TRAVERSE CITY (AP) -- The federal government is making it illegal to bring live bighead carp into the U.S. or transport them across state lines.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says it's publishing a rule Tuesday, adding the bighead to a list of species banned under the Lacey Act, which is designed to prevent the spread of species harmful to humans or other wildlife.
The listing was required under legislation approved by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama in December.
Bighead and silver carp have migrated up the Mississippi River and are threatening to invade the Great Lakes, where they could starve out other fish and damage the economy. Silver carp already are on the banned list.
Canadian authorities recently have caught several importers trying to smuggle live carp into Ontario.
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