LOUISVILLE, Ky. — U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Tuesday that he $25 million will help fight the Asian Carp infestation in Western Kentucky and throughout the region, which includes $2.5 million for contract fishing, in the Fiscal Year 2020 government-funding agreement.
According to McConnell, both the House of Representatives and Senate are expected to approve the government funding bills, sending them to President Trump for his signature.
McConnell has put a focus on the invasive Asian Carp problem in Western Kentucky, which he indicates are a grave threat to West Kentucky’s waters which impacts the region’s anglers, boaters, and local businesses. McConnell has increased funding and prioritized Kentucky’s response by bringing together local leaders and Trump Administration officials.
“With increased federal resources, we’re fortifying our treasured West Kentucky waters against invasive Asian Carp,” said Majority Leader McConnell. “Along with local leaders, especially Judge Wade White, I’m using my leadership role to raise the alarm to the highest levels of the federal government. As a result, we’re continuing to deliver national attention and critical support to combat this urgent threat. For boaters, anglers, and the businesses and communities who rely upon them, we need to address the Carp problem now, and I’m proud President Trump has joined our effort to protect Kentucky’s heritage and economy.”
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the federal funding will help remove Asian Carp from reservoirs like Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake. Earlier this year, USFWS agreed to McConnell’s request to deploy the advanced “Unified Method of Fishing,” which will use electronic technology to corral Asian Carp before extracting them from the water with specialized nets. This technique has been successful in controlling Asian Carp populations abroad, and the USGS has successfully deployed it in Missouri and Illinois.
In May, Senator McConnell visited West Kentucky with members of the Trump Administration, where they discussed options, such as the Unified Method, to address the Asian Carp invasion with local officials, community leaders and the local media.
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