Glass City Jungle

This in via e-mail, back in July this was a topic that was raised, I recommend the video that I placed on the blog back then as well as the resource material links shared here as an additional point of information in addition to this release from the office of Representative Michael Skindell:

Rep. Skindell and Others Call for Action to Stop Asian Carp

Invasive Species Could Ruin Lake Erie Sport and Commercial Fishing Industry

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Michael Skindell (D-Cleveland) today led a call for action to stop the spread of the Asian Carp in the Great Lakes and neighboring waterways.

“Last week we heard an alarm from Chicago. It is not a fire alarm, but one that signals the invasion of the Asian Carp. This invasive species has the potential to significantly hurt the Great Lakes sport and commercial fishing industry,” said Rep. Skindell at a Statehouse news conference. “We must work now to stop the Asian Carp, because if we wait, it will be too late.”

Rep. Skindell and a number of other State Representatives today sent a letter to Governor Ted Strickland and Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray asking for their support. Those signing the letter are Reps. Ted Celeste, Mike Moran, Mike Foley, Denise Driehaus, Marian Harris, Tom Letson, Peter Ujvagi, Deborah Newcomb, Dan Stewart, Dennis Murray, Lorraine Fende, Kenny Yuko and Speaker Pro Tempore Matt Szollosi.

Asian Carp are a significant threat to the Great Lakes because they are large, extremely prolific, and consume vast amounts of food. They can weigh up to 100 pounds and can grow to a length of more than four feet. They are well-suited to the climate of the Great Lakes region, which is similar to their native Asian habitats.

Experts say Lake Erie is at the greatest risk because it is the shallowest of the Great Lakes, with a greater number of fish and aquatic life. This makes it easier for the Asian Carp to establish itself. If this fish becomes established in Lake Michigan, it is believed that it would become a factor in Lake Erie with 5 to ten years.

The fish is already present in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, and tests have found its DNA beyond an electrical barrier designed to stop the spread of Asian Carp.

Rep. Skindell and the others signing the letter are calling for the following steps to stop the spread of this fish:

* Join the State of Michigan to fully explore and appropriate legal action to close the Chicago Sanitary and Shipping Canal locks and ultimately the permanent biological and/or hydrological separation of the Great Lakes from the Mississippi system via the Chicago Sanitary and Shipping Canal;

* Prohibit the possession of live Asian carp in the State of Ohio;

* Urge the Army Corps of Engineers to take additional actions to protect the Great Lakes, including the completion of the second portion of the electrical barrier, full utilization of the existing barrier now operating at minimal levels, creating a physical barrier to block carp from entering via other waterways during times of flood and using all existing congressional authorities to block the carp’s entry; and

* Continue to be supportive of collaborative efforts to block the movement of Asian carp.