Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the Great Lakes-Northern Forest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit

The USGS is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU partner for research in invasive Grass Carp spawning and early life history in Great Lakes tributaries. Grass Carp are an invasive species in North America, which threaten native species through the destruction of habitats provided by aquatic vegetation, which are important for production of waterfowl and sportfish. Grass Carp spawn in riverine habitats during specific environmental conditions (i.e., high streamflow events). Consequently, Grass Carp spawning can be surveyed using nets and the collected eggs and larvae have provided crucial information to identify where adult Grass Carp can be targeted for removal efforts. Further, control efforts implemented during spawning may disrupt spawning behavior. Understanding when and where Grass Carp reproduction occurs has been identified by management partners as an important component of responding to the threat of Grass Carp in the Great Lakes. A Presidential Memorandum titled Protecting the Great Lakes from Invasive Carp was issued May 9, 2025, which directed "research and management concerning the prevention, removal, and management of aquatic invasive species in the Great Lakes, including invasive carp."