$100 bounty for invasive Black Carp in Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) is now offering a $100 reward to anglers who catch and report invasive black carp in state waters, part of a growing effort to track the species’ spread across the Mississippi River Basin.

The program—“Keep, Cool, Call”—is supported by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and Tetra Tech. Although no black carp have been confirmed in Oklahoma yet, officials say early detection is key. Anglers, including bowfishers, can earn the bounty up to 10 times per month if they follow specific guidelines.

To qualify for payment, anglers must:

1. Humanely kill the fish and keep it on ice (transporting live invasive carp is illegal).
2. Record GPS coordinates, gear/bait used, and habitat details.
3. Submit clear photos of the fish’s head, mouth, and total length.

ODWC invasive carp biologist Erika Sarvela joined Tess Maune to share more about the species; watch the interview in the video player below:

Reports should be emailed to invasive carp biologist Erika Sarvela at erika.sarvela@odwc.ok.gov or called in to (580) 596-8025 or (918) 683-1031. The ODWC will coordinate pickup of the fish for further analysis.

“We have invasive carp profiles on our website to help with identification,” said Sarvela. “Although the reward is only for black carp, we ask anglers to report any invasive species caught in state waters.”

Black carp are bottom-feeding mollusk eaters and pose a significant threat to native mussel populations. Thanks to the success of the tracking effort in Illinois, the program now covers the Arkansas, Red, and White River basins in Oklahoma.

More information, including identification resources and a helpful video, is available at:

1. https://wildlifedepartment.com/fishing/ans
2. https://youtube.com/watch?v=5XsXY_qYiyA