Getting Rid of Invasive Species With a Little Electric Shock

Researchers collect fish using backpack electrofishing. Image courtesy South Carolina Department of Natural Resources The problem of invasive species is a slippery one for fisheries managers. One of the most notorious invaders, Asian carp, now dominates large portions of freshwater in the central U.S., and keeping them out of the Great Lakes could cost upward of $18 billion, according to a recent study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. There are a number of preventative measures in place to keep invasives from entering new waters. But at present there are few measures that fisheries managers can use to get rid of invasive fish once they’ve established themselves: basically, toxic chemicals, or targeted fishing. But a better remedy may be as simple as a small dose of electricity. That’s the idea behind a recent study, which found that electrically charged wands can help eradicate invasive fish in small streams with less collateral damage to the ecosystem.