MDARD Aquatic Pest Management (Category 5) Practice

The introduction of grass carp for biological control is often viewed with caution due to their tendency to consume a significant amount of native aquatic vegetation. This is a major disadvantage because while their primary role is to manage certain problematic plants, their feeding can lead to the overconsumption of native species, disrupting local ecosystems and harming habitats that rely on specific plant communities for stability and biodiversity. The removal of native plants can have cascading effects on aquatic ecosystems, affecting not only the plants themselves but also the animals that depend on them for food and shelter. Therefore, the risk of grass carp negatively impacting the balance of an ecosystem is a key concern for their use in biological control settings.