Nearly 4 million pounds of carp pulled from the Illinois River in 2026
Illinois’ effort to keep invasive carp from reaching the Great Lakes is gaining momentum, with nearly 4 million pounds of the unwanted fish removed from the Illinois River during the first half of 2026.
The harvest is part of a coordinated effort to reduce invasive carp abundance in the river, particularly in areas where the fish pose the greatest risk of spreading into Lake Michigan. In some pools, targeted removal projects have reduced invasive carp populations by as much as 80%.
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