The Army Corp of Engineers believes that it can prevent Asian Carp from entering the Great Lakes by spending over $800 million on upgrading defensive measures at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam, at Joliet, IL (about 50 miles down stream from Chicago). It will then take cost over $12 million annually to keep the barrier in place.
At risk is an estimated $7 billion annual fisheries of the Great Lakes.
Last week, Asian Carp DNA was found in Lake Calumet, within the Chicago city limits. Here
Hollywood is all set to launch their
“Carpnado” series.
youtube a Asian Carp Tournament ( I believe out
of Peoria , Illinois. It is hilarious.)
https://youtu.be/Yhfd9dIkXEk
See why downstate has a bee in their bonnet about Chicago? The “crap” from Chicago has flowed down stream for a long time. NOW they want to do something about an invasion of ASIANS?!?!Isn’t that racist? They’re just fleeing oppression. They’re refugees!
This is a big deal for the people living on the great lakes. We have enough invasive species too deal with already. If you’ve never been to the great lakes you really have no idea what they are. They sure as heck aren’t ponds like many people think. If those carp ever get here you will never get rid of them. The walleye/pickerel, perch, bass, trout, whitefish, salmon, I could continue, will be decimated in very short order. Damn government as usual dragging there heels. And it all starts with the idiot fish farms in the south raising those things in the flood plains. Flipping morons. Nothing but garbage disposals with scales and fins.
@Different Tim , I’m curious as to where the fish farms that raise Invasive Species might be located? Have never heard about such a farm. Just curious, as river folk my clan has never heard such a story. Odd isn’t it how unimportant this issue was when those who raised the alarm years and years ago and have been all but ignored. The lake is special but alas, the nimby angle does chafe. I would sincerely appreciate a link.
I have family that love to fish Lake Michigan. This will devastate the fishing charter business as well as other commercial fishing enterprises and weekend fishermen.
The government has messed around with several species already and the changes always cause more issues. They brought in salmon to eat the Alewives (which were causing major problems when the would die en mass and stink up the beaches), but now that they are under control, the salmon are not as prolific. The salmon fishing charters that grew up over the last few decades are whining because they want more salmon now. Guess what? They need more Alewives that the salmon feed on.
It’s a vicious cycle and what do you think they will bring in to try to control the Asian Carp infestation? And what problems will that cause? It’s the same all across the country with just different species of animal and plants that “need to be controlled”.
@MildredLucille – They escaped from fish farms along the Mississippi River from Missouri to Louisiana. There original introduction was to keep the fish farms ponds clean. When the Mississippi river flooded they escaped the ponds and have been making their way up the Mississippi towards the great lakes. They eat all the food of the native species. Eating food is all they are good for. They are also dangerous to recreational boaters as the sound of the boat makes them jump high out of the water. Boaters have been killed by them. You Tube Asian Carp.
Claudia, I fear the day they bring in something to eat the Zebra Mussels. They have actually considered it.
Different Tim, I heard about that. Don’t know the details, but I shudder at the thought!
It’s like in Yellowstone, when they killed off all the wolves. Now that they brought them back, the whole ecosystem of the park has improved. Here is a good video about that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa5OBhXz-Q
Will we ever learn?
Claudia, St. Clair river where I live is a major spawning ground for fresh water sturgeon. They will disappear quick if those asian carp show up. Don’t know if you’ve ever seen a sturgeon but I came eye to eye with one as a kid snorkeling for fishing tackle. Damn near swallowed my snorkel when I saw that thing. Thought it was a shark or something. Google St. Clair river sturgeon. Great video and info on them.P. S. They can weigh up to 200 lbs.
Different Tim, HAHAHA! I’ve seen one in an aquarium years ago. They are scary! Prehistoric ‘monsters’!
Different Tim is right but the Army Corps of Engineers and your states’ respective Wildlife Resources agencies have completely screwed the dog on the subject.
This was a problem 10 years ago. Now, it’s too little too late.
These things get huge and eat 25% of their body weight a day. They decimate the native species and ecosystem. In terms of a real ecological problem, this demanded mobilization years ago. Netting and culling their populations at chokepoints and bottlenecks of the waterways.
I went out last month and just quit after snagging 7 of them. Not a one under 12 pounds.
All you can do is smack them between the eyes and toss them on the bank for the flies and vultures. Its disgusting.
How’s that government program to stop the Zebra Mussel invasion going? It’s been in place for quite a while now.
I wonder how they fry up? In Wisconsin, Friday fish fry is a staple. I imagine we Cheeseheads could put a dent in their population if someone would harvest and bread the filets.
Feed them to the homeless!
That ALONE, should get ’em to looking for job! 😮
Cliche – Its not the states (with the exception of Illinois). Its the Army Corp of Engineers and the federal government. Canada’s been screaming right along with us. Illinois has fought it because it all starts with them and they don’t want their navigation hindered. Feds hold all the power because of navigation of waterway rules. Only lake that might not be affected is Lake Superior because of the cold temp of the water, the St. Mary rapids and the Locks. But that may be wishful thinking. Its the feds not taking this seriously as usual until its too late.
Lowell – Government program is news to me. Dr.Tar – If they are like any other carp they will be oily as hell and too full of bones although some people have told me that they are good smoked but they are talking about freshwater carp and not the asian.
Isn’t that why President Trump has been laser focused on China, stopping Asian crap?
They need to kill Lake Calumet Now. Who care about the damage to Lake Calumet. The damage that will be done to The Great Lakes will never be over come, if they get in them.
This is one of the times that all regulations need to be set aside and kill all of the Asian Carp.
Let the left howl.
Here in the Pacific Northwest we have Seals,Pike Minnows and Walleye eating our salmon.
It is costing us a lot of money to try and keep them under control. Kill all non native species any were they are found.
Next we can talk about plants.
Cliche – forgot to thank you for clubbing and landing them. A lot of people throw them back. I catch people doing that around here with gobies (another invasive species brought oven in ballast tanks of ships). I read them the riot act as DNR rules state to not throw back in water.
DT: And when the federal government refuses to act?
It seems like a recurring theme.
I don’t understand the problem.
“The Asian carp, in fact, is a clean fish that feeds on plankton and algae in the upper water of rivers. It’s rich in protein and low in mercury because it doesn’t eat other fish. The tender flesh lacks a “fishy” taste, so it easily absorbs the flavors of sauces, spices and herbs cooked with it.”
https://www.sj-r.com/article/20120808/NEWS/308089913
Geoff C pike minnows used to be known as squaw fish until some pissed off leftie found that squaw was a reference to a woman’s vagina by native American Indians. And Wash. state does have a bounty on them, there are some fishermen on the Snake river who can make a lot of money by catching them and turning them into Fish and Wildlife services for cash. My son and some of his cousins once caught a very large squaw fish (carp) on the Snake River at Hell’s Gate State park just outside of Lewiston, Id. They also found a skeleton of a very large sturgeon just a few miles away on the Snake river just outside of Clarkston, Wa., they thought that was really cool.
Yep Geoff the A. I know that,I was using the new name that most people would know. Some fishermen make thousands of dollars a year catching them and collecting the bounty on them… Now if we had the same bounty on fish lipped libs.
And besides pike minnow is one hell of an oxymoron for a very large sucker fish. Doesn’t minnow mean it’s a small fish, just another way the libs try to confuse us into thinking that it’s something that it’s not. If they get offended by the word squaw what they think of the Grand Tetons which literally means big tits.
The problem with pike minnow(I’ve never heard or read of yellow perch being referred to as squawfish) is they are native, but due to all the Dam impoundments on the Columbia and Snake rivers, they can more easily prey on native salmon smolts. The USACE and the BPA had to dump a lot of $$$ into the Pike minnow eradication program to “mitigate ” for the problem, which is far from successful, so far.
The common carp (Cyprinis carpio) in most major river basins were escapees from a carp farm (back in the late 1800’s, carp were actually a market item in demand) near the Clackamas river, a tributary of the Willamette, when it flooded and all the carp escaped. And off they went! Almost all the warmwater species in the west, were brought over on wagon trains in milk cans. Even shad and striped bass were introduced to the west coast.
Or,,,The Army Corp of Engineers could use the money to build some walls,,
jeez,,