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I believe we had a thread here awhile back about the Asian Carp invasion of the Mississippi river and its tributaries along with the effort to try to keep them out of the Great Lakes. That effort has no officially failed. Why does that matter? Because as an invasive species Asian carp have few to no predators and they quickly kill off just about every other fish species they come into contact with. Upwards of 90%-95% of the fish in huge swaths of the Mississippi are now Asian carp and native species are literally going extinct in the wild by the dozens. Now it appears the same thing will happen to the great lakes and the Great Lakes region is expected to lose almost its entire salmon and trout fisheries worth tens of billions of dollars per year and even more when you consider the tourist dollars of people who travel to the Great Lakes hoping to do some sport fishing.
US and Canadian authorities are expressing dismay that the economically hard hit region may suffer yet another set back.
US and Canadian authorities are expressing dismay that the economically hard hit region may suffer yet another set back.
Five US states sue over Asian carp invasion
Five US states have sued the federal government and Chicago's water authority seeking action to stop Asian carp invading the Great Lakes.
Scientists are afraid the fish may overrun native species like salmon, which inhabit the freshwater lakes on the border of the US and Canada.
The large fish have no natural predators.
The five states are asking the US Army Corps of Engineers to use nets to stop the carp from entering Lake Michigan.
The lawsuit filed in the US District Court in northern Illinois also asks for a study to be conducted on whether the Great Lakes can be separated from the US's Mississippi River and seeks to close Chicago shipping gates and locks - which may be providing an entrance to Lake Michigan for the fish.
Asian carp have proliferated in the Mississippi River and can grow to weigh as much as 100lb (45kg). Some boaters have reported collisions and even injuries from run-ins with the species.
The US Supreme Court has rejected three previous requests for court action from Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
The most recent lawsuit was prompted by the discovery of a 20lb (9kg) Asian carp last month on the wrong side of electronic barriers designed to contain the fish.
"President Obama and the Army Corps of Engineers have failed to fight Asian carp aggressively," said Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, a Republican running for governor.
He added: "Asian carp will kill jobs and ruin our way of life."
Five US states have sued the federal government and Chicago's water authority seeking action to stop Asian carp invading the Great Lakes.
Scientists are afraid the fish may overrun native species like salmon, which inhabit the freshwater lakes on the border of the US and Canada.
The large fish have no natural predators.
The five states are asking the US Army Corps of Engineers to use nets to stop the carp from entering Lake Michigan.
The lawsuit filed in the US District Court in northern Illinois also asks for a study to be conducted on whether the Great Lakes can be separated from the US's Mississippi River and seeks to close Chicago shipping gates and locks - which may be providing an entrance to Lake Michigan for the fish.
Asian carp have proliferated in the Mississippi River and can grow to weigh as much as 100lb (45kg). Some boaters have reported collisions and even injuries from run-ins with the species.
The US Supreme Court has rejected three previous requests for court action from Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
The most recent lawsuit was prompted by the discovery of a 20lb (9kg) Asian carp last month on the wrong side of electronic barriers designed to contain the fish.
"President Obama and the Army Corps of Engineers have failed to fight Asian carp aggressively," said Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, a Republican running for governor.
He added: "Asian carp will kill jobs and ruin our way of life."
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