Seismic Water Guns Studied as a Deterrent against the Invasion of Asian Carp in the Great Lakes

From the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS):

Seismic Water Guns Studied as a Deterrent against the Invasion of Asian Carp in the Great Lakes 

The Bighead Carp and Silver Carp are two Asian carp species that may pose a threat to the Great Lakes ecosystem if they move from the Mississippi River basin into the Great Lakes. Introduced into the Mississippi River basin during the 1970s, they spread across the basin. If these carp get into the Great Lakes they may deplete resources that are normally consumed by native fish species and could adversely affect the sport and commercial fisheries industries in the Great Lakes.

In a recent 2015 publication, U.S. Geological Survey researchers from the Western Fisheries Research Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Science Center (UMESC), and the Illinois Water Science Center discuss the use of seismic water guns as a deterrent against the invasion of Asian carp. The researchers evaluated the efficiency of a water gun array by studying the behavior of acoustically-tagged Bighead Carp and Silver Carp in a closed shallow pond. The water gun, which was developed in the 1980s, produces an acoustic pulse in the surrounding water by the implosion of a cavity created behind a jet of high-pressure water that is expelled from the gun (Hutchinson and Detrick, 1984).

The research showed that water guns could be used as a barrier, but because they were not 100 percent effective they would need to be used with other types of barriers. The water guns could also be beneficial for herding, as the fish tended to school together as they moved away from the firing guns. The guns could, therefore, be helpful for removing fish and moving them to another location. Researchers concluded that more testing and evaluation needs to be completed before fully understanding the use of the water gun as a means to control Asian Carp.

To read more about this research by USGS go to:http://wfrc.usgs.gov/newsletter/

Related publications:

Romine, J.G., N.R. Jensen, M.J. Parsley, R.F. Gaugush, T.J. Severson, T.W. Hatton, R.F. Adams, and M.P. Gaikowski. 2015. Response of bighead carp and silver carp to repeated water gun operation in an enclosed shallow pond. N. Am. J. Fish. Manage. 35(3): 440-453. http://goo.gl/iEA7j9

Image Caption: Silver carp are an invasive species from Asia found in the great rivers of the central US Silver carp have been observed to jump in response to rocks thrown in the water, passing trains, geese taking off from the water, or just when they unexpectedly find themselves in a tight place. However, a speeding boat seems to especially frighten them and often dozens of the fish will be airborne at once, sometimes reaching heights of ten feet in the air. Photo by USGS.