (MacKay 1963).
Problems associated with the carp were recognized as early as 1901. Fisherman considered the species a nuisance. There are many illustrations of the loss of aquatic vegetation where carp are abundant. A 1944-45 study conducted in Madison, documented the aquatic vegetation destruction by carp. Carp were stocked at an equivalent of 532 kg/ha (475 lb/acre) in a pond with a dense growth of waterweed, sago pondweed, and lesser amounts of pickerel weed, coontail, and wildrice (Black 1946). Fifty-one days later the aquatic vegetation was reduced to a very critical stage; the wild rice had been uprooted within a few days of stocking, the sago pondweed was torn out quickly, and the coontail soon after; only the waterweed, heavily grazed, and the pickerel weed remained. When the pickerel weed was attacked, however, it was destroyed completely in less than two weeks (Becker 1983). Carp are also known to attack and uproot larger emergent plant species such as cattails.
Carp not only destroy aquatic vegetation stands they also resuspend sediments, which increases water temperature, lowers dissolved oxygen levels, and reduces light penetration. These abrupt changes in the aquatic ecosystem, reduce new plant growth, and deteriorate suitable habitat for other fish and aquatic organisms.
Competition exists between young largemouth bass and carp of all ages for the availability of food and in areas of spawning the largemouth is at a definite di
vantage (Sigler 1958, Mraz and Cooper 1957). Competition between the carp and the green sunfish for available habitat takes place because both fish frequent shallow water and occasionally compete for the same spawning area (Sigler 1958).The contention that the presence of carp even in small numbers is detrimental to game fish is strongly disputed by the fact that nearly every lake in southern Wisconsin has carp present, yet game fish thrive except in those lakes where a dense carp population exists (Mraz and Cooper 1957). Nonetheless, there is constant pressure by the public to remove the carp, even from waters where their numbers are known to be small (Becker 1983).
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