February 2010: Attack of the Asian Carp
The threat of Asian carp to the Great Lakes has been on the minds of conservationists for years. Organizations and individuals have been working ardently to prevent the carp from entering the Lakes, which has necessitated intense work with the Army Corps of Engineers, the City of Chicago, and numerous agencies at both the state and federal level.
Known to grow as big as 100 lbs, knock boaters off their boats and jet skiers off their skis, Asian carp have taken over much of the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, and have been heading upstream towards Lake Michigan. They are voracious eaters, posing a daunting threat to the Great Lakes ecosystem. Asian carp eDNA has now been found past the electric fish barrier, with samples found in Calumet Harbor, a bay in Lake Michigan, itself.
An Asian carp infestation of the Great Lakes may be imminent. And, politics seem to have gotten in the way of sound policy. A four state law suit led by Michigan’s Attorney General lost steam when the U.S. Supreme Court denied Michigan’s request for an emergency order to close the locks in the Chicago sewer system to stop carp from entering Lake Michigan. While the Court has not yet ruled on Michigan’s request for a long-term solution-- the permanent hydrologic separation of Lake Michigan from the Mississippi River system—time is a tickin’.
A White House Summit has now been called for February 8, but fish don’t wait for Summits. What can be done now? What will the impact be on the Lakes?
Join Michigan LCV Executive Director Lisa Wozniak and WEMU’s Morning Host David Fair on Friday, February 5th at 7:40 AM for a 20-minute discussion on this topic. Our special guest will be Andy Buchsbaum, Regional Executive Director of the National Wildlife Federation’s Great Lakes Office. Andy is “a recovering attorney” whose legal expertise and incredible dedication to the region make him an ideal leader in this work to protect the Lakes from this potentially destructive new species.
Links:
Check out Andy Buchsbaum's blog!
For more details on the threat of Asian Carp, visit Great Lakes United.
Click here to find out how you can help!