Great Lakes Salmon Fishery Threatened by Asian Carp
Once again the Great Lakes ecosystem is under attack by another invasive species, the Asian Carp. Asian Carp (Bighead or Silvers)were imported by catfish farmers in the 1970's to remove algae and suspended particles in the water, from their ponds. With the great floods in the 1990's, many catfish ponds overflowed there banks, releasing the Asian Carp into river tributaries that lead to the Mississippi River. They moved slowly North into the Illinois River and could eventually enter the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal which flows into Lake Michigan through locks. The one electric barriers that existed has been repaired and improved, while a new electronic barrier is being built to halt the Asian Carps progress from entering Lake Michigan. Unfortunately, experts are skeptical that the barriers will be successful and feel that it will only postpone the inevitable.
Asian Carp are huge fish, when mature,growing to 100 lbs. and reaching greater than 4 feet in length.They are prolific reproducers and being filter feeders, have ravenous plankton appetites. Experts predict that Asian Carp will disrupt the Great Lakes food chain and destroy the sport fishing industry throughout the Great Lakes.
Asian Carp threaten not only the Great Lakes ecology, but its vibrant economy. The Great Lakes Basin depend on tourism and recreation to sustain the area and its resources. The Great Lakes salmon fishery is known throughout the world. The commercial and Sport Fishing industries generates over nine billion dollars annually. Asian Carp are a significant threat to the Great Lakes way of life unless drastic measures are taken to stop the Asian Carps Lake Michigan invasion. Its evident that government and political intervention has been slow and indecisive in dealing with this crisis.
Ultimately,the most logical, immediate, but to date unacceptable solution, is to curtail the Asian Carp invasion into Lake Michigan, by closing the Chicago locks, so there is no longer an entrance point for the Asian Carp to enter Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes.
Its time that all those potentially effected by this crisis become active participants and demand a logical and immediate solution to the Asian Carp crisis before it is to late.
Asian Carp are huge fish, when mature,growing to 100 lbs. and reaching greater than 4 feet in length.They are prolific reproducers and being filter feeders, have ravenous plankton appetites. Experts predict that Asian Carp will disrupt the Great Lakes food chain and destroy the sport fishing industry throughout the Great Lakes.
Asian Carp threaten not only the Great Lakes ecology, but its vibrant economy. The Great Lakes Basin depend on tourism and recreation to sustain the area and its resources. The Great Lakes salmon fishery is known throughout the world. The commercial and Sport Fishing industries generates over nine billion dollars annually. Asian Carp are a significant threat to the Great Lakes way of life unless drastic measures are taken to stop the Asian Carps Lake Michigan invasion. Its evident that government and political intervention has been slow and indecisive in dealing with this crisis.
Ultimately,the most logical, immediate, but to date unacceptable solution, is to curtail the Asian Carp invasion into Lake Michigan, by closing the Chicago locks, so there is no longer an entrance point for the Asian Carp to enter Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes.
Its time that all those potentially effected by this crisis become active participants and demand a logical and immediate solution to the Asian Carp crisis before it is to late.
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