Just days before the city of Austin moves forward with the plan to release carp into Lake Austin to reduce hydrilla, outdoors enthusiasts and environmentalists are filing a lawsuit to try and prevent it.
"They have to consume 100 percent of their body weight each day in vegetation to survive, the problem that causes is sure they'll eat the hydrilla, but also eat the important native grasses," Mike Hastings, of Sensible Management of Aquatic Resources Team, said.
Hastings said releasing carp into Lake Austin is not a good management tool for hydrilla.
"The quantity and the quality of the bass will tremendously decline. This is documented. It has happened before. Every time grass carp have been stocked in a public water body the result has been the total eradication of all vegetation and a horrible decline in the fishery," Hastings said.
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Carp lawsuit
Fisherman plan to sue the city and LCRA for trying to kill the pesky water plant hydrilla.
 
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Fishermen and other environmentalists who make up the SMART coalition want to keep carp out the lake. Austin officials want to add 1,600 carp this weekend.
Attorney's representing SMART want to meet with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the Lower Colorado River Authority and city officials before it's too late.
"Our time to try and get everybody together and work out an agreement and work out a plan is very short, so we're having to file things now that we hoped we didn't have to file at all," SMART attorney Richard Lowerre said.
Hastings and other anglers would like to see mechanical harvesting as the primary method of hydrilla control.
"You can cut the vegetation down to about seven feet and you can mow it at key times during the peek growing season and you never allow the vegetation to reach the surface of the water," Hastings said.
The group hopes the city will postpone the carp release and discuss other options to protect all fish and wildlife.
City of Austin attorney's have agreed to meet with SMART's legal team Wednesday to talk about the concerns they have about releasing the carp.
A city spokeswoman said the permit under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, has never been a requirement of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for fish stocking.
