MAISRC in the News

Five bighead carp have been caught in the past week in the St. Croix River just south of Stillwater — the furthest upstream the invasive fish have been detected and the largest number caught in the St. Croix to date.

There is no evidence that the fish are reproducing in the river system, but the presence of multiple carp raises the level of concern “up a notch,” said Nick Frohnauer, invasive fish coordinator at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

“It’s a concern, but we have a strong monitoring program that’s been out there looking for these fish in all their life stages,” he said.
 

Five Asian bighead carp have been caught recently on the St. Croix River near Stillwater, the farthest north the invasive species has been found on the river, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reported Tuesday.

The fish were caught about seven miles upstream of the previous point where they had been confirmed.

The catch more than doubles the four bighead carp that had previously been caught in the river. One carp showed up in 1996 and three others were found in 2011.

Fishermen are usually overjoyed to pull a big one into the boat, but five fish caught just south of Stillwater in the past week have both anglers and wildlife officials concerned.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says fishermen and DNR personnel pulled five bighead carp from the St. Croix River not far from Xcel Energy's King Power Plant.

This is the furthest upstream invasive carp have been detected in the St. Croix, some seven miles north of the previous point.

In the movies, science happens fast. A plague that threatens all life? One person finds the antidote, spends a few hours in a lab and — boom! — problem solved. An asteroid headed for Earth? A heroic scientist is able to break into a secured computer, punch a few keys and — presto! —threat averted.

Unfortunately, that’s not how it works in real life, especially with a complicated challenge like aquatic invasive species.
 

A quarter-century ago, there was some spirited debate about whether Minnesota should become the 28th state to have a lottery.

Local proponents said lottery proceeds would be a way to fund state projects without raising taxes. Opponents argued the expansion of gambling through a state-sponsored lottery was “Un-Minnesotan.”

Ultimately voters approved a constitutional amendment authorizing a lottery for Minnesota in November 1988, with the measure passing with 57 percent of the vote.
 

Although no fish with internal bleeding or bulging eyes have been reported by Great Lakes fish farms, a highly-contagious virus that causes such symptoms has bruised the profits of many in the industry.

Aquaculturists hope that new management methods can combat disease risks and reform regulations that threaten a fledgling industry.

Since it was first detected in the region almost a decade ago, viral hemorrhagic septicemia – or VHS for short – has been found in wild fish in all five Great Lakes, Lake St. Clair, the St. Lawrence River and several area inland lakes, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

The world’s second-most invasive fish, the common carp, has been the source of complaints about shallow lakes in southern Minnesota and the metro area since the species first came to the state about a century ago.

But much to the bewilderment of researchers and regulators, the fish has never become a nuisance in the northern Boundary Waters.

Research from the University of Minnesota looked at several factors in more than 550 lakes throughout the Midwest to try explaining what has allowed the species to become invasive in some places but not others.

"This work that we're doing really isn't about those of us who are standing up here today; it's about the future generations," Clark said.

A Lotto Drama

The lottery began selling tickets online in 2010 on a subscription site. Players' electronic wallets are tied a bank account or debit card, and their spending is capped at $50 per week.

Mnnesota’s battle against aquatic invasive species is going to be a lot more obvious starting this summer as counties and local lake associations join the fight to keep zebra mussels and other unwanted critters out of their lakes.

The move is part of an unprecedented effort to funnel money into local agencies, nonprofits and groups to not just educate the public but also take proactive steps to slow the spread of invasives.

Local efforts are awash in cash this year after the 2014 Minnesota Legislature set aside $10 million for counties to spend to combat invasive species spread. Another $4 million is available from the Outdoor Heritage Fund through the nonprofit Initiative Foundation in grants.

For years, protecting Minnesota’s lakes and rivers has focused on the state level.

But that focus is shifting to local leaders, with new local collaboration and money aimed to combat the spread of aquatic invasive species in the state’s waterways.

For the first time, local and state conservation leaders, scientists, boaters, marina owners, tourism leaders and others concerned about growing zebra mussels and other invasive species are meeting this week in a state summit.