MN Legislature Approves $12M for Invasive Carp Deterrent

Monday, May 13, the Minnesota Legislature approved $12 million to fund an invasive carp deterrent system at Lock and Dam 5 in the Mississippi River just upstream of Winona, Minnesota. 

“We’re proud to have led this effort to protect Minnesota’s treasured waters using the latest scientific advancements in invasive carp prevention. Now time is of the essence. We look forward to working with our state and federal agencies to implement this deterrent as quickly as possible,” stated Colleen O’Connor Toberman, land use and planning director at Friends of the Mississippi River and co-chair of the Stop Carp Coalition.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will receive the funding in partnership with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the United States Geological Survey. The funding, an appropriation from the Outdoor Heritage Fund, was part of the Legacy omnibus bill (HF 4124), which passed the Minnesota House 115-13 on May 9 and the Senate 43-23 on May 13. 

The deterrent proposal is based on a state-funded feasibility study by Dr. Peter Sorensen at the University of Minnesota.

After assessing all of Minnesota’s locks and dams, Sorensen found that Lock and Dam 5 will be highly effective with the addition of a deterrent system and ongoing integrated pest management tactics such as carp tracking and removal.

"Without a carp deterrent, the native fish and river ecosystem did not have a chance; now they most definitely do. No other state has taken significant action before it was too late. Minnesotans should be proud," stated Dr. Peter Sorensen, Professor Emeritus, University of Minnesota.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has caught over 500 invasive silver and bighead carp in the Mississippi River pools immediately downstream of Lock and Dam 5 since March 2023. Invasive carp are not yet known to be reproducing in Minnesota, leaving a limited but feasible window of time for a deterrent to be installed to achieve maximum efficacy.

“It’s been over 10 years since we sounded the alarm on the threat invasive carp pose to our prized waterways and fisheries. We now have new tools to fight these invaders, and we’re thrilled to see the state step up with funding to help keep them out. A physical deterrent is just one of many in our multi-pronged approach for stopping carp from invading waters that flow through our nearby national parks, including the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area and the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. As long-time co-chair of the Stop Carp Coalition, NPCA is committed to working with partners, agencies and state leaders to advance strategies that protect Minnesota's waterways,” stated Christine Goepfert, midwest campaign director at the National Parks Conservation Association and co-chair of the Stop Carp Coalition.

“This bill is a huge step towards protecting Minnesota waters from the spread of invasive carp. This new deterrent will help provide an extra layer of defense against invasive carp swimming into the Minnesota and St. Croix Rivers and further protect the native fishery, outdoor recreation opportunities and the communities that rely upon these waters for their quality of life.” - Marc Smith, Policy Director, National Wildlife Federation

“Outdoor recreation, local economies, and native ecosystems are all at risk due to the threat of invasive silver, grass, and bighead carp expanding their reach further into Minnesota. Dodging jumping carp in an attempt to fish, hunt, or paddle is no way to spend a day enjoying some of our state's finest waterways. A carp barrier at Lock and Dam 5 is a huge step in ensuring we conserve the opportunity for future generations to enjoy waters free of invasive carp. " - Brad Gausman, Executive Director, Minnesota Conservation Federation

School of silver leaping carp behind small boat from Invasive Carp Regional Coordinating Committee, photo by Jason Jenkins, CC 2.0

School of silver carp around boat in South Dakota, USFWS, photo by Jason Cral, PDM 1 (public domain)

Single silver carp flying high above person in boat from USFWS, Wikipedia

'Carp at the capitol' courtesy Friends of the Mississippi River

Colleen O’Connor Toberman (and a taxidermied invasive carp) make the case for a deterrent at the April MN House committee hearing. 
- MP4 available for download in Google Drive. 
- Embed code: 
<iframe src="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q8zMAa-LT0JFCp2dESxJJpx8B25103J9/preview" allow="autoplay"></iframe>

From Friends of the Mississippi River