In Bayport, a St. Croix River city of about 3,700 residents, concern runs high over a handful of damaging invasive carp caught in the river in recent weeks.

Nick Frohnauer, a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources biologist, told Mayor Susan St. Ores at an informational meeting in Bayport this week that a sixth bighead carp was found recently near the banks of her city.

"They're not reproducing, so there still is optimism that they won't become established," said Frohnauer, who detailed types of water conditions carp need to survive and multiply.

The sixth carp, caught by a DNR specialist, came soon after anglers caught five others in the same warm water discharged from the Xcel Energy plant.

St. Ores listened as Frohnauer explained that it takes larger numbers of carp to spawn and multiply.

"I'm concerned that there's not enough action," St. Ores said during the meeting, which included a second mayor, Mary McComber of Oak Park Heights, and two Stillwater City Council members. "I'm not convinced that we have six [carp], I'm not convinced they're not hatching. I'm just concerned that a lot of meetings and a lot of talk takes too long and we've already lost too much time."

Many conservationists have warned that a carp invasion would devastate the St. Croix's prized ecosystem and ruin a multimillion-dollar recreation industry that includes fishing and boating.

The Bayport City Council will discuss potential carp threats in July, but St. Ores remains determined to drive public awareness — and to remind anglers to alert the DNR if they catch carp.

"There's a tremendous amount of effort being focused right here," Frohnauer said of anti-carp efforts in Bayport.

St. Ores, Bayport's liaison with the Middle St. Croix Watershed Management Organization, said law enforcement should be enlisted to help get the word out.

"River protection is a real passion of hers," said Logan Martin, the city administrator.