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Research and commerce use a two-pronged ‘fork’ approach to deal with invasive fish. As many anglers know, carp are not welcome when found dangling from the hook. Classified by U.S. government as an invasive species and known colloquially as a “trash fish,” carp can take over and devastate every watery environment they enter. They’re not particularly well known in this country as good eating fish, either. To help curb the numbers of invasive fish, researchers and commerce are using a two-pronged ‘fork’ approach to deal with the invasive fish.
Giant threats to Arkansas's fish and water are lurking under the surface somewhere right now. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission needs boaters' help in stopping these terrors before they spread any further. Matt Horton, the AGFC's Aquatic Nuisance Species program coordinator, says 36 aquatic nuisance species have been documented in Arkansas, including plants, fish, mussels and other types of organisms. Some of the more well known species include giant salvinia, silver carp, northern snakeheads and zebra mussels, but these are just a few of the species that can pose significant ecological and economic harm, as well as a risk to human health.
Just like when fighting a virus, Horton says the best plan of attack is to prevent it from spreading to new areas. Here are some ways everyone can fight aquatic nuisance species in Arkansas to keep our waters healthy and accessible for angling and boating enjoyment. Learn more about how you can help protect Arkansas waters from aquatic invaders at www.agfc.com/invasivespecies.