February 2012: The Asian Carp Problem

The Great Lakes are central to our identity as Michiganders. Their humbling power and inspiring beauty are part of what makes the Mitten state one of the finest places to live. But looks can be deceiving. Lurking beneath the surface and literally pounding at their borders is a threat so great that it could alter these magnificent bodies of water indefinitely.

That threat is Asian Carp. This highly invasive species has made it’s way up the Mississippi, and now is held at bay by temporary and vulnerable measures like the electric barrier between the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS). Asian Carp are especially dangerous because they reproduce quickly, grow rapidly, and and consume enormous quantities of phytoplankton and zooplankton, the very foundation of most aquatic food systems in the region. This has a catastrophic effect on the biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems, and could spell disaster for the Great Lakes.

On the February First Friday on the Environment, WEMU Morning Host David Fair and I speak with Tim Eder, the Executive Director of the Great Lakes Commission. We discuss the Commission’s report Restoring the Natural Divide, which details three well-researched proposals for creating a more permanent solution to the threat of Asian Carp and other aquatic invasive species from the Chicago Waterway System (CAWS). We touch on the economic impacts of creating a more permanent barrier, as well as the potential environmental and economic consequences of failing to do so.

Tune in to 89.1 WEMU on Friday February 3 at 7:40 AM.

>click here to listen to the full interview