Utah Lake Carp Removal Status Update Utah Chapter of American Fisheries Society: March 22, 2011

Michael Mills

BackgroundUtah Lake

• Large (96,000 acres)• Shallow (Max Depth 14’) • Highly Productive• Algae dominated system• Natural habitat of the

endangered June sucker

Scheffer 1997

BackgroundCommon Carp

• Introduced into the Utah Lake watershed

• Dominates the Utah Lake fish community

• Loss of refuge habitat

Series of Common Carp Research Projects• 2001 – 2002: Identifying non native fish impacts

• Common carp ranked as highest potential for impacting recovery (habitat destruction)

• 2004 – 2006: Population estimates and feasibility of control options• 2005: Potential uses and marketing studies• 2006: Carp tissue contaminants study• 2007 to 2009: Pilot studies – removal and disposal projects • 2009: NEPA Compliance • 2010: Implementation

How Did We Get Here?

• Population estimate: 7.5 million age-2+ carp – 95% Confidence Interval (4.25 to 8.8 million)– Average weight 5.8 pounds

• Mechanical control is feasible through sustained effort– Remove 5 million pounds per year (~41,000 per day for 120 days)– Commercial fishing (large-scale seining)– 75% reduction in 6 years and 90% reduction in 7 years– Low level harvest to maintain reduced population

Population Estimate and Feasibility Results

Pilot Projects• October 2008 to April 2009: Test feasibility of annual

removal goal (2.5 million pounds in six months)• Contract awarded to Loy Fisheries after RFP process

• Removed 1.4 million pounds• Need larger equipment and better efficiency

• September 2009 to January 2010: Second Pilot Project• Removed 1.2 million pounds• Removal goals feasible with multiple crews

Loy Fisheries catch

Goshen Bay, Utah Lake

Ice Fishing

Loy Fisheries Carp removalPushing seine under the iceUtah Lake

Project Implementation February 2010: Issued Contract for first 5

Million Pounds• NEPA Compliance

– USFWS issued a Environmental Assessment and FONSI in January of 2010

• Securing funding– Received grant from USFWS to fund first year of removal

• Total removed: 3.29 Million Pounds– Average 22,880 pounds per day fished

Commercial Fishery Observers

Summary• 4.48 Million pounds removed since September 2009• Ongoing challenges:

• Disposal/marketing, Maintaining catch rates, Preventing population rebound

• Collaborating with other systems• Peter Sorensen, University of Minnesota• Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon

• Research on ways to improve catch rates and target younger fish

Questions???

2 Pilot Projects: October 2008 to April 2009 • Goal: Remove 2.5 million pounds in six months

• Test feasibility of annual removal target (5 Million pounds)

• Contract awarded to Loy Fisheries after RFP process

From left: Chad Landress (UDWR), Riley Peck (UDWR), Bill Loy (Loy Fisheries), Jeff (Loy Fisheries), Cody (Loy Fisheries)

2008 Pilot Project ResultsProject ran from October 2008 to April

2009• Total removed = 1.47 million pounds• Over 500,000 pounds removed through the ice• Best days exceeded 60,000 pounds• Average 20,993 pounds per day fished (4,520 to 64,980)• Very low by-catch• Needs:

• Larger equipment,• More mechanization

2009 Pilot Project ResultsProject ran from Sep 2009 to Jan 2010

• Total removed = 1.2 million pounds• Mean daily catch = 20,066 pounds (5,820 to 42,980)• Removal goals are feasible with multiple crews

Project OutreachCommunicate Project Objectives