(ABC 6 News) — State lawmakers, wildlife officials, and conservationists are highlighting an investment to protect Minnesota waterways and fisheries from invasive carp.

The fish have been moving upstream for decades and can be very aggressive.

Experts say hundreds of the fish have moved in just outside of Winona with some being caught as far north as the Twin Cities.

“It’s essential we start to act immediately. These fish reproduce in an explosive fashion with a million eggs per female,” said Peter Sorensen, a biologist at the University of Minnesota. “There are hundreds of them present; it could happen at any time.”