This award has the primary purpose of research

This $1,314,833 federal Project Grant award from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Fish and Aquatic Conservation - Aquatic Invasive Species (CFDA 15.608) program aims to reduce invasive carp populations and monitor their expansion in the Upper Mississippi River. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will lead the research, which includes using commercial fishers to intensively target invasive carp species for removal, surveying for invasive carp larvae, and evaluating the ability of invasive and native fish species to pass through major pinch points like Lock and Dam 19. The University of Illinois will serve as a sub-grantee, providing specialized scientific expertise and support for the research and monitoring activities. This grant represents a comprehensive effort to address the growing threat of invasive carp in the Upper Mississippi River basin and protect native aquatic ecosystems.

This research is being done to act to reduce invasive carp, population densities, monitor their recruitment, control their expansion, and evaluate the ability of invasive carp, paddlefish, bigmouth buffalo, lake sturgeon, and flathead catfish to pass these major pinch points in the upper mississippi river. Research will be done by the illinois natural history survey.