Asian Carp in Lake Michigan?

asian-bighead-carpIn Voracious Asian carp poised to upset Great Lakes, theChicago Tribune reports:

Conservationists and government biologists, stunned by new indications of the advance of Asian carp toward Lake Michigan, are trading ideas for poisoning Chicago-area rivers, conducting emergency electrofishing or chemically neutering the wily fish.

On Friday, sophisticated genetic testing near Chicago found evidence of the carp within 7 miles of Lake Michigan after apparently leaping an electrical barrier once called the last line of defense for the Great Lakes.

The prospect of the voracious, prolific Asian carp reaching the Great Lakes -- a fragile ecosystem reeling from other invasive species -- has been the greatest fear of the lakes coalition.

Tests for Asian carp DNA have been conducted since August. The findings, available only in recent days, indicate that the pernicious plankton eaters are only one lock and dam away from the Great Lakes, said Army Corps of Engineers Maj. Gen. John W. Peabody, commander of the corps' Great Lakes and Ohio River Division.

NPR adds that Asian Carp in the Great Lakes would threaten the existence of the multi-billion dollar sports fishing business:

The carp grow to large sizes (50-110 lbs.) and quickly become some of the most abundant fish captured from an area, possibly out competing native species for food or habitat resources. They have become so abundant in the Missouri River that there have been reports of commercial fishermen abandoning fishing sites due to the large catch of Asian carp.

Learn more about the Asian Carp from the US Fish & Wildlife Service and also see this video:



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This entry was written by farlane and posted on November 23, 2009 at 9:59 am and filed under Animals, Articles, Boating, Diving & Beaches, Community, Dig Michigan, Environment & Environmental Organizations, Hunting & Fishing, Media, Michigan, Recreation & Sports, Television & Internet Video, The Michigan Pages. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.

3 Comments

  1. Absolute Michigan
    Posted December 2, 2009 at 2:51 pm | Permalink

    Granholm seeks legal action to keep Asian carp out of lake

    Gov. Jennifer Granholm wants Michigan's attorney general to take legal action to prevent Asian carp from invading the Great Lakes.

    Granholm and Lt. Gov. John Cherry sent Attorney General Mike Cox a letter today urging him to “pursue every legal tool” available.

    They say among possible actions are closing the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, part of a waterway linking Lake Michigan with the Mississippi River.

    Officials say DNA of Asian carp has been detected in the canal, north of an electronic barrier designed to block their advance northward toward the lake.

    Readd more: Freep.com

  2. Absolute Michigan
    Posted December 2, 2009 at 2:53 pm | Permalink

    Renegade carp meet their Waterloo today... find out how they die

    The largest fish kill in Illinois history -- expected to net 100 tons of fish including, hopefully, some Asian carp -- is to start today south of Chicago in an attempt to make sure none of the feared carp make it past an electric barrier while it is shut down for maintenance.

    The fish kill is necessary because DNA testing since July has shown evidence of two species of invasive Asian carp near the barrier. And in the latest round of testing last month, carp DNA was found beyond the barrier, just one lock and dam away from Lake Michigan.

    "If we don't let huge numbers get past, we could prolong a major invasion of carp for years," said Becky Cudmore, an Asian carp expert with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. "The barrier is still the best thing we have to keep them out."

    Read more: Freep.com

  3. farlane
    Posted December 5, 2009 at 9:55 am | Permalink

    Massive Asian Carp Found Near Lake Michigan from ABC News says that they found an Asian Carp just above a lock and dam in Lockport. It was "only" 22 inches long (they grow to 4'). Jen Nalbone, director of invasion for Great Lakes United says:

    ...a permanent hydrologic separation is needed between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi basin where the carp live. "We need to re-establish the natural watershed barrier between the Mississippi basin and the Great Lakes. We are working to push federal agencies to take every needed action to prevent the carp from getting into the lake."

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