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* WTTW in July…
After months of negotiations, Illinois finally signed onto a project partnership agreement this week with the state of Michigan and the Army Corps of Engineers to move forward with construction of what’s largely viewed as the last line of defense against invasive carp entering the Great Lakes.
The best chance to halt the carp’s progress into the lakes — so far the fish has relentlessly moved north up the Mississippi River — is a multi-layered barrier at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, Illinois, which has been identified as a critical pinch point. […]
But the partnership agreement was needed in order to release those federal dollars and begin the actual construction phase. (Design and pre-construction has been underway since 2020.) Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker balked at signing, as previously reported by WBEZ, due to what he viewed as the state’s disproportionate shouldering — finance-wise — of a Great Lakes region-wide crisis.
“While the federal government has determined this project is of the highest priority, the taxpayers of Illinois and Michigan should not be the only states to carry the burden of the non-federal share of funding when the entire Great Lakes region will certainly experience the devastating impact of inaction,” Pritzker told the Army Corps in documents obtained by WBEZ.
* WTTW today…
On Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is overseeing the project, announced it had awarded a $15.5 million contract to Miami Marine Services for site preparation and riverbed rock removal. […]
Brandon Road Lock and Dam — situated in the Des Plaines River near Joliet, roughly 30 miles southwest of Chicago — was identified as the critical pinch point where the carp could be stopped from entering the Great Lakes.
The fish have been making their way up the Mississippi into the Illinois River. Fears are that if the carp become established in the Great Lakes, they could outcompete native species, harm the ecosystem and decimate the Great Lakes’ $20 billion fishing and boating industries.
The barrier will use a multi-pronged approach, deploying various technologies to deter the invasive fish from moving closer to Lake Michigan.
* Meanwhile, Sierra Club…
Silver carp particularly represent a huge threat to the fisheries in the Great Lakes. In June 2023, 408 carp were caught in Minnesota, stunning officials. Millions of dollars a year are spent on the construction of electric barriers to keep carp from invading the Great Lakes from the Mississippi River, with a $1 billion development plan in the works from the US Army Corps of Engineers in Illinois, but it still might not be enough. […]
Researchers say just 10 breeding pairs could inundate the ecosystem.
Silver carp are coming. Barriers might slow them down, but stopping them completely may be impossible. Officials and researchers think, however, that the creation of consumer markets for silver carp could work to manage their numbers.
“If you can create a successful market around the fish, then the markets can be a tool to manage them,” said Ben Meadows, an assistant professor of economics at the University of Alabama, Birmingham.
[…]“A rebranding kind of campaign for them could potentially bring their price up, making it more economically viable for people to go fish for them,” he said.
One way to get the silver carp population under control seems relatively simple—eat the carp.
Thoughts?
posted by Isabel Miller
Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 11:24 am
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Catch’em & turn them into Dog & animal feed?
Protein: Silver carp is a complete protein that’s highly digestible
Omega-3 fatty acids: The omega-3 fatty acids in silver carp can help promote shine on dog and cat fur
All essential amino acids: Silver carp contains all 10 essential amino acids for dogs
Alternative protein: Silver carp can be an alternative protein for dogs with allergies or sensitive digestion
Eco-friendly: Silver carp is an eco-friendly seafood option
Comment by Are Ya Kiddin Me? Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 11:42 am
Fish sticks for schools.
Comment by H-W Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 11:58 am
I fish in Lake Michigan. I prefer filling in this old transportation canal to prevent all the Great Lakes from being affected by Asian Carp species. Move the product north by train or down the Illinois and Mississippi rivers by barge. Just get some heavy equipment from our friends at Caterpillar and fill it in.
Comment by Raymond B. Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 11:58 am
I’m skeptical that bounties on the carp would work because then you have created an incentive for unscrupulous people to breed more carp to make more money taking more of them out.
Comment by Give Us Barabbas Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 12:00 pm
The most successful barrier would be to make the barges go over a portage. That’s impractical. You could however increase the lethality of the electric shock systems in the locks. The barge industry opposes it as additional burden because of the safety issues for barge crews who would have to wear a safety line to keep from falling in.
Comment by Give Us Barabbas Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 12:05 pm
Horseshoes?
Comment by Anyone Remember Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 12:22 pm
Fish meal fertilizer is $4 to $8 per pound on Amazon Original article says $1.13 per pound is needed as an incentive. Market as great for roses and your vegetables.
Comment by very old soil Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 12:33 pm
“Move the product … by train…”
One 15 tow barge carries the equivalent tonnage of two 108 car trains.
https://history.iowa.gov/history/education/educator-resources/primary-source-sets/transportation-rural-and-urban-spaces/compare-cargo
Comment by Huh? Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 12:47 pm
Cant we just shoot sterilizng lasers at them so they don’t bred
Comment by hmmm Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 1:09 pm
All this bill does is mandate each and every resident of Illinois consume 18 pounds of silver carp annually. That’s all this bill does. I ask for an “aye” vote. /s
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 1:10 pm
“every resident of Illinois consume 18 pounds of silver carp annually.”
[Gagging]
Comment by Huh? Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 1:22 pm
Not sure I want to eat anything that lives in Illinois rivers.
Comment by Siualum Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 1:25 pm
If I remember correctly gov Quinn had a nice boondoggle trip to Chins to talk about exporting carp fish meal back to china
Comment by Hank Sauer Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 2:03 pm
The Andy Griffith show had a episode of killing carp. Classic.
Comment by Just here for the fun Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 3:10 pm
First you have to land the carp
Comment by Loyal Virus Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 4:24 pm