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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Request for financial support of carp removal during the spring 2022 <br />Carp Solutions- University of Minnesota <br /> <br />Project Background <br />One of the key drivers of the poor water quality in the Long Lake Creek Watershed is the <br />overabundance of invasive carp. These aggressive, non-native fish drive out native species like <br />walleye and bluegill, and destroy the habitat for beneficial aquatic plants. They stir up phosphorus <br />that decreases water clarity and promotes algae growth. <br /> <br />With support from the Long Lake Waters Association (LLWA) members, the Orono Lions Club and <br />the cities of Long Lake and Medina, we have been working on the management of carp in Long <br />Lake for the past four years. Our efforts to understand migration patterns and quantify the <br />population of carp have allowed us to develop a detailed plan to remove enough carp this spring <br />to achieve an ecologically safe level. <br /> <br />We are working with Carp Solutions, a University of Minnesota company that specializes in <br />innovative technologies for invasive fish management, focusing on the common carp. The carp <br />population in Long Lake is close to 7000, based on the most accurate data gathered in 2021. <br />This number is 2X the level that damages the ecosystem. The majority of the carp in the lake <br />are +22 inches long and weigh 10 lbs. <br /> <br />The good news is that migration of carp into Long Lake is limited, so if we can remove an <br />additional 2,900 carp in spring of 2022, we will reach the goal of less than 90 lbs. per acre, which <br />is the threshold for minimal impact on lake ecosystems. Each spring, about 80% of the carp <br />migrate up Long Lake Creek in the NE area of the lake. These carp are blocked by the man-made <br />dam constructed just below County Road 6. This scenario creates an opportunity to remove large <br />numbers of carp in the spring as they aggregate in the creek below the barrier. Because Long <br />Lake is dominated by large carp and production of young carp is relatively low, removal of adult <br />carp in the spring is expected to be long-lasting (i.e. removed carp are unlikely to be replaced by <br />increased production of young carp).