Dear Aquavists
17-Jul-2010—Here is an update on the Asian Carp situation – lots happening these days!
OHIO
At the news of the first live specimen being found beyond the electric barrier, the Ohio Governor and Attorney General requested an Asian carp Emergency Summit to be held by July 19th to develop a strategy and timetable for immediate construction of a physical barrier in the Calumet River between Lake Calumet (where the live Asian carp was found) and Lake Michigan. The hope is that the Emergency Summit could result in actual construction of one or more barriers could be underway by August 19th.
INDIANA
In addition to knocking on the door of Lake Michigan, Asian carp are also advancing up the Wabash River system in Indiana, which could allow for their potential movement into the Maumee River, a tributary to Lake Erie. Under normal conditions, there is no direct link between the Wabash River and the Maumee River. However, tributaries and drainage ditches near Eagle Marsh, a 705-acre restored wetland on the southwest side of Fort Wayne, Indiana, provide a potential connection under certain flooding conditions.
As an immediate preventive measure, the Indiana DNR will install mesh fencing across a section of the marsh, creating a barrier against passage of Asian carp between the Wabash and Maumee drainage basins. The goal is to have the fencing installed this summer. Although Chicago waterways remain the likeliest entry point for Asian carp into the Great Lakes, if Asian carp cross the divide at Eagle Marsh and reach the Maumee, they would be in the Lake Erie drainage basin and additional more costly and invasive steps would be required to protect the Great Lakes from the threat.
ILLINOIS
Additionally, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn announced a new initiative to help stop the spread of invasive Asian carp species into the Great Lakes. Illinois is entering into an agreement with Chinese meat processing company, Beijing Zhuochen Animal Husbandry Company, and Big River Fisheries located in Pearl, Ill. to harvest 30 million pounds of carp from Illinois rivers. Big River will process, package and ship the fish to Zhuochen for resale in international markets, where the fish is a delicacy.
CARP CZAR
Finally, US Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced yesterday that the Obama Administration is working to appoint a Coordinated Response Commander for Asian carp – which Durbin requested in a June 25 letter to the President – within the next 30 days. The new “Carp Czar” would coordinate the day-to-day efforts of the multiple federal, state and local agencies to implement immediate, emergency actions in the next few months while we continue to determine effective long-term solutions.
WHAT CAN YOU DO??
Well, first of all, you’ll be happy to know that both US Senators from Michigan and all 15 of our US Congressional Representatives have supported the Permanent Prevention of Asian Carp Act. This proposed legislation requires the US Army Corps of Engineers to conduct and expedite a study detailing engineering options, in order to determine the best way to permanently separate the Mississippi River Basin from Lake Michigan. However, if you have friends and family in other states, bug them to call THEIR US Senators and Representatives to also support this important legislation.
