The post Hey, Anglers! You Can Earn $$$ For Catching Carp! appeared first on A-Z Animals.

Quick Take

• The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is paying anglers to catch the invasive black carp species.

• The committee program runs across 27 states.

• Participants can earn a max of $1,000 monthly, help eradicate invasive fish, and aid in ecological monitoring.

• Live possession of the black carp remains illegal.

In this economy, any chance to get some extra money in your wallet is always welcome. While there are plenty of side hustle options out there, one this unique does not come along often. To help combat invasive species, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is paying anglers to catch the invasive black carp species. This Instagram post by @the_cool_down talks about the system. If you’re interested in learning more, keep reading below!

Earning Money with Carp?

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department started a program to help combat the invasive black carp species. The Black Carp Bounty Program is coordinated by the Invasive Carp Regional Coordinating Committee and supported by 27 state agencies. Valid areas include different states across the Mississippi River basin. This includes Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

This program is a great way to get some money in your pocket, while also helping with ecological monitoring. By receiving records of where the black carp were caught, ecologists can study the range of the species, ages, diets, movement, and more in an effort to combat population growth. The committee has not specified an end date, but they update their pages regularly.

How Does the Program Work?

The payout program is pretty simple, but there are some important things to keep in mind. First, you must catch a black carp and confirm the species. You should take notes of the appearance and location where the fish was caught. These measurements are useful for the committee. In addition to this, you need to note the fishing gear and bait used, the habitat where the fish was caught, and other conditions like water temperature, flow, and depth. After taking these notes, you need to humanely kill the fish and keep it cool on ice or in a freezer. Any live possession of black carp is illegal. Finally, call the appropriate agency for the state in which you live.

Before the call, there are a few things you should prepare. This includes a photo of the fish, your own contact information, the location of the catch, the gear used, and any notes you have about the conditions. For payouts, it’s important to note that you can claim up to 10 bounties per month, with a maximum payout of $1,000 per month. The Black Carp Bounty Program page has more information on requirements, as well as a list of agency contact information. Hopefully, with this information, you can reel in some money!

The post Hey, Anglers! You Can Earn $$$ For Catching Carp! appeared first on A-Z Animals.