Asian carp population modeling to support an Adaptive Management framework, USGS Contribution

The Spatially Explicit Asian carp Population (SEAcarP) model was developed to inform management and research decisions with the goal of minimizing the abundance of Bighead Carp and Silver Carp (collectively referred to as “Asian carp” in this document) in the upper Illinois River waterway, thereby reducing risk of population expansion toward the Great Lakes and reducing potential impacts on native species. This model provides an objective, data-driven approach to maximize return on investment of management actions and facilitates defining research and monitoring priorities.