Carterville FRO Fishery Biologist Greg Conover attended the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force meeting in May to brief Task Force members about the draft Management and Control Plan for Asian Carps in the United States and to request approval of the plan for public review and comment. 

The draft plan, developed by the Asian Carp Working Group, was submitted to the Task Force by the Service's Region 3 Fisheries Program in April 2006. 

The Task Force was informed that the collaborative process used to develop the plan in partnership with the Asian Carp Working Group was highly successful and nearly all issues were resolved.  The draft plan identifies 7 goals, 46 strategies, and 129 recommendations to protect the Nation’s natural resources. 

Although this collaborative process was highly successful, the Working Group did not reach agreement on recommendations regarding the ‘Use of triploid black carp on aquaculture facilities’ and ‘Commercial, domestic transport of live farm-raised bighead and grass carps’. 

The Task Force was requested to provide comments on the draft plan and for approval to release the draft plan for public comment.  The Task Force granted provisional approval to release the draft plan following an additional review period.  The Service will begin addressing Task Force comments on the draft plan, beginning in July 2006, in preparation for the public review period.