Colvin, M.E., Pierce, C.L., T.W. Stewart, and S.E. Grummer. 2012. Strategies to control a common carp population by pulsed commercial harvest. Strategies to control a common carp population by pulsed commercial harvest. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 4: 1251-1264. PDF

Overview.—Commercial fisheries are commonly used to manage nuisance fishes in freshwater systems, but often unsuccessfully. We evaluated strategies for successfully controlling a nuisance common carp population by pulsed commercial harvest using a combination of field sampling, population estimation and CPUE indexing, and simulation modeling using an exponential semi-discrete biomass dynamics model (SDBDM). The range of annual fishing mortalities resulting in successful control were narrow (F=0.244-0.265). Common carp biomass dynamics were sensitive to unintentional under-harvest due to high rates of surplus production and a biomass doubling time of 2.7 years. Simulations indicated that biomanipulation never achieved successful control unless supplemental fishing mortality was imposed. Harvesting a majority of annual production was required to achieve successful control, as indicated by the ecotrophic coefficient (EC). Tools such as SDBDMs and ECs used with readily available biomass data can be used in an adaptive management framework to successfully control common carp and other nuisance fishes by pulsed commercial fishing.