Staff remove thousands of pounds of invasive carp from Missouri river
USFWS seasonal technicians removed invasive carp from the Grand River in Missouri during September 2026.
The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service Great Plains Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office traveled north to aid the Missouri Department of Conservation. This large-scale project aims to clear the river of unwanted fish using federal grant money.
Specialized tools like an electrified dozer trawl efficiently located and removed the invasive fish from the water. Multiple electrofishing boats worked with a net boat to process the harvested carp for commercial markets.
Catch rates declined steadily over four days as targeted fish were successfully removed from the river system. The crew harvested thirty-two thousand pounds of invasive carp with minimal bycatch of native fish species found in the net.
Once established, these carp can significantly disrupt ecosystems by eating large amounts of food and competing with local species. In nutrient-rich waters, they change the food chain and lower supplies for tiny creatures, plants, shellfish and wild catches.