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Unified Method - Pisgah Bay and Smith Bay - updates
Please share any updates or info you might have on the unified method that is happening now on Kentucky Lake.
Public access to Smith and Pisgah bays are restricted during carp removal effort starting FEB 3rd. At this time the project is scheduled to last for 3 weeks.
Recreational boaters should avoid the embayments to minimize risk of damage and disruption to the research operation. Access by road to the ramps and campgrounds in these bays will also be restricted. As a result it may not be possible for the public to directly observe the removal, but the Kentucky Afield tv show crew and local tv crews will be there.
The method involves setting a series of nets and using boats equipped with underwater speakers and electrofishing gear to drive the carp to sequentially smaller compartments, where they can be removed from the water.
The Asian carp harvested using the Modified Unified Method will be taken by Silver Fin, a non-profit research entity which has contracted with the state to test experimental gear. Silver Fin has purchased equipment to facilitate harvesting what is anticipated to be hundreds of thousands of Asian carp, more than the method has harvested in a single water body to date. Silver Fin has purchased expensive equipment to test during this event, and although they can sell the Asian carp to any vendor of their choice, there is not a market lucrative enough for Asian carp that will provide the company compensation to cover their costs for this initial effort. Additionally, Asian carp harvested will be sold to companies that are not current buyers in Kentucky, so Kentucky's commercial fishermen will not be negatively affected from a sudden increase in Asian Carp availability. The price that will be paid by buyers for the carp harvested by the Modified Unified Method will be a fraction of the regular price. Silver Fin Solutions of Troy, MO is a non-profit organization building a foundation for integrating partners, training fishermen and creating infrastructure; all to serve a new global fishing industry.
Trophy King II
Artcarney, Many thanks for the info. Will look forward to the KY Afield show that may show the effort and how successful it was. This has got to be the best effort I've read about to remove the carp. Just don't know why they would block the roads to the site(s) of the efforts. I would agree that the ramps should not be used to launch a boat in the area, but man, just a person who wants to drive down to the ramp to observe should not be restricted (IMO).
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Originally Posted by perchjerker108
The way I understand it, there's a LOT of equipment and people on the shoreline moving. I'd say keeping the public away from the shoreline operation is for safety more than anything. Imagine trying to handle/move a million pounds of fish and then having people getting in the way while trying to do it.
Crappie Wall Hanger II
From a news article I just read, I think the use of the sound of an elevator is quite interesting:
Ron Brooks is the Aquatic Nuisance Species Program Director for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, and helps coordinate efforts to combat Asian Carp. He said the “Modified Unified Method” originates from large nets fishermen in China have used to catch carp.
The nets are modified to have tighter meshes so that less carp can escape, and are combined with electrofishing equipment and underwater speakers to corral the fish.
“They found two effective sounds that really cause the fish to move out. One of them, the U.S.G.S. figured out several years ago is just an amplified boat motor noise,” Brooks said. “The other one that they started using is the sound of industrial elevators, when the two doors come together and they make that metallic slamming noise.
They figured out if they use that noise and repeat it rapidly, that also does a good job of scaring the fish.”
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Trophy King II
Ok, truly understand now. I hope this event is at least a moderate success. If so, I think we all we be very happy with the results.
Crappie Wall Hanger II
They are in Pisgah Bay today. A guy went out there and took a couple of pictures from Pisgah Point. Still no word yet on what they've caught so far.
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Looks methodicalThey are in Pisgah Bay today. A guy went out there and took a couple of pictures from Pisgah Point. Still no word yet on what they've caught so far.
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Trophy King II
Guys, I'm excited about this effort and truly hope it has some success. Hope to see some results soon. It looks like a MAJOR effort and hope it works to help the situation. If anyone has a future link to the results of the effort, please post. I think I saw a post that this event would be on a future show of KY Afield. This would be great!
Thanks: 
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