Upcoming in Rocheport, Mo.
The “other” invasive carp, Black Carp – Mylopharyngodon piceus
Presentation by Patrick Kroboth, fish biologist with U.S. Geological Survey
Patrick Kroboth, fish biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, will share some of the latest in invasive black carp research, studying the species status in the wild, life history, behavior, and potential impacts.

Allen Rost, from Morrison, MO and owner of Rost Fish Co., was the first commercial fisherman to report a black carp from the Missouri River. The darker fish in the center is the black carp. The other fish are grass carp. photo courtesy of Allen Rost.
Time and Place
Tuesday, February 9, 2021
7:00 pm
Online Presentation by fish biologist Patrick Kroboth, U.S. Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center
Hosted by Missouri River Relief on Zoom and live-streamed on YouTube.
Streaming sponsored by Rivermiles, the folks that bring you the MR340
Tuesday, February 9, 2021
- 7 p.m. presentation
- The presentation will be hosted on Zoom. Click here to register.
- We will allow 115 to register, but only 100 will be allowed to connect for the presentation. By watching through Zoom, you will have the opportunity to ask questions.
- Anybody can watch the live stream on our YouTube Channel!
Hosted by Missouri River Relief
In the past couple of decades, we’ve watched as several invasive carp species have exploded throughout our midwestern rivers. Biologists have their eyes on the next carp invasion which is the black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus).
Where the silver and bighead carp feed on plankton, the base of the aquatic food chain, the black carp feeds on mussels, clams and snails. These fish have remarkable molars designed to crush hard shells. This could be particularly damaging to the ecosystems of Missouri River tributaries like the Osage and Gasconade that are rich in native mussel species.
Patrick Kroboth, fish biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, will share some of the latest in black carp research, studying the species status in the wild, life history, behavior, and potential impacts.
Resources & Links
Dig deeper for more info on this topic –
- Asiancarp.us
- Columbia Environmental Research Center – Invasive Species
- Black carp description – USGS
- RESEARCH – USGS-CERC publications on black carp
- BOOK – “Overrun – Dispatches from the Asian Carp Crises” – by Andrew Reeves (2019, 355 pp)
- ARTICLE – “An invasive black carp with human-like molars is threatening the Mississippi River Basin” by Jessica Fu, The Counter, January 29, 2019
- ARTICLE – “Scientists: Discovery of young, wild black carp troubling” by Margaret Stafford, St. Louis Post Dispatch, March 5, 2016.
VIDEO – “Identifying Black Carp” by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
The Big Muddy Speaker Series in Rocheport
is hosted by these wonderful partners.
- Missouri River Relief
- Les Bourgeois Vineyards
- Katy Trail Bed & Breakfast
- Missouri River Cultural Conservancy (MoRivCC)
Streaming is sponsored by Rivermiles, the folks who bring you the MR340.
Click here for a list of upcoming presentations»
Special thanks to Les Bourgeois Vineyards for giving us the opportunity to use their beautiful space overlooking the Missouri River. All speakers are presenting for free! Thank you all for sharing your knowledge with us!
The Big Muddy Speaker Series also takes place in Kansas City and St. Charles.
The views and opinions expressed by our presenters do not necessarily reflect the view or policies of Missouri River Relief, the Big Muddy Speaker Series or any of the partners that support this public forum. The Big Muddy Speaker Series believes that hearing diverse perspectives is a crucial building block for an informed public.