Congress may award Tennessee extra $14 million to fight Asian carp
October 17, 2019 at 11:35 a.m.
| Updated October 17, 2019 at 12:44 p.m.
by
Associated Press
Staff photo by C.B. Schmelter/ Carp swarm out of the Cumberland River as Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Reservoir Biologist Michael Clark, left, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Fisheries Biologist Matthew Combs, center, and Kentucky DFWR Fisheries Biologist Joshua Tompkins work to remove them from the water during an electrofishing demonstration at the Barkley Dam on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019 in Grand Rivers, Ky. The electrofishing demonstration was held to show the large population of an invasive carp in the river.
JACKSON, Tenn. (AP) -- Congress may award an extra $14 million to help fight Asian carp in Tennessee.
The Jackson Sun reports Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander announced last month that a Senate committee had approved $25 million to fight the invasive fish. That marks a $14 million increase from last year. The award, which still needs approval from the full Senate, would go toward funding research and working to stop Asian carp.
The fish was first introduced to the U.S in the 1970s and has since worked its way up the Mississippi River and inland to Pickwick, Cheatham and Old Hickory dams. Tennessee Wildlife Federation CEO Michael Butler says the funding is a good first step, but the species is threatening billions of dollars in investment and economic activity.
