ELYSIAN, Minn. (KEYC) — Dead carp are washing up on the shores of Lake Francis near Elysian and the Minnesota Department of Resources says a virus is a culprit.
The DNR says the virus, called carp edema virus (CEV), may have been introduced to the lake by other invasive species but isn’t cause for concern.
The virus is only known to infect carp and has been found in other lakes in southern Minnesota and Iowa.
An outbreak of koi herpesvirus occurred on that same lake in July 2017.
“We don’t know for sure, but that’s just a message that any type of invasive species like koi, goldfish or carp for that matter, we want to be careful releasing them because they can unleash things on us that we don’t necessarily want,” said Craig Soupir, a Waterville area fisheries supervisor with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
The DNR encourages the public to contact them if fish kills are observed on other lakes or waterways.