Asian carp sometimes confused for bait, Michigan anglers warned

Michigan's state fishery regulators are asking anglers to monitor live bait purchases for juvenile Asian carp.

The struggle to prevent bighead and silver carp from reaching the Great Lakes has drawn lots of attention. But the Michigan Department of Natural Resources says the invasive fish also pose a threat to inland waters.

Juvenile Asian carp might be confused with common baitfish such as gizzard shad, emerald shiner, spottail shiner or golden shiner.

Officials say people mistakenly could bring them into Michigan from areas that have breeding Asian carp populations.

Characteristics that can identify them include body colour; scale pattern; eye size and location on the head; mouth shape and location; and presence or absence of keels on the fish's bottom side.

A video showing the telltale signs is available at www.michigan.gov/asiancarp .