Grass Carp: Best Management Practices

It is important to know how to manage Grass Carp, or White Amur, in your pond responsibly. Grass Carp are the only species of Asian Carp allowed to be sold in Ohio, and they must be certified as sterile (triploid) so they cannot reproduce. 

Grass Carp are used by pond-owners to control aquatic vegetation without the use of herbicides; however, this can prove costly if these fish enter natural waterways where native fish and other wildlife depend on vegetation for food and protection. 

If you are interested in purchasing Grass Carp for your pond this spring, please seek a reputable fish dealer who will only distribute sterile Grass Carp. For a list of reputable dealers, contact the ODNR Division of Wildlife at 1-800-WILDLIFE. Soil & Water Conservation Districts that sell Grass Carp through their Fish Sale are also sourced from an approved dealer.  

**The Lucas SWCD no longer offers Grass Carp through our Fish Sales because the species is not native to Ohio and poses a risk of becoming an invasive species that alters native ecosystems.**

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