Huge net used to pull Asian carp from Lake Decatur dam

DECATUR, Ill. (AP) – Fishermen with a net are removing thousands of Asian carp from Lake Decatur dam in central Illinois.

The Herald and Review reports that the effort began Monday, days after the state was told that many fish were gathering there. The invasive species will be trucked to a company in Bushnell, Illinois, which will process them for fish meal and fish oil.

Kevin Irons of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources says some fish appear to be 20 to 30 pounds. The net is 30 feet deep.

The Sangamon River is impounded to form Lake Decatur in Decatur. A barrier prevents Asian carp from jumping into the lake.

In May, The Army Corps of Engineers approved a $778 million plan to block the carp from reaching the Great Lakes. The fish can cause serious damage by dominating native fish for food and space.

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