Movements of Adult Radio‐Tagged Bighead Carp in the Illinois River

Abstract

Populations of invasive bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis in the Mississippi River basin are rapidly increasing in size and range. However, the rate of expansion is not well understood. We used radiotelemetry to document movements of bighead carp within the LaGrange Reach of the Illinois River, Illinois, where populations have been documented since 1993. We surgically implanted radio transmitters into 42 adults in June 2003 and May-July 2004. Successful relocation of individuals decreased over time and ended in August of both years. We analyzed 132 observations from 23 adults and found a mean (6SE) movement rate of 1.70 6 0.74 km/d. The highest movement rate was 14.33 km/d. The maximum distance traveled by an individual was 163 km upstream in 35 d, and the top 10% of movements as observed by boat were between 26.5 and 56.5 km within 3-10 d. Forty-three percent of fish died or dropped transmitters for unknown reasons, but handling, environmental conditions, or both may have contributed to the loss. Our study is the first to document the movement rates and patterns of bighead carp within the United States and shows that adults are capable of moving considerable distances in a short time. Immediate actions to prevent or control their spread are warranted.

Linking silver carp habitat selection to flow and phytoplankton in the Mississippi River

“…Also, preferred wing dike areas were more abundant in the dammed area, likely causing fish to accumulate. This research supports results of many others that adult silver carp frequent slow-flowing portions of large rivers and remain there, avoiding areas of zero flow (Peters et al 2006;DeGrandchamp et al 2008). Within both the pool and undammed river, the common habitat features we studied differed in use by silver carp, likely related to flow and phytoplankton.…”

Recruitment sources of invasive Bighead carp (Hypopthalmichthys nobilis) and Silver carp (H. molitrix) inhabiting the Illinois River

“…Low-velocity nearshore and backwater habitats that do not differ in water δ 18 O from the main river channel may represent the primary habitats used by age-0 Bighead and Silver carps; these habitats are more extensive than River. This finding is somewhat surprising considering that Bighead Carp were detected and became established in the Illinois River prior to Silver Carp (Peters et al 2006;Irons et al 2007). …”

“…Abundance and biomass of Bighead and Silver carps have increased exponentially in the Illinois River (Sass et al 2010;Irons et al 2011); available evidence indicates that competition resulting from similar diet composition among bigheaded carps and native filter-feeding fishes (Sampson et al 2009) may negatively affect growth and condition of the native species (Schrank et al 2003;Irons et al 2007). The high densities of Bighead and Silver carps in the Illinois River and their capacity for rapid, long-distance movement (Peters et al 2006;DeGrandchamp et al 2008) have led to concerns regarding these species invading the Great Lakes via the artificial Chicago-area waterways that link the Illinois River drainage with Lake Michigan, with potentially serious consequences for Great Lakes food webs and the economically important recreational and commercial fisheries they support (Kolar and Lodge 2002;Cudmore and Mandrak 2011).…”

Feeding at different plankton densities alters invasive bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) growth and zooplankton species composition

“…Because of their generalist diet, fast growth, and high reproductive potential, bighead and silver carp populations have increased exponentially in some areas, including the Illinois River (Chick & Pegg, 2001). Recent work using radio-tagged bighead carp in the La Grange Reach of the Illinois River has shown that adults have the potential to move more than 14 km d -1 (Peters et al, 2006), and thus could enter new regions relatively quickly.…”