Over two days in October, USFWS collected and analyzed hundreds of eDNA samples from three sites at Taylorsville Lake. Of the 330 water samples collected from the lake, six tested positive for invasive carp genetic material.

“A positive eDNA sample does not necessarily indicate the presence of live fish,” said Dave Dreves, director of the Fisheries Division at Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. “It is possible for genetic material to be introduced into the water by boats or fishing equipment used in another area where invasive carp are present, or even by other animals such as fish-eating birds.”

Invasive carp are detrimental to native species in Kentucky, according to KYFW. They can out-compete native species for resources and some females can produce over 1 million eggs annually, causing their numbers to grow at an alarming rate. Also, silver carp can potentially cause injury to boaters due to the jumping behavior they exhibit when startled.

It is illegal to move live invasive carp species in Kentucky. For more information on how to identify and report invasive carp, visit the KYFW website here .