Part I - VERY disturbing news that the first black carp in the wild
has been captured
>I have attached pictures of the black carp collected by commercial
>fisherman, Jim Beasley. Jim caught the fish from Horseshoe Lake in
>Alexander County, Illinois. The fish was 783 mm long and weighed
>5.8Kg. Evidently everyone's fears regarding the escape of this
>exotic are coming true, our native fishes and mussels should be
>nervous.
>
>Rob Maher
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Part II - The follow-up
Greg Connover (USFWS Marion office) made arrangements yesterday
evening to have our black carp specimen tested to determine whether
it is diploid or triploid. Paul Wills at Logan Hollow Fish Farm
performed the test. Paul was able to succesfully extract a blood
sample for testing. They first tested 3 known diploid grass carp and
3 known triploid grass carp, to determine a reference regarding
nuclear diameter of the red blood cells and then tested a blood
sample from the black carp. The nuclear diameter of the black carp
sample was identical to that of the triploid grass carp. Greg then
checked with Mike Freese (aquaculture specialist in AR) to see if the
nuclear diameter of the RBC's were consistent between black and grass
carp and according to Mr. Freese they are. Therefore, it would
appear that the fish in question is most likely a triploid. Greg
cautioned that these results are preliminary and that they going to
take some additional tissue samples to try to confirm that this fish
was a triploid. I'll keep everyone informed on any new developments.
Rob Maher
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Commercial Fishing Program
8450 Montclaire Avenue
Brighton, IL 62012
(618) 466-3451
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