There may be carp in nearby waters, but they’re the home-grown variety. Extensive testing for the Asian or silver carp has found no evidence of the invasive fish in the bay of Sturgeon Bay. The DNR & the US Fish & Wildlife Service gathered 150 water samples from the bay in November after a single DNA test previously showed the presence of the fish in an area between Bullhead Point & the edge of Potawatomi State Park. However, analysts found the sampling suspect & set up a grid system in order to conduct a thorough search. The Asian carp is a concern because of its reputation for gobbling up plankton, tiny plants & animals that are vital to the aquatic food chain. The worry is that it will get a foothold in the great lakes, reproduce rapidly & destabilize the lake’s multi-billion dollar fishing industry. The fish also has the strange habit of flying out of the water & hitting anything in its path. Marine biologists say the good news is that the Asian carp isn’t visiting Door County, but efforts to keep it at bay must continue.
