Grave News on Lake Erie

[Pole]

I would suggest doing wat humans do best....OVERFISH THE CARP!!!!!!

 

[MN_Rebel]

Here is more info on the Gar:


For the most part, these are natural water bodies that are managed with man made water level control structures. I don't have the average depth info available at the moment.

Being at the northern limit of their distribution, there's always some concern about an especially severe winter's impact on their survival. Historically, I imagine the occasional harsh winter may have knocked their northern populations back a bit, but there were always nearby populations to re-populate these waters.

I was not able to read the article beyond the abstract on my phone, so I am not yet sure of the survey you are referring to. There are some significant differences between alligator gar and Florida Bass with regards to hardiness and sensitivity to the various environmental factors. Also, Florida Bass were never found this far north. If/When they are stocked this far north, they are in direct competition with the native northern strain of largemouth bass and do not do well. Even as far north as Tennessee, stocked Florida Bass were quickly out-competed by the native largemouth bass and their genes were no longer detectable in the stocked populations in a very short number of years. Alligator gar are ecologically different from the other gar species and are not utilizing identical, although similar, niches. For example, their larger size allows them to utilize much larger prey items than the other gars. Also, their spawning times and locations are reportedly different from the other gar species.

Thanks,

Trent

Sounds like you made my point after all that there is a chance that a severe winter pose a threat to the Alligator Gar populations. There isn't any evidence of alligator gars being present in Great Lakes in historic times so I would say that it's safe that gator gars are not native to Great Lakes. Regardless......even if they can survive, they won't do anything to the Asian carp populations as I keep saying that there are already predators in Asian carp infested lakes/rivers that can't even put a dent on the carp populations.

 

[Pole]

Sounds like you made my point after all that there is a chance that a severe winter pose a threat to the Alligator Gar populations. There isn't any evidence of alligator gars being present in Great Lakes in historic times so I would say that it's safe that gator gars are not native to Great Lakes. Regardless......even if they can survive, they won't do anything to the Asian carp populations as I keep saying that there are already predators in Asian carp infested lakes/rivers that can't even put a dent on the carp populations.

like I said humans could use carp for food fish.. I buy carp every Christmas,yum! this could also ease pressure on native species.

 

[MN_Rebel]

like I said humans could use carp for food fish.. I buy carp every Christmas,yum! this could also ease pressure on native species.

Or at least just change their name from carp to Asian whitefish or Asian milkfish or silverfin instead of Asian carps.

 

[Native K]

Regardless of their ability to survive... gar would not stop the carp. If im not mistaken some of the largest gator gars and regular gators for that matter live in the area that the asian carp was initially introduced. So trying to introduce them to an area to control an invasion that already has the jump on them would be futile if the already established fish couldnt even handle the spread of the things in the first place. It definitely blows that they made their way here and it may cause problems for the ecosystem and they might not. the only major damage i have heard about is to people on property. look at all the other invasive species we have had to deal with to date, nothing worked to stop them and the ecosystem will balance itself until an equilibrium is reaches. the zebra mussel is a filter feeder yet we still plenty of fish to catch. the goby eats eggs and babies but their are still plenty of walleye and bass and perch etc etc. This comes from a guy who grew up in port clinton, oh the walleye capital of the world. i wouldnt worry about the fish, i would watch your head if your boating though.

 

[MN_Rebel]

Regardless of their ability to survive... gar would not stop the carp. If im not mistaken some of the largest gator gars and regular gators for that matter live in the area that the asian carp was initially introduced. So trying to introduce them to an area to control an invasion that already has the jump on them would be futile if the already established fish couldnt even handle the spread of the things in the first place. It definitely blows that they made their way here and it may cause problems for the ecosystem and they might not. the only major damage i have heard about is to people on property. look at all the other invasive species we have had to deal with to date, nothing worked to stop them and the ecosystem will balance itself until an equilibrium is reaches. the zebra mussel is a filter feeder yet we still plenty of fish to catch. the goby eats eggs and babies but their are still plenty of walleye and bass and perch etc etc. This comes from a guy who grew up in port clinton, oh the walleye capital of the world. i wouldnt worry about the fish, i would watch your head if your boating though.

Native K, we experienced the negative effects from invasive zebra mussels here. A swimming beach near us has shut down due to too many zebra mussel shells washed up on the beach and caused lot of cuts on barefoot. The zeebs also changed the ecosystem and even changed the fauna as well. Few walleye fingerlings survived, tulibees & whitefishes do poorly in zeeb infested lakes and even increasing the growth rate of invasive aquatic plants.

I supposed we should not be worried about zebra mussels in these pictures. Took pictures last May in southern MN on Mississippi River. 3 feet deep of shells of zeebs

Sure the natives are still here, doesn't mean everything is okay. Round Gobies numbers are out of control despite of the predators has been eating them.

There is evidence of natives do poorly in Asian carp infested rivers. Skinny paddlefish and sickly buffaloes are common in some river systems.

Sure let's not be worrying about Asian Carps jumping out and hit our heads.....

 

[krichardson]

Is that you brandishing the paddlefish,Rebel?

 

[MN_Rebel]

Is that you brandishing the paddlefish,Rebel?

No this is not me, I found the picture on online published studies of the Asian carps and their negative effects on ecosystems and native fishes.

 

[Cod]

gobies are annoying Af, they definitely have decreased panfish numbers in certain areas. I remember fishing in Au Gres Michigan, Lakes Huron off the Pier, we caught like 50 gobies to just 1 bluegill.

 

[MN_Rebel]

gobies are annoying Af, they definitely have decreased panfish numbers in certain areas. I remember fishing in Au Gres Michigan, Lakes Huron off the Pier, we caught like 50 gobies to just 1 bluegill.

I heard same thing at Duluth, MN, the fishermen are having hard time to targeting their desired fish without hooked up over hundreds of round gobies or ruffes or three spined sticklebacks.