EDDYVILLE, Ky. – Congressman James Comer (KY-01) concluded a successful field briefing today to examine the threat posed by Asian carp to Kentucky’s waterways and economy. Witnesses Allen Brown from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mark Giakowski from the U.S. Geological Survey, Ron Brooks from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, Randy Newcomb from the Kentucky Lake and Visitor’s Bureau, and Bobby Wilson from the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency gathered to share their testimonies on the issue and offer solutions to mitigate this growing problem. Congressman Comer is grateful for the incredible community response to this briefing, and looks forward to working with the community and federal partners to combat Asian carp in Kentucky.

Congressman James Comer:

 “Our community has sent a clear message: Asian carp are inflicting serious damage on local tourism and threatening our hotels, restaurants, bait shops, restaurants, and numerous other small businesses…I hope our discussion today can inform future decisions to improve cooperation between our federal agencies, states, and localities.”

Ron Brooks, Fisheries Director, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources:

“Kentucky and Tennessee are doing as much as we can to implement strategies to control and reduce Asian carp in Kentucky and Barkley lakes, but we need immediate federal assistance. If nothing more is done soon, based on the rate of Asian carp movement up the two rivers, the fate of the remaining 11 reservoirs will soon follow that of Kentucky and Barkley lakes.”

Randy Newcomb, Executive Director, Kentucky Lake Convention and Visitor’s Bureau:

“For over 70 years, visitors from all over the world have taken time each year to disconnect from their busy lives and reconnect with their families, friends and nature at our lakes. We can no longer stand by and watch the downfall of our lakes caused by Asian carp. I believe that with your help, along with the cooperation of state and local governments, a solution can be found to remove and control the population of Asian carp in our waterways, and someday find a way to eradicate the invasive species.”

Allen Brown, Assistant Regional Director of Fish and Aquatic Conservation for Region 4, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:

 “Here in Kentucky, the Service is working collaboratively with its federal and state partners to implement strategic detection, prevention, and control actions to reduce the risk from Asian carp populations in the Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers.”

For more information on the briefing and to read full witness testimonies, please visit: https://oversight.house.gov/hearing/field-briefing-protecting-our-waterways-examining-federal-efforts-to-control-asian-carp-in-kentucky/.