Black Carp Bounty Program Extended to Texas Anglers

December 18, 2025 – Texas anglers now have a new incentive to help combat invasive black carp in the Red River and other waters, as the “Keep, Cool, Call” Black Carp Bounty Program expands to include Texas. The initiative, led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and state wildlife agencies, pays anglers $100 for each black carp they catch, humanely dispatch, and report to authorities. The goal is to support monitoring and control of this non-native species that threatens native mussels and aquatic ecosystems in the Mississippi River Basin and its tributaries, including the Red River system.

Under the program, anglers who believe they’ve caught a black carp are instructed to keep the fish on ice, humanely dispatch it (since transporting live invasive carp is illegal), and contact their state wildlife agency to arrange pickup and reporting. To qualify for the bounty, participants typically document their catch with photos and location details before submission. Bounty payments are generally limited to a set number of captures per month, depending on funding availability.

Black carp are considered a serious ecological threat because they feed on native mollusks and can disrupt aquatic food webs. By engaging recreational and commercial anglers in tracking efforts, wildlife officials hope to better understand the species’ distribution and slow its spread. The expansion into Texas reflects broader regional efforts to enlist public participation in invasive species management.

In Texas, caught in the Red River? Contact Monica McGarrity – [email protected] – at (512) 552-3465.