To whom it may concern:
I am writing to voice my opposition to further stocking of grass carp in the Santee River system.
I support a balanced approach for home owners and sportsmen alike. I am saddened that in order to appease a few, many will suffer. I used to fish and hunt the Santee lakes often. Since the napalm approach to the Hydrilla problem, and the resulting fallout to native vegetation the lakes are a far cry from what they were. There used to be plenty of native plants which provided cover for fry, and migratory waterfowl. Now, I see more cormorants than ducks, and DNR is forced to stock the lake with Striped Bass to maintain any fishable population. Triploid carp, striped bass, and herbicides are costly. Maintaining a resource for the benefit to all, will pay dividends. Lakes are more than jet ski, and party barge locations. They can and will provide the state, and local economies with significant revenues.
As I understand the report, I see that the carp released last year were included in the total numbers, however, those who compile the report did not include that they are not yet at a size where they will do any "good".
I urge you to please consider what will happen when all the carp that are released will reach a size that hydrilla will not sustain their appetites, and they will move to native aquatic vegetation. This will further destroy any chance for fish to survive the protected and invasive catfish, the protected cormorants and curtail any reason for the residents to host fishing tournaments, and attract traveling fishermen with money for local businesses. The only migratory waterfowl who will visit the lakes, will be the cormorant, which is not such an attractive bird for traveling birders.
Again, I ask that you put management of the resources involved before public opinion.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, or would like additional feedback.
With warm regards,
**SCDNR letter**
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Originally Posted by ManvsDuck
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