An invasive species of carp continues its spread to northwest Iowa lakes.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says Silver Carp are now in Lost Island Lake. State fisheries experts confirmed the presence after a commercial fisherman collected several while seining the lake for common carp and buffalo carp.
DNR Fisheries Biologist Mike Hawkins says this is the third time this year an invasive carp species has been found in northwest Iowa lakes. In August, DNR personnel captured two bighead carp in East Lake Okoboji while conducting routine sampling. In September, a commercial fisherman caught both bighead and silver carp in Elk Lake.
Bighead and Silver Carp are members of the Asian Carp family and are a non-native species that recently invaded the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. Officials say extreme flooding this past summer allowed the fish to travel past barriers on the Little Sioux River that would normally prevent their passage.