Indiana DNR issues warning concerning Asian Carp
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources recently posted on its Facebook page about the “very real threat” that Asian carp could have on Indiana bodies of water.
“Whether done intentionally or accidentally, the potential introduction of Asian carp into Indiana’s water bodies is a very real threat. The Indiana DNR is diligently working to reduce Asian carp impacts on our rivers and streams,” stated the post.
The Indiana DNR said that the carp were introduced by accident from aquaculture ponds along the lower Mississippi River. This took place in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.
“These rapidly invading fish species have been moving their way up the large river systems of the Midwest and are now commonly found in many Indiana rivers including the Ohio and Wabash rivers, and White River systems and tributaries,” the post said.
The Indiana DNR has been working with the Asian Carp Regional Coordination Committee and the Ohio River Basin Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework to work on preventing and reducing the Asian carp population.
For those that do not know, Asian carp belong in the minnow family and are native to Asia. The term “Asian carp” refers to Bighead carp, Silver carp, Grass carp, and Black carp. Introduced into the country for different purposes, they are now all considered to be invasive. An invasive species are those that are not native and have the potential to cause harm.
“Asian carp compete with native species and pose a threat to Indiana’s aquatic ecosystem,” states an Indiana DNR factsheet on the species.
According to the Indiana DNR, Asian carp are a problem because:
• The species reproduce rapidly and as a result, their populations reduce the number and health of other fish.
• The species often jump out of the water when disturbed by boat motors. This can cause damage to the boats and potentially to its passengers.
• An adult Bighead or Silver carp can eat up to 40% of its body weight each day. This, combined with its fast reproduction, can change the food chain and potentially displace other species.
• Asian carp are a threat to already threatened and endangered species.
According to the Indiana DNR, it is illegal to possess live Asian carp. “If you catch one or if one jumps into your boat, eat it, put it in the trash, or use it as cut bait.”
The agency also recommends never release the fish caught from one body of water into another body of water. Draining your live wells before leaving the lake or river helps because Asian carp eggs might be floating in the water.
“Put unused live bait in the trash; don’t dump it into the lake or river. Young Asian carp resemble other common baitfish and they might have invaded your bait bucket without you realizing it,” states the factsheet.
The DNR is seeking additional information about the invasive species in the site. If you have a photo of the species, send the photo and the location of the sighting to ais@dnr. In.gov.
For more information about the Asian carp, visit asiancarp.dnr.in.gov.
“The more refined one is, the more unhappy” -- that was the Russian author Anton Chekhov’s view of the world. And more than 100 years after he penned that observation, nutritional scientists are shouting it from the rooftops: Eating refined carbohydrates not only fuels depression and some cancers (prostate and breast, for example), it lowers the quality of your life -- and shortens it.
Researchers looked at data from the PURE study to evaluate the association between intakes of refined grains, whole grains and white rice with cardiovascular disease, total mortality, blood lipids and blood pressure. Their results published in the BMJ found that eating around 12 ounces of refined grains a day (seven servings) was associated with a 27% higher risk of death and a 33% higher risk of serious cardiovascular events and higher blood pressure compared with folks who had the lowest intake of refined grains -about 1.7 ounces or what’s in 6 ounces of pasta. (White rice wasn’t heart-damaging.)
How easy is it to eat 12 ounces of refined carbs in a day? That’s what’s in a large serving of Mcdonald’s fries, four slices of hearty white bread, a cup of sugared cereal, one baked potato, two scoops of chocolate ice cream and three Oreos.
Luckily, it’s easy -- and tasty -- to dodge the refined carb bullet too. Opt for natural sugars in fruits, 100% whole grains, lots of highfiber veggies and no ultra processed foods. Then you can enjoy the happiness that comes from a lack of refinement!