Lake Norman To Be Filled With Weed-Eating Fish

HUNTERSVILLE, NC —The Lake Norman Marine Commission (LNMC) has announced that on Tuesday it will be stocking Lake Norman with 700 sterile grass carp in order to control the growth of hydrilla on the lake.

The public is welcome to come view the release of the fish, which will take place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at Blythe Landing in Huntersville, 15901 Hwy 73.

According to the Town of Cornelius Facebook page, hydrilla is an aggressive, invasive, non-native aquatic weed that left unchecked can negatively impact a lake or reservoir in just a few years. Dense stands of the plant can lower dissolved oxygen in the water, interfere with boating, swimming, power generation, water intakes, cause extensive sedimentation and lower surrounding property values.

According to Southland Fisheries, a South Carolina fish farm that specializes in fish for pond stocking, though is not involved in this project, sterile grass carp are used as an organic method of controlling problematic weeds, like hydrilla, instead of using harmful chemicals. Native to Asia, sterile grass carp are between four and five feet in size, weigh over 80 pounds or more and live for approximately eight to 10 years. The fish must be individually hand blood-tested to confirm their sterility.

Previous stockings of sterile grass carp at Lake Norman have eliminated large outbreaks of hydrilla that were observed in 2018 and 2019, according to the Town of Cornelius. This latest stocking will help to prevent the hydrilla from reestablishing on the lake.

The stocking of sterile grass carp on the Lake Norman is a cooperative effort between the LNMC, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission, Duke Energy and Charlotte Water.

In the fall, an annual survey is conducted of the lake to determine the extent of hydrilla infestation and help plan for future fish stockings.