There are often concerns that invasive species will ruin our waterways and fisheries and these concerns sometimes are overblown or are flat out wrong.
In the case of the Asian carp however, we may be in big trouble.
Take a look at this video from a small stream in Illinois where the Asian carp have gone wild.
The Asian Carp have entered many of the rivers in the Midwest and are being blocked from entering the Great Lakes by electrical barriers.
These fish can get to a hundred pounds and can lay 5 million eggs in one year.
What’s the big deal? Wouldn’t they be a good gamefish?
Another threat to lakes is the fact that the carp eat the same plants as native game fish. The fear is that the carp could eliminate entire native species like walleye, perch and small mouth bass. For the first time the white house has appointed an Asian carp director, John Goss.
Goss said the Asian carp have devastated native species in his home state of Indiana.
“In this case we are drawing a line. We are saying we’re not going to let them in and we are doing anything we can to make sure they do not get into the Great Lakes,” said Goss.
Experts believe if the carp made it to the Great Lakes or Minnesota waterways they would be impossible to eliminate. The carp can live 27 years and a female can lay 5 million eggs in one year.
Right now two electrical barriers near Chicago are the only thing keeping the carp from entering the Great Lakes chain. A third barrier is about to be installed there and a similar barrier has been discussed for just south of the Twin Cities. The estimated cost of that would be $5 million, but that is still in the planning stages. Source
This is one case where we may have reached a point of no return with these fish and it may be impossible to prevent their eventual invasion of Lake Michigan and beyond.
If you have experience with Asian Carp, please comment below and share this article with your friends so they are informed about this problem.
