Invasive Carp Turned Into 'Traitor Fish' to Protect Great Lakes

New strategy doubles the annual removal of invasive carp, but the fight against their spread continues.

Wildlife officials are using a new strategy to slow the spread of invasive carp in the Great Lakes by turning the carp into 'traitor fish'.
Officials capture the carp, implant them with transmitters, and release them back into the water. The transmitters send real-time notifications of the carp's location, allowing officials to find and remove multiple fish from the ecosystem.
Four different species of carp, imported to the U.S. in the 1960s and 1970s, have spread into rivers and streams across the nation, causing significant damage to aquatic ecosystems.
State and federal agencies have spent a combined $607 million to stop the fish, with spending expected to hit $1.5 billion over the next decade.
While the strategy has drawn some criticism, officials argue that it is worthwhile, pointing to results in the Mississippi where real-time tracking has helped double the poundage of invasive carp removed annually.