Fisheries scientists are not mourning the deaths of thousands of carp which died in a fish kill in the Illinois River, and may be hoping that even more fish die.
Last week, introduced Asian carp started to die off in the Illinois River with thousands of corpses visible in the area extending from Starved Rock to as far as Havana.
According to ABC7 Chicago, biologists who work in the area are happy that the alien fish have started to die off.
Joe Ferencak of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources impoundment program told the LaSella News Tribune:
"From a biological standpoint this is a good thing. We were trying to collect live fish for federal folks doing a study on (Asian carp) reproduction and we started seeing quite a few carcasses."
The fish kill has affected both Bighead carp, Hypophthalmichthys. nobilis and Silver carp, H. molitrix, but as yet scientists don't know what's causing the fish to die off.
Anglers in Illinois, Missouri and Mississippi rivers have suffered broken ribs, dislocated jaws, facial cuts and serious bruises after being whacked by Silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, leaping out of the water.