Midwest Fish & Wildlife Conference 2016

AUTHORS: Blake Sauey*, U.S. Geological Survey, Joel Putnam,, U.S. Geological Survey, Jon Amberg, U.S. Geological Survey

ABSTRACT: Bigheaded carps Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and H. nobilis are an invasive species that pose a major threats to the ecological, economic, and recreational use of United States waterways. They are prolific spawners, fast-growing, and efficient filter feeders that can dramatically alter aquatic ecosystems. Currently, there are only two general-use piscicides registered and available for resource managers to use to control bigheaded carp populations: antimycin-A and rotenone. However, these piscicides function by stopping oxidative phosphorylation at the election transport chain, which is a highly conserved process. As a result, all species present in the system are affected, including the economically and ecologically important species. Therefore, developing a species-specific control tool is highly desirable in order to decrease negative impacts on non-target species. A targeted-delivery tool, such as a micro-particle imbedded with a piscicide, was produced with the intention of exploiting bigheaded carp feeding habits. Using technologies developed in the aquaculture and food industries, we are evaluating the selectivity of these micro-particles as a potential toxicant delivery mechanism to bigheaded carps. We are also evaluating the inclusion of citric acid in the microparticle because we have seen a stabilizing effect on the degradation of antimycin-A under acidic conditions. Our objectives were to determine: the optimal type and formulation of micro-particle, the efficacy of the selected micro-particle in laboratory trials, the feasibility of the use of micro-particle technology in an outdoor pond setting, and the toxic effects of antimycin-A with acidic conditions.