Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and Attorney General Kris Kobach are joining forces in an effort to protect the state’s waters from an invasive species of fish.
Kelly and Kobach issued a joint letter to Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen in opposition to his state’s proposition involving the Platte-Republican Interbasin Transfer. The pair are objecting to this move due to the damage it could cause to the state’s fishing activities and native aquatic wildlife. Nebraska’s Department of Natural Resources is currently considering the transfer which is expected to allow invasive carp species to Milford. Invasive carp cause a host of problems for the state’s native species and recreational fishing activities. These invasive carp, originally coming from Asia, take away many of the nutrients in the Kansas river which could go to the state’s sportfish or native species.
Invasive carp are currently confined to the Kansas River from the Kansas City metro area to Lawrence’s Bowersock Dam. Crossing through the Platte-Republican Interbasin Transfer, could introduce them to a host of new waterways in the state.
