Grass Carp Control Hydrilla but Reduce Habitat in Tuckertown Reservoir

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 15:39:55 +0000

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is planning to add 100 artificial and natural structures at 37 sites to provide additional fishing areas for the angling public at the Tuckertown Reservoir. These fish attractors are intended to help offset the loss of aquatic vegetation in the presence of sterile grass carp.

Sterile grass carp are a practical and cost-effective means of controlling invasive aquatic weeds. In 2014 and 2016, sterile grass carp were stocked at Tuckertown Reservoir to control hydrilla, a state and federal noxious weed.

Unfortunately, the grass carp also consumed beneficial native plants, resulting in a reduction of submersed aquatic vegetation at the reservoir. In addition, lyngbya (black mat algae) increased, which is a nuisance, mat-forming cyanobacterium that grass carp typically do not eat.

grass carp aquatic vegetation control – Aquarius-Systems

Grass Carp Control Hydrilla but Reduce Habitat in Tuckertown Reservoir