A project to remove invasive carp on the lower Grand River will close the river to boat traffic. The fish removal project by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) on the Grand River will close the Brunswick Access and the lower eight miles of the river before it flows into the Missouri River from September 12th to the 16th. The invasive carp tend to spawn in the slower feeder streams, and both young and mature carp congregate in the nutrient-rich water of deep pools.
The fish removal project is being conducted in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and will include crews netting and removing the invasive carp from the river, and a commercial fishing operation will then process the fish into various products such as food for human consumption, as a protein additive for animal feeds, and for prepared fish bait used by anglers.
The removal can boost the available food and habitat for native fish in the Grand and Missouri rivers such as catfish, paddlefish, sturgeon, buffalo and the many smaller fish species that are part of the ecosystem. The removal will target silver, bighead, grass, and black carp.
During the operation, the Grand River above the lower eight miles can still be accessed by boaters via the Bosworth Access. The Missouri River will still be accessible by boaters via MDC’s Miami, Waverly, Dalton, and Glasgow fishing accesses. Bank fishing will still be allowed in the lower eight miles during the operation.
