The fight against an invasive fish in California’s Clear Lake

Invasive carp can cause serious damage to ecosystems. They threaten native wildlife - including the Clear Lake hitch, a culturally significant fish for the tribes who have lived along the lake and its tributaries for thousands of years. Carp also kick up sediment, unlocking nutrients from the lake bottom that fuel harmful blooms of algae. In spring of 2023, a team began an assessment of Clear Lake’s carp population to determine where to best target the fish for removal in the fall.
Produced By Tien Nguyen for Knowable Magazine
For more, read related article in Knowable Magazine:
Reviving a famously polluted California lake
knowablemagazine.org/article/...

[@amberdawnmilner7323]

Thank all of yall for doing what you are to save Clearlake. I'm not sure if any of this will help, a few ideas. Maybe some sucker fish, water temp may be an issue in winter but Russia have them and may withstand the cold temp better. Fresh water sponges they help filter the water and sucker fish make a bit of waste so they might help, also they can live for a really long time and may be able to be harvested probably in the far future. I was also thinking charcoal filters water, there is a lot of charred timber from wild fires that may be able to be used to make specially designed filters for the lake maybe using hemp mesh. Another thing, that lake is older than any of us are or will ever be, I conciter it to be an Elder along as a Chief. I'm hoping as long as one person sees it that way that it is. If yall can use that for the lakes advantage please do so. I went to school with some Indians from Robinson's Rancheria under my maiden name Mikel, they may have some good ideas on how to help the lake as well. By the way let them know I called Indian war a while back, that should help them get things done.

[@kimmychristensen2747]

I really hope you can revive Clear Lake. I have always been sad to know how polluted it is and that no one can even swim in it. I hope also that one day it can be how is was before the Carp and contaminates

[@carpy1252]

Carp will never be erradicated... goldfish are still legal in California to be used as live bait for goodness sakes, and they either escape from their lines or fishermen even dump them out after fishing. Most of the public has little awareness or concern about this huge issue.

[@amberdawnmilner7323]

I looked up water lilies, they can be a little pricey, they are all beautiful, there is one that is ultra violet I think the lake would like some of them as well. Like I said they can be a little pricey, maybe some water lilies can be finagled onto the bass tournament fees until enough are in the lake to help it.

[@amberdawnmilner7323]

This may be a reach, I looked up what year the carp were introduced to Clear Lake and what was happening durring that time. The carp came from European settlers, they knew what they are capable of. Concitering what was happening durring that time there is reason for me to believe the introduction of carp into Clear Lake was an act of war, that is affecting people in the area to this day, and many more days from now.

[@amberdawnmilner7323]

I looked more into the medicinal properties of water lilies, not much research has been done according to what I read on Google, however I read Egypt has been using the purple water lily for a long time, they may have more information on all of the water lilies and what they ate good to be used for and how.

[@amberdawnmilner7323]

I was wondering how lily pads effect the quality of water so I looked it up, the roots of water lilies help, and the pads help keep the water cool so algea won't grow as much, but too many can have a bad effect, Google has more info on it.

[@amberdawnmilner7323]

I'm not sure how practical or realistic this is but maybe someone can design water filters that can be attached to boats so they can clean the water as they are enjoying it, it won't help over night but eventually it may help some. Might be a part of the puzzle.

[@amberdawnmilner7323]

Regarding my last comment I am not saying to jump from branch to branch, or to jack things from people, just saying if yall get the proper training to take care of your dialysis treatment have no fear. Also NxStage the dialysis company that provides the machine and some supplies has a 24 hour # to call when issues come up, because sometimes they do, but NxStage is there to help.

[@amberdawnmilner7323]

All the bass fishermen might want to help Clear Lake some also. They have nice clean and shiny boats, they should help the lakes they fish out of be the same. They might also really enjoy adding a carp tournament, no catch and release. Hopefully the bass fishermen get this message, then yall should get help from all over the world to help save Clear Lake. Thanks in advance.

[@carpy1252]

Bass fishermen are a different breed, it's their entire identity so I don't believe they will waste their time at the lake targeting carp. If anything, they still practice using goldfish carp as live bait which is ending up invading waterways all across the US. The practice is still legal in many states, very frustrating!

[@ronyates7420]

Real bass fisherman don’t use live bait and it certainly isn’t allowed in tournaments. Do a little research.

[@carpy1252]

@@ronyates7420 and what of the hundreds of thousands of bass fishermen in the US that fish with live bait outside of tournaments? Duhh

[@ronyates7420]

@@carpy1252 they don’t

[@amberdawnmilner7323]

I was just thinking about the sucker fish that I mentioned earlier, the lake may need to be eaned significantly before it's safe fir them, plus the travel from Russia may not be safe for them.

[@amberdawnmilner7323]

My typing error just gives yall more comments, I think that a good thing for yall you tubers, the blue water lily helps relieve depression, and other things. Might be worth a try, a lot of people are struggling with a number of medical problems in that area, and all over for that matter. May the water lilies help in all the ways they are meant to. 💜😁💙

[@amberdawnmilner7323]

Another thought, in order for people to qualify to enter a bass tournament some carp should have to be caught and turned in first. I'm sure they are excited, any excuse to go fishing! So yall are welcome. 🥳

[@amberdawnmilner7323]

Theres something called the hemmer, if yall have time look up hemmer mecury removal from lakes.

[@robertkarp2070]

Just to be clear. Clear Lake is the largest NATURAL fresh water lake in California, not the Largest Lake in California. Lake Shasta is larger but it isn't a natural lake.

[@amberdawnmilner7323]

I was just wondering how often they test the wine to make sure what they are putting on them to keep things off of them are not in the wine, I think that's a legitimate question. I don't drink, but others do. Some have to to deal with that crap. And that's something the wineries are probably aware of. If the FDA says it's ok to have a certain percentage of crap in wine, like they do with all food and drinks, I would suggest doing what Erin Brockovich would do, give then a cup of it, or maybe put it in a cute shoe.

[@amberdawnmilner7323]

The native Americans should keep in mind how much their ancestors must have laughed when they saw those men in wigs and high heels, probably to the point of crying, they thought it was all fun and games because of their laughter, then what happened happened and the laughter stopped. Laughter is great medicine, also can be used to make others need medical care. It is what it is, and just about all of America needs medical care at this point anyway, it's time to heal. One of my great grand daddies was headed for office, something's happened to me years ago and things were mentioned, my great grand daddy wanted to help fix things because he saw how things were headed and wanted to make it right again, he didn't make it to office to do what he wanted to do.

[@calicoasting]

It's Chinese fisherman ....

[@amberdawnmilner7323]

I also have pancreatitis. I looked up environmental causes for it what came up was for pancreatic cancer one of the causes was believed to be pesticides. Let the wine makers and grape growers know if and when they get it they will be whining. And that they should help clean up the pesticides and to find a safer way or stop doing it all together. I don't care how much money they make people are suffering so they have enough money to buy cute shoes!

[@amberdawnmilner7323]

Here's one of the poems I wrote a while back, the hope is it will piss the Pomo off enough to do something, and a certain few get a good laugh, for medicine. If your tribe feels left out please feel free to add yours to it, add to the poem itself if you wish. ☆ They are both cry babies the Chalk-taw and the Pomo, who's the bigger one? I don't know, they are probably the same, pretty much lame, they know why.

[@amberdawnmilner7323]

Also I was thinking it would be concitered a war crime as well for the pharmicutical companies to take the native Americans natural remedies and add fillers that give you side effects like anal leakage, that's Mt. Dew, but some of the medicine to treat something makes you take another pill for that problem all for their financial gain, yes they do help however the enviroment that has been created causes people to need them. Also I think it would be beneficial for hospitals to have at least enough medicine men on their staff.

[@amberdawnmilner7323]

A while back I was at my local Safeway waiting for a cab, I was speaking with a nice young man who looked Indian. He said a few things to me, one of which he said in a sorrowful way was that we were standing on stolen property, to that young man I want to say thank you for saying the things you said to me that day.

[@amberdawnmilner7323]

I'm in a mood right now, I would like to remind those fighting for gasoline that yalls toys won't go vroom vroom without clean water so yall can go vroom vroom. Got ir? Yall can't race with out water! That should help, a lot.

[@amberdawnmilner7323]

Going back to the government coming over in wigs and high heels, perhaps the native Americans should start wearing their native clothing on a regular basis again, it might give them a run for their money.

[@crowman5936]

Mercury in Clear Lake has always been in the ground and polluting before there were any mines being worked.

[@Fishing85]

Their was no reason to bring the Indian tribes into this. They always have their own agenda.

[@RippieFarmer]

Why would the native tribes NOT get involved? It's their lake more than it is anyone else's and no one else is putting in the leg work to make a real difference.

[@Fishing85]

@@RippieFarmer it is not their lake so don’t even start. They do not have the power, money or resources to do anything. Indian tribes talk tough but have nothing to back it up with. Get off your high horse and grow up.

[@RippieFarmer]

@@Fishing85 should we leave it to the powers of Lake County that have failed time and time again to take any real action that benefits the lake? Even the ones that would have generated income for the county? The tribes are stepping up to fix what we have failed to do. Let them at least try before you keep saying stupid shit.