The Bighead Carp is a common species of invasive carp in northwest Missouri that the Missouri Department of Conservation is looking to clear out/ Courtesy of the Missouri Department of Conservation By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post A number of invasive carp species have taken over the Lower Grand River and now the Missouri Department of Conservation is looking to remove them. Invasive carp come in a variety of species, the most common locally is the Bighead Carp. They reproduce easily, often crowding the rivers. Missouri Department of Conservation Supervisor Kasey Whiteman says the department is looking to remove 15-thousand pounds of the invasive species "Because we know that the river system is all connected and therefore is considered an open system and the fish can go in and out, the first thing that we're going to do is we're actually going to completely net off on the upper end of that area completely net off the Grand River and then on the lower end by the mouth we're going to completely net off that lower end," Whiteman tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr and Dekalb County Presiding Commissioner Kyle Carroll. Whiteman says the department is going to evaluate its removal technique so it can improve its strategy on removing invasive species. The department will close an eight mile stretch of water on the Lower Grand River from the Brunswick Access to just before where the river flows into the Missouri River. Whiteman says none of the carp the department retrieves from the river will go to waste, thanks to a partnership with a commercial fisherman "He will take the fish from us and then he will be able to use them through various means of cut bait for catfish to sell to people, or selling them to different avenues of people or processing plants that will use them for food fish, or fertilizer, or dog food," Whiteman explains. "But these fish can actually be used for something and not just necessarily once we get them out of the water that we consider them wasted." Whiteman says any game or native fish that are caught will be sorted out and kept alive in tanks before being transported outside of the closed area where the department is getting the carp. The department will have that stretch of water closed until Friday. 

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