Asian Carp Movement and Spawning Patterns in the Wabash River, Indiana

As Asian carp (Hypopthalmichthys spp.) continue to spread through the Midwestern United States, it is necessary to examine and evaluate their impacts on aquatic ecosystems.  Movements and habitat use can give insight regarding a variety of potential influences and impacts.  Recent recognition of the potential for introduction of Asian carp to the Maumee River basin via the Wabash River, IN, has caused great concern given the Maumee River’s connection to Lake Erie.  In 2011, telemetry data shows that Asian carp are within 20 miles of the Maumee-Wabash connection and that they are spawning under unexpected conditions.  100 individuals from 2011 and 100 more individuals from 2012 will be tracked through the Wabash River and its tributaries using surgically implanted with Vemco V16 acoustic tags.  Movements of these individuals will be monitored with a combination of Vemco VR2W stationary receivers positioned in the main channel as well as tributaries as well as manual tracking using a Vemco VR100 receiver.  Bongo nets will be utilized to monitor spawning activities in the Wabash and compared to data from 2012 to examine potential spawning cues and conditions.