(Spirit Lake)--The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is considering a new method to determine which species of fish are swimming in Iowa lakes and streams. The agency currently uses electrofishing in the spring and fishnets in the summer and fall to catch fish, assess their health, and then release them back in the water. Andrew Carlson, Fisheries Biologist with the DNR Office in Spirit Lake, says the new method is called environmental or e-DNA.
Carlson says e-DNA is currently being used in northwest Iowa.
He says e-DNA is being used in several other states including Michigan.
Carlson says there’s also a sub study being done in northwest Iowa on electrofishing.
Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have partnered with the U-S Fish and Wildlife Service to track invasive species with e-DNA.
