HARRISBURG, Pa. (Nov. 30) – The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) today announced that none of the water samples collected in Presque Isle Bay, Erie County, during October 2022 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) contained environmental DNA (eDNA) of Silver Carp or Bighead Carp.

Invasive carp, including Bighead Carp and Silver Carp, pose a significant threat to the Great Lakes ecosystem, the $7 billion-fishery, and other economic interests dependent on the Great Lakes and its tributaries.  Bighead and Silver Carp compete with native and recreational fish species and are known to quickly reproduce.  Anglers are urged to become familiar with the identification of invasive carp, including both adults and juveniles, as the spread of juvenile invasive carp using live bait buckets has been identified as a potential point of entry into Great Lakes waters.

To learn more about invasive carp and other aquatic invasive species, visit the PFBC website (Fishandboat.com) or www.invasivecarp.us.  Members of the public can report sightings of aquatic invasive species to the PFBC using an online form: https://pfbc.pa.gov/forms/reportAIS.htm.