GLIN==> Plan to Keep Out Asian Carp ‘Right Management Decision at This Time’

Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition

For Immediate Release:
November 13, 2009

Contact:
Jeff Skelding, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, 202-797-6893

Plan to Keep Out Asian Carp ‘Right Management Decision at This Time’

Washington, D.C.—The U.S.  Army Corps of Engineers today announced their
strategy to protect the Great Lakes from invasive Asian carp—non-native
invasive fish that have migrated up the Mississippi River, into the
Illinois River and are now knocking on the door of Lake Michigan. These
invasive fish threaten to destroy the balance of species in the Great
Lakes if they can get through a canal connecting the Illinois River to
Lake Michigan. 

The only thing preventing the fish from passing through the Chicago
Sanitary and Ship Canal and into Lake Michigan is an electric barrier
that repels the fish. The barrier is due for maintenance and needs to be
shut down. To prevent invasive Asian carp from entering the lakes while
the barrier is not turned on, fisheries managers will treat the water
resulting in a large scale fish kill in a five-mile stretch of the
Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal on which the barrier resides.

Jeff Skelding, campaign director for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes
Coalition, said:

“Asian carp are a tremendous threat to the Great Lakes, and we have one
chance to get this right-or the lakes will be devastated forever."

“This is the right management decision to take at this time to prevent
one of the most notorious invasive species from entering the Great
Lakes. 

“It shows how important it is to finish construction of the entire
barrier and take steps to prevent a by-pass from the DesPlaines River as
quickly as possible. But in the long run these are still band aid
measures which underline the need for long-term, permanent solutions."

The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition consists of more than 100
environmental, conservation, outdoor recreation organizations, zoos,
aquariums and museums representing millions of people, whose common goal
is to restore and protect the Great Lakes.

For more information, visit: http://www.healthylakes.org/



Jordan Lubetkin
Senior Regional Communications Manager
National Wildlife Federation
Great Lakes Regional Center
213 W. Liberty St., Suite 200
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-1398
www.nwf.org/greatlakes
www.healthylakes.org

Phone: (734) 887-7109 
Cell: (734) 904-1589

Inspiring Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future.