Asian carp could dominate biomass of Lake Erie if the fish establishes there, a new study based on computer modeling has suggested. It also showed that if it happens and the bighead carp moves from the Mississippi River basin, it may account for more than 30% of the entire fish weight of the lake.

It has been found that an invasion of Asian carp, which are growing fast, could be significant for Lake Erie as it could become more than one-third biomass of the lake. The fish could be a threat to many fish species, except smallmouth bass which could benefit by the invasion of Asian carp, as per the study.

Still, the study researchers said the invasion impact will not be as great as people have feared as the fish species depends on plankon for food. It may be a threat if Asian carp starts consuming larvae of sport fish, as per the study published in the journal Transactions of the American Fisheries Society.

Before the study, a number of officials were harping on the invasion by the carp. They said the fish could pose a threat to ecology and economy of the Great Lakes basin. The study did not examine impact of the invading silver or bighead carp in Lake Michigan or Lake Superior and other Great Lakes.

“Even before this, my thinking was that Asian carp generally were going to have a tough time of it in Lake Michigan because the bottom of the lake is almost completely covered with quagga mussels”, said Harvey Bootsma from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.