Kansas gov., attorney general raise alarm on invasive fish species

TOPEKA ( KSNT ) – Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and Attorney General Kris Kobach are joining forces in an effort to protect the state’s waters from an invasive species of fish.

Kelly and Kobach issued a joint letter Friday, Aug. 16 to Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen in opposition to his state’s proposition involving the Platte-Republican interbasin transfer. The pair are objecting to this move due to the damage it could cause to the state’s fishing activities and native aquatic wildlife.

“The proposed Platte-Republican interbasin transfer would severely damage Kansas’ finest fishing and boating destinations,” Kelly said. “Places like Milford Lake are enjoyed by thousands of Kansas and Nebraskans alike. We cannot stand idly by while our state’s critical natural assets are put at risk.”

Nebraska’s Department of Natural Resources is currently considering the transfer which is expected to allow invasive carp species to enter Harlan County Reservoir in Nebraska and Lovewell and Milford Reservoirs in Kansas, according to a press release from the Office of the Governor. Invasive carp cause a host of problems for the state’s native species and recreational fishing activities.

Biologists with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks ( KDWP ) have removed thousands of pounds of silver and bighead carp from the Kansas River this year alone. These invasive carp, originally coming from Asia, take away many of the nutrients in the Kansas River which could go to the state’s sportfish or native species.

Invasive carp are currently confined to the Kansas River from the Kansas City metro area to Lawrence’s Bowersock Dam. Crossing this threshold, through a flooding event or the Platte-Republican interbasin transfer, could introduce them to a host of new waterways in the state.

“As an avid fisherman, I’m one of thousands of Kansans who enjoy our first-class lakes and waterways for fishing,” Kobach said. “I will use every tool available to keep these invasive species from harming Kansas waters.”

The state of Kansas has shared concerns over this issue with its northern neighbor when Nebraska first considered an identical transfer application in 2018. Following this, the threat of invasive species like silver carp entering the Republican River Basin has only increased, according to the Office of the Governor.

“These species can decimate local fish populations and pose safety hazards for recreationalists in impacted rivers and lakes,” said Acting Secretary Christopher Kennedy with the KDWP. “Efforts in other states to eliminate these carp populations once they’ve established are costly and largely unsuccessful, making prevention critical wherever possible.”

You can find a full copy of Kelly and Kobach’s letter by clicking here or checking it out below:

Nebraska Platte-Republican Diverson Final by Matthew Self on Scribd

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