Two years in, carp removal continues at Utah Lake

With a fish net the size of three football fields, commercial fisherman are hard at work right now removing 40 million pounds of carp from Utah Lake, KSL reports. The ongoing effort is a continuation of what started two years ago to restore, clarify, and protect the lake.

On average, Bill Loy Jr. and his crew remove 3,500 carp per day. Splitting the bill between state and federal agencies, the government pays him 20 cents per pound. But he and his crew have their work cut out; the 40 million pounds only takes into account adult carp, not the young ones that will soon replace the outgoing adults. What’s more, when the lake is iced over, Loy and his team fish through holes — not an easy task.

For more information, please contact the June Sucker Recovery Program, the primary sponsor of the carp removal.