Great Lakes Fishery Commission
Other Partners
U.S. Geological Survey
We monitor, assess, map, and conduct targeted scientific research so that policy makers and the public have the understanding they need to address complex environmental, natural resource, and public safety issues.
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
Protecting Ontario’s biodiversity while promoting economic opportunities in the resource sector and supporting outdoor recreation opportunities.
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency safeguards environmental quality, consistent with the social and economic needs of the State, so as to protect health, welfare, property, and the quality of life.
Recent News
Partners prioritize more than $72 million in projects to protect the Great Lakes from invasive carp
Great Lakes conservation partners today announced more than $72 million will be dedicated to 45 priority projects in 2026 to protect the Great Lakes from the threat of invasive carp.
No silver or bighead carp found during intensive monitoring in Chicago Area Waterway System
No silver or bighead carp were captured or observed in the Chicago Area Waterway System during the Spring Seasonal Intensive Monitoring effort involving two weeks of intensive sampling in May 2026.
2025 annual update on targeted mass removal of invasive carp from the Illinois River
The State of Illinois’ invasive carp management program is on the cusp of a major milestone, nearly reaching the 50-million-pound mark for invasive carp removed from the Illinois River over the last 15 years. A total of more than 7 million pounds were removed in 2025 through two separate but complementary invasive carp mass removal projects.
Black carp bounty program expands to cover Mississippi River basin waters
In an effort to learn more about invasive black carp, state and federal fisheries partners are expanding the scope of a bounty program to more broadly engage commercial fishers in providing black carp for research.
No bighead or silver carp found during intensive monitoring in Chicago Area Waterway System
No bighead or silver carp were captured or observed in the Chicago Area Waterway System during the Fall Seasonal Intensive Monitoring effort involving two weeks of intensive sampling in late September and early October 2025.
2025 mid-year update on targeted mass removal of invasive carp from the Illinois River
Two separate but complementary invasive carp mass removal projects on the Illinois River – amounting to nearly 46 million pounds removed to date – are on track to meet or exceed the goals set in the 2025 Invasive Carp Regional Coordinating Committee Action Plan.
No invasive carp found during intensive monitoring in Chicago Area Waterway System
No bighead or silver carp were captured or observed in the Chicago Area Waterway System during the Spring Seasonal Intensive Monitoring effort involving two weeks of intensive sampling in late May 2025.
No bighead or silver carp captured during 2024 Seasonal Intensive Monitoring
No bighead or silver carp were captured or observed in the Chicago Area Waterway System during the Fall Seasonal Intensive Monitoring effort involving two weeks of intensive sampling in early October 2024.
Dead invasive silver carp removed from the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Invasive Carp Regional Coordinating Committee today announced the removal of a dead invasive silver carp from the Lockport Pool in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal.