Examination of the Sensitivity of Bighead Carp and Silver Carp to Antimycin A and Rotenone

摘要

The general public, natural resource managers, and government agencies have become increasingly concerned about the continued spread of silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and bighead carp H. nobllis in the Mississippi River basin and their potential spread into the Great Lakes. An integrated approach of chemical, biological, and physical measures is needed to reduce Asian carp populations in these waters. Rotenone and antimycin are the only general piscicides that are registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for controlling fish populations. Considerable information is available regarding the toxicity of these chemicals to numerous fish species. However, there is little available toxicity information indicating the potential for these chemicals to control Asian carp. In this study, Prenfish (5% rotenone) and antimycin (90% antimycin-A) toxicities to silver carp and bighead carp were assessed in acute toxicity and effective contact time tests.