Kentucky doubles down with invasive carp removal efforts

Frankfort, Ky. — Kentucky is planning to give fishermen an even bigger reason to target the destructive species that threaten some of the state’s most popular waters, invasive carp.

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources announced it has increased its commercial fishing incentive from 10 cents to 15 cents per pound for invasive carp harvested from Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. The increase applies to silver carp, bighead carp, black carp and grass carp – species known to disrupt native fisheries and aquatic ecosystems.

According to state fisheries officials, the move is designed to maintain pressure on carp populations that have already shown signs of decline, according to news first reported by Wired 2 Fish.

“We have several lines of evidence suggesting our management strategy is reducing invasive carp populations in both lakes,” said Joshua Tompkins, coordinator for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s Aquatic Invasive Species Program. “To keep that trend going, we’re adapting our efforts to maintain harvest at effective levels. Our success is due to the hard work of our commercial fishers and strong federal support.”

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In 2024 alone, commercial fishermen removed more than 15 million pounds of invasive carp through Kentucky’s Invasive Carp Harvest Program. Since the program began in 2013, total removals have topped 74 million pounds.

Biologists are also seeing encouraging biological indicators. No young silver carp have been detected in either Kentucky Lake or Lake Barkley since 2015, and catch rates have dropped sharply since 2019. Invasive carp are also showing improved body condition, a sign that population density – and competition for food – is decreasing.

The BioAcoustic Fish Fence installed at Barkley Dam on the Cumberland River uses sound, light, and bubbles to discourage fish movement and has reduced upstream carp migration by an estimated 50%.

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife is also testing new harvest tools through its Experimental Commercial Fishing Methods Program, which focuses on large-scale carp removal while minimizing impacts to native fish. Some crews have demonstrated the ability to remove more than 60,000 pounds of invasive carp per day.

“Increasing the incentive to commercial fishers will help ensure we keep suppressing invasive carp numbers,” said Dave Dreves, director of the fisheries division. “It’s a big win for anglers and boaters that recreate on Kentucky and Barkley lakes, as well as for the vital $940-million tourism economy of the Western Waterlands Region.”

For anglers, the continued removal effort should lead to healthier fisheries, improved habitat, and better recreational opportunities on two of the region’s most important reservoirs.

More information on Kentucky’s invasive carp management efforts is available on the invasive carp information page or by calling 1-800-858-1549 during weekday business hours.