U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service releases video on the science of eDNA in the fight against Asian carp
In the fight against Asian carp and other aquatic nuisance species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other project partners have turned to environmental DNA as a new fisheries tool. Environmental DNA, also known as eDNA, is a technique that analyzes water samples for traces of genetic material left behind in the water.
A fish's genetic material can be left behind in the form of scales, cells, feces or mucus. Invisible to the naked eye, the presence of Asian carp DNA in the water can be revealed through careful lab analysis and help shed light on the potential ways Asian carp may enter a water body in the wild.