In our Muskingum River Survey we’re searching for a couple (invasive) fish species that we hope we do not find: The Silver and Bighead Carp. Environmental DNA has been detected in the Muskingum River for Bighead Carp and also for Northern Snakehead, another invasive species from Asia.
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- Northern Snakehead, photo from Fishbase
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- ODNR boats ready to go catch some fish.
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- OSUM Fish Collecting Coordinator and Muskingum River Survey project leader Brian Zimmerman captains the OSUM Fish Division boat.
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- Several sets of hoop nets ready for deployment at each of five sites in the Muskingum River pools.
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- ODNR flag and buoy marks the net sets
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- This will take care of those pesky invasives!
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- OSUM Curator Marc Kibbey retrieving snapping turtle bycatch from the hoop nets
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- OSUM Graduate Student Paul Larson holding a big flathead catfish taken from the hoop nets. Nice catch Paul!
And just as importantly, we’re taking names, numbers, weights and lengths of everything else we catch, documenting Muskingum River’s fish fauna before the Asian carp invade. Just a few of the native species we’re catching or may catch soon that are found in the Muskingum:
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- Gizzard Shad, photo by Nate Tessler
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- American Freshwater Eeel, photo by Nate Tessler
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- Bowfin, photo by Brian Zimmerman
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- Blue Sucker, photo by Brian Zimmerman
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- Spotted Bass, photo by Brian Zimmerman
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- Shorthead Redhorse, photo by Brian Zimmerman
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- Northern Pike, photo by Nate Tessler
About the Author: Marc Kibbey is Associate Curator of the Fish Division at the Museum of Biological Diversity.
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