Emerging control strategies for integrated pest management of invasive carps

Abstract

Invasive carps are ecologically and economically problematic fish species in many large river basins in the United States and pose a threat to aquatic ecosystems throughout much of North America. Four species of invasive carps: black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus), grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), are particularly concerning for native ecosystems because they occupy and disrupt a variety of food and habitat niches. In response, natural resource agencies are developing integrated pest management (IPM) plans to mitigate invasive carps. Control tools are one key component within a successful IPM program and have been a focal point for development by governmental agencies and academic researchers. For example, behavioural deterrents and barriers that block migratory pathways could limit carps range expansion into new areas, while efficient removal methods could suppress established carp populations. However, control tools are sometimes limited in practice due to uncertainty with deployment, efficacy and availability. This review provides an overview of several emerging modelling approaches and control technologies that could inform and support future invasive carp IPM programs.

Incorporating metapopulation dynamics to inform invasive species management: Evaluating bighead and silver carp control strategies in the Illinois River

“…Behavioural deterrents (e.g. acoustics, light, carbon dioxide; Cupp et al, 2021) could be a way to add additional effectiveness to these existing lock and dam structures while maintaining normal operations. These approaches have varying levels of effectiveness (Noatch & Suski, 2012), and while our model only explores the location and effectiveness of generic movement deterrent parameters, estimates based upon deterrent evaluations could be inserted to provide more specific evaluations at various locations for efficacy predictions for management consideration.…”

“…Although removal efforts have been focused on reducing abundance near the invasion front (Coulter, MacNamara, et al, 2018), additional harvest farther downriver on the source population might also support the goal of minimizing propagule pressure upriver from the invasion front (Baker, 2017). Additionally, a variety of deterrence technologies have been investigated (Cupp et al, 2021) that, if effective, could be placed at existing navigation lock structures to further decrease passage. Assessing deterrent locations and effectiveness of harvest needed to elicit desired population responses will be important for successful long‐term management as part of integrated approaches.…”

Forecasting suppression of invasive sea lamprey in Lake Superior

“…Because many invasive species management actions do not generate expected, positive outcomes, data‐driven forecast model development should become a higher priority within invasive species management institutions. For example, emerging strategies for controlling invasive carps in North America include forecast model development through population dynamics modelling and decision analysis (Cupp et al, 2021; Robinson et al, 2021). Given the overlap of fisheries science and invasive species management objectives from a population ecology perspective (Shea & Kelly, 1998), lessons learnt by fisheries scientists could provide guidance on how to more fully integrate forecast model development with invasive species control practice.…”

Analysis of per capita contributions from a spatial model provides strategies for controlling spread of invasive carp

“…For example, invasive carp exhibit demographic variability across their invasive range (Erickson et al, 2021; Lenaerts et al, 2021). Ongoing efforts are underway to combine population models (e.g., Tsehaye et al, 2013) with movement data (e.g., Coulter, Brey, et al, 2018) in a size‐dependent spatially explicit invasive carp (SEICarP) model (Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee, 2018; Cupp et al, 2021). Comparisons of the outputs of models such as this to the current simpler linear model could allow assessment of the importance of size on harvest and movement on management strategies.…”