Commercial Carp Fishing?/Invasive Alligator Gar in Yakima R.

[Sandberm]

https://www.tri-cityherald.com/sports/outdoors/article242283636.html

Why would the WDFW hire commercial carp fishermen? If they are using a net to catch carp would they not also be catching everything else like bass, walleye, etc?

The article goes on to say commercial carp fishermen caught a pair of alligator gar in the backwaters around Batemen Island at the mouth of the Yakima river. An aquatic invasive species from the south. Thats not very good.

[Katmai Guy]

Yep! Net away!

[kidkodger]

WDFW isn't too worried about bass, walleye and such anymore, just the salmon and steelhead.  These guy appear to be gillnetting, I've seen videos of commercial carp fishing, it seems most of it is done with sein nets so it's possible to release non-target species.

[Hilltop123]

WDFW isn't too worried about bass, walleye and such anymore, just the salmon and steelhead.  These guy appear to be gillnetting, I've seen videos of commercial carp fishing, it seems most of it is done with sein nets so it's possible to release non-target species.

Targeted or not, you can bet there is verbage in the contract. That states, all non native species will be retained. It would not suprise me that the true targeted speices are walleye and bass, just under the ruse of carp removal. Not to many will get spun up over carp removal. But alot would, if they came out and said, we are netting walleye and bass for removal.

[Stein]

Why would anyone spend money netting bass?  What would they do with them?

[Hilltop123]

Same can be said about carp

[Alchase]

Same can be said about carp

I can understand why they want to eradicate the carp, There are whole sections of rivers here in OK that are invested with carp. No one targets them except a few Asian fisherman. You can see 20-30 lbrs rolling in the Medicine Creek Park.

[Gobble Doc]

Hasn’t the Columbia and Yakima had carp in it for decades?

[nwwanderer]

History is sketchy but probably at least a hundred years, maybe 150.

[dilleytech]

Why would anyone spend money netting bass?  What would they do with them?

Bass are  great eating. Then again so are carp I guess..

[DOUBLELUNG]

There are definitely European and Asian ethnic communities that prize carp as food fish.  I've not tried it but have been assured that early season carp from cold, clear water can be pretty good eats, but then I've got Eastern European Jews in my heritage.