Acoustic conditioning in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) to accelerate removal and reduce cost

Abstract

The common carp (Cyprinus carpio) is one of the most widely distributed invasive fish species in North America. Bait-and-removal strategies, which employ carp-specific bait and pop-up nets, face limitations due to the variability in size and duration of carp feeding aggregations. Acoustic conditioning, training carp to associate an acoustic signal with bait delivery, may enhance this strategy by promoting more synchronized aggregations. Two studies were conducted to examine this. In a controlled laboratory setting, carp subjected to partial reinforcement during acoustic conditioning exhibited behaviors more resistant to extinction than those under continuous reinforcement. In a natural lake, while carp did not significantly respond to the acoustic cue alone, pairing the cue with bait increased new carp recruitment to the site, accelerated the rate at which peak activity was reached, and resulted in tighter aggregations. These results suggest that acoustic conditioning can improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of bait-and-removal strategies.