Several Silver carp jump out of the water after hearing a boat motor. Silver carp is one of two invasive species of Asian carp that pose risks to the Wabash River ecosystem and fish native to Indiana. Photo courtesy of the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee of the White House Council of Environmental Quality, via Flickr.

According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, silver carp and bighead carp – two species of Asian carp – have been present in the Wabash River since 1996.

Goss, a former Indiana DNR director, said while the biggest threat from these invasive species is in Illinois, there are significant populations of silver and bighead carp in the Wabash, especially south of Lafayette.

Goss said the carp compete with native fish species for food and disrupt the natural food chain.

“The Asian carp eat more, grow faster and reproduce faster than our native fish,” he said. “In just a short space of time, they can become the majority of the fish population.”

He said there are some areas of the Wabash where these species make up more than 50 percent of the fish population.

Silver carp pose an additional risk. They are known for leaping out of the water when startled by the sound of boat or jet ski motors. And because they grow so large, they can cause physical harm to property and people.

Goss said the largest part of the federal government’s effort is to ensure the species do not establish themselves in the Great Lakes.

But the government is also concerned with the environmental problems Asian carp are causing currently. And people who live and fish along the Wabash can play a big part in that effort.

Zoeller said there are sanctions in place that require people to kill Asian carp if they do catch them. He said though he doubts there will be any tough enforcement regarding release of Asian carp, people should know not to turn these fish loose.

Goss said people should be careful when using live bait because young Asian carp look just like any other minnow.

He said people shouldn’t dump live bait they caught in another water source because Hoosiers should “make sure we’re not aiding transfer” of the species.

Zoeller said people need to be aware about other threats to the rivers as well. He said they need to start taking care of the Wabash and Indiana’s other rivers, rather than take them for granted.

“It’s not going to be all fixed out of government,” he said. “We need people to take stewardship over our resources.”

He commended officials in Peru, including the mayor and parks director, for their efforts to encourage people to use and take care of the river.

The attorney general’s trip down the Wabash continues through Thursday, with stops in Lafayette, Clinton, Terre Haute, Merom, Vincennes and New Harmony.

For more information, including how to identify Asian carp, Hoosiers can go to www.asiancarp.us.

Article writer Megan Banta is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.