ARVADA, Colo. — Colorado aquatic biologists on Wednesday removed invasive carp from an Arvada pond.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) said its biologists pulled 14 bighead carp from the pond at Jack B. Tomlinson Park, west of Garrison Street at West 51st Avenue.
Each of the 14 fish caught at the pond were at least 3 feet long, and the largest weighed 46 pounds.
Acting on a tip from the public, CPW pulled the fish from the pond and checked a neighboring body of water connected by a culvert. No carp were found at the second location.
CPW said its team was able to find the carp by using electrofishing methods that emit electricity into the water, stunning fish into a temporary stupor.
Bighead carp are not native to Colorado and negatively impact the ecosystem, as they are prolific eaters, CPW said. They feed primarily on plankton and compete with many native and sport fish species that depend on plankton.
"Bighead carp are filter feeders and can grow to incredible sizes in both small and large bodies of water," said Robert Walters, CPW's invasive species program manager. "Once established, these fish can outcompete native Colorado species for food and resources."
CPW said bighead carp were introduced in 1992 as a part of a national study done to examine whether the species could be effective in reducing nuisance algal plaguing ponds. The fish were to be removed at the conclusion of the study in 1995; however, bighead carp persisted in the waters.
"The size of the bighead carp removed indicates natural reproduction has most likely not taken place, which was the best case scenario," said Kyle Battige, senior aquatic biologist for the northeast region of CPW.
"This operation all started with a tip from an angler," said Philip Sorensen, CPW district wildlife manager for Westminster and Arvada. "We are grateful when the public reaches out to tell us about invasive species in their neighborhoods. We want to know about the presence of invasive species."
CPW will continue to check the pond in the future to ensure the nuisance carp do not remain.
Anyone who observes suspicious aquatic species in Colorado waters can file a report with CPW.
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