The US offers a reward to anglers who catch invasive silver carp

Tennessee state authorities are willing to pay $100 per tagged carp to the person who catches them to reduce the number of white carp in the wild.

White carp are causing disruption to the Tennessee ecosystem. (Photo: AOL).

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) is offering a reward of $100 for each fish caught with a tag or upper jaw collar that the local fisheries agency places on 1,000 white carp. If a tagged fish is caught, anglers should retain the tag and contact the TWRA fisheries department, using the number on the identification accessory. Then the authorities will need them to provide more information about where and how to fish. If an angler catches a whiting without a tag, TWRA urges freezing it or storing it on ice and contacting the organization immediately.

According to the Tennessean, silver carp is one of four common invasive fish species in Tennessee. This aquatic species feeds on zooplankton, an important food source for many native fish species in the state. They can weigh up to 27.2 kg and can injure fishermen and boaters when they jump out of the water.

White carp, a native animal in China, is disrupting the local ecosystem. Therefore, authorities emphasize that anglers should not release white carp back if they catch them. Similar programs are being implemented in many other places. In the state of New South Wales in Australia, the annual Namoi Carp Muster event rewards the person who catches the most carp or the biggest carp. In Florida, divers at the Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival compete to catch the most lionfish to win prize money. Lionfish specialize in eating native fish and lay many eggs regularly.

Destroyed ecosystems in waterways can lead to a chain effect, the decline of some species upsetting the natural balance, thereby reducing food sources for communities living near water. That's why strict control of invasive species is so important.