GLIN==> National Wildlife Federation Supports Strategy to Keep Asian Carp out of Lakes

National Wildlife Federation

For Immediate Release:
November 13, 2009

Contact:
Andy Buchsbaum, National Wildlife Federation, 734-887-7100

National Wildlife Federation Supports Strategy to Keep Asian Carp out of
Lakes

ANN ARBOR, MICH.—The National Wildlife Federation today supported a
strategy put forward by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources,
U.S.  Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. EPA to prevent the Asian carp—one
of the most infamous and destructive invasive species—from entering the
Great Lakes. 

The fish pose a severe threat to the Great Lakes. The fish can grow up
to 100 pounds and can consume large amounts of food—upwards of 40
percent of its weight each day—out-competing native fish for food. In
some stretches of the Illinois River, Asian carp now comprise up to 90
percent of the fish. 

The non-native fish is within miles of Lake Michigan. After escaping
from Southern fish farms, the fish have migrated up the Mississippi and
Illinois rivers and into the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal—which
empties into Lake Michigan.

The only defense is an electric barrier along the Chicago Sanitary and
Ship Canal that repels the fish. The barrier must be shut down to
undergo scheduled maintenance. To prevent non-native Asian carp from
circumventing the barrier while it is turned off, fisheries managers
will kill thousands of fish in the canal using rotenone—a fish poison.

Andy Buchsbaum, regional executive director for the National Wildlife
Federation’s Great Lakes Regional Center, said:

“Nobody wants to see a fish kill, but in this case, the agencies have no
choice. The Illinois DNR and the federal agencies are doing the right
thing. They have to do whatever it takes to keep Asian Carp out of Lake
Michigan or the Great Lakes will turn into giant carp ponds.

“The stakes are so high because it only takes one Asian carp – even one
Asian carp egg – to get a foothold in Lake Michigan and then it’s all
over. The carp would reproduce and infest the lakes and we would all
suffer the consequences forever.

“While this move will buy us time in the short-run, we need to look at
slamming the door on the Asian carp once and for all, and that means
separating the Great Lakes and Mississippi River watersheds. 

“Until then, we are playing Russian Roulette with the largest freshwater
resource in the world. And that does not make any sense.”

National Wildlife Federation is America’s conservation organization
inspiring Americans to protect wildlife for our children’s future.

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.