Kentucky Fish and Wildlife increases incentive for invasive carp removal

​​FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 5, 2026) — Commercial fishers now have more incentive to catch and remove invasive carp from Kentucky waters.

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources has increased the commercial fishing incentive from $.10 to $.15 per pound for the harvest of invasive carp from Kentucky Lake and Barkley Lake.

This change aims to keep pressure on invasive populations of silver carp, bighead carp, black carp and grass carp, which threaten native fish and aquatic habitats.

“We have several lines of evidence suggesting our management strategy is reducing invasive carp populations in both lakes,” said Joshua Tompkins, coordinator for the Aquatic Invasive Species Program. “To keep that trend going, we’re adapting our efforts to maintain harvest at effective levels. Our success is due to the hard work of our commercial fishers and strong federal support.”

In 2024, commercial fishers harvested more than 15 million pounds of invasive carp through Kentucky’s Invasive Carp Harvest Program, bringing the total to more than 74 million pounds since 2013.

Recent data show signs of population decline: no young silver carp have been detected in either reservoir since 2015 and average catch rates have dropped sharply since 2019. Another indication of lower population numbers is that invasive carp are showing improved body condition, indicating less competition for food.

The use of deterrent technology is also paying off. The BioAcoustic Fish Fence at Barkley Dam along the Cumberland River, which uses sound, light and bubbles to deter fish movement, has reduced upstream migration by about 50 percent.

In addition, the department’s Experimental Commercial Fishing Methods Program is testing new gear and techniques that allow large-scale removal of invasive carp while minimizing impacts on native species. Some commercial fishing crews have proven capable of removing more than 60,000 pounds of invasive carp per day from Kentucky waterways.

“Increasing the incentive to commercial fishers will help ensure we keep suppressing invasive carp numbers,” said Dave Dreves, director of the Fisheries Division for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. “It’s a big win for anglers and boaters that recreate on Kentucky and Barkley lakes, as well as for the vital $940-million tourism economy of the Western Waterlands Region.”

For more information about invasive carp eradication efforts visit the Invasive Carp Information webpage on Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s website (fw.ky.gov) or call 1-800-858-1549, 8​ a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (ET) weekdays, excluding holidays.