Illinois could pay you $1,000 per month to catch invasive black carp

ILLINOIS – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources could pay fishers up to $1,000 a month to catch and remove black carp, an invasive species threatening the Mississippi River basin and its tributaries.

IDNR is now offering a $100 bounty for each black carp caught through its “Keep, Cool, Call” program with payments capped at $1,000 per person per month.

The “Keep, Cool, Call” program aims to track and reduce the state’s black carp population through research. The invasive species poses a significant threat to local ecosystems by feeding on native freshwater mussels and snails, many which are threatened or endangered species.

To qualify for a reward, individuals must take clear photographs of the fish’s head, mouth and total length. Fishers are also asked to take note of capture location (if possible with GPS coordinates) and water conditions. The invasive carp must be caught from the Mississippi River basin or its tributaries.

IDNR encourages people to catch black carp through legal fishing methods, such as hook-and-line and bow fishing. After a catch, fishers are advised to humanely kill the fish and freeze it. Possession of live invasive carp is illegal.

Fishers who catch a black carp and hope to participate in the program should contact Sara Tripp, IDNR commercial fishing program biologist, at 618-444-3078 or sara.tripp@illinois.gov.