Project Number : 2.5.9

Project Title: Evaluate Physical Methods to Disrupt Asian Carp Spawning Behavior and Decrease Egg ViabilityReuben Goforth (PI) & Sam Nutile (GRA)Department of Forestry & Natural ResourcesPurdue University

Introduction and Objectives• >180 aquatic invasive sp. (AIS) introduced to

Great Lakes; additional introductions likely

• Available AIS control tools limited; chemical agents non-selective

• Physical factors (e.g., electricity, sonication, aeration) may disrupt embryo development & may enhance susceptibility to chemical agents

• Critical stages for physical disruption need to be determined

• We will construct a test system to determine whether Asian carp eggs/embryos are susceptible to physical disruption

Current Knowledge• Electrical fields have been shown to disrupt

development of native fish sp.

• Bioengineering industry uses electricity to create temporary pores in cell membranes

• Exposure system being developed to expose Asian carp eggs & embryos at various developmental stages to varying electrical fields

Current Knowledge (continued)

• Multiple sp. being cultured to test exposure system prior to expected availability of Hypophthalmichys sp. eggs in late spring 2011

• Danio rerio

• Pimephales promelas

• Carassius auratus

• Rhinichthys obtusus

Future Plans• Construct additional exposure systems (Apr-11)

• Conduct electrical field experiments on Asian carp sp. & concurrently spawning native species (e.g., Moxostoma sp., Scaphirhynchus platorynchus, Cycleptus elongatus) using calibrated exposure systems (May-Jul 11)

• Conduct multiple control factor trials (e.g., electricity X low dose rotenone; May-Aug 11)

• Assess potential for in situ application of physical disruption & combined exposure

Technological or Other Hurdles

• Minor equipment/exposure system setbacks; nearly rectified at this stage

• Ready availability of carp eggs for exposure trials when needed!!!

• Need for “mobile exposure unit” to facilitate availability of carp eggs for experimental trials???

Data Gaps

• Incomplete knowledge of in situ effectiveness

• Incomplete knowledge of the most effective locations for in situ implementation

• Incomplete knowledge of the full range of potential ecosystem impacts of in situ applications

• ?????

Other AC Work in Goforth Lab• Movements of AC in Wabash River, IN

Reuben Goforth (PI) and Alison Coulter (GRA) Tag 100 AC using Vemco V16-4L acoustic tags Monitor movements over ≈350 river miles Evaluate where spawning taking place in Wabash

• Collaboration with Dr. Andrea Liceaga (Dept of Food Science, Purdue University)