Video shows hundreds of invasive Asian carp jumping out of the water before being stunned by fisheries staffers, for science

• The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources released a video on Wednesday showing staffers shocking hundreds of Asian carp that had congregated near a dam.
• Asian carp are an invasive species. They were being collected for a study.
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The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources demonstrated just how infested their waters are with Asian carp in a video posted to their Facebook page on Wednesday.

The video shows hundreds of Asian carp jumping out of the water when a research boat sends an electric current through the water to stun the fish.

On Facebook, the government agency explains that the fish were not killed and were being collected for a study.

Asian carp, which can grow up to 2 feet long and weigh more than 30 pounds, are not native to American waters. According to a previous video from the department, the fish found their way to Kentucky after floodwaters in Arkansas released them into the Mississippi River in the 1990s and they worked their way upstream.

For years they've been robbing native fish of food and have been threatening the safety of boaters and swimmers due to their proclivity to jump out of the water when they feel boats nearby.

Read more: Here's how this giant, freaky looking fish could save the Great Lakes

They're notoriously difficult to catch, too, since they eat smaller creatures and not the type often used for bait. So many fisherman focus on killing them using bows.

In recent years, Kentucky has tried to combat the issue by partnering with commercial fisheries to eradicate Asian carp from their lakes.

Commercial fisherman in turn sell the fish. While the fish is not popular for consumers in America, they are often turned into pet food or exported to Asia, where they remain a staple.

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