The Plainfield Sun
By Kim Smith
February 16, 2010

CHICAGO -- Asian carp seem to be moving into the Great Lakes more quickly than state and federal agencies are formulating plans to stop them.

A group of environmentalists met Friday prior to an EPA public hearing with the Asian Carp Workgroup to discuss their concerns over the latest plan to keep the invasive species from infiltrating the Great Lakes.

While coming short of calling for a complete closing of the Chicago lock system, the group stressed they have embraced many of the latest recommendations but says the plan is dramatically incomplete.

"The government's plan is like a list of ingredients without a recipe," said Andy Buchsbaum, regional executive director of the National Wildlife Federation's Great Lakes Regional Center. "Unless you combine the ingredients in the right proportions and in the right sequence, you'll have a disastrous meal. We cannot afford that. We need a clear strategy that prevents Asian carp from wreaking havoc on the Great Lakes and regional economy and buys us enough time until we can permanently separate two of America's great waters."

$78.5 million plan

The recently released $78.5 million plan calls for new barriers to be constructed along the Des Plaines River to prevent carp from passing through in case of floods. The locks would be closed more often and poison could be used to kill off fish attempting to pass when the locks are opened. Presently, the locks open and close whenever a vessel needs to pass.

The plan also called for more DNA testing with speedier results. Last month, DNA tests revealed Asian carp have already made it into the waters of Lake Michigan, though no actual fish have been found.

Joel Brammeier, CEO and president of the Great Lakes Alliance, said only 1,000 recreational boats pass through Lockport and downplayed any negative effects of restricting or banning the movement of cargo through the lock system.

Jobs on the line?

Andy Buchsbaum, regional director of the National Wildlife Federation, said the closing of the lock system would actually create more jobs as businesses seek alternate transportation, contradicting claims made by local officials.

Local officials say closing the locks would jeopardize the millions of tons of cargo that use the canals. In 2008, nearly 7 million tons of cargo passed through the O'Brien and Chicago locks.

On Friday, U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson, D-Crete, and Judy Biggert, R-Hinsdale, met with members of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce to stress the importance of protecting local jobs.

"Even reduced operation of the locks will have a devastating impact on our region's economy and would result in a loss of jobs and higher prices for consumers," Halvorson said.

Halvorson said if the corn industry alone began shipping their products on highways instead of the waterways, it would cost an additional $500 million a year.

Slow attack

Asian carp were brought to the U.S. by fish farmers who used them to clear algae from their ponds in the 1960s and 1970s. But flooding washed the fish into the Mississippi River and they've been making their way to the Great Lakes since.

The bighead and silver Asian carp are targeted because of their ability to scarf 40 percent of their weight a day in plankton, eliminating food for species sought by the commercial and sport fishing industries -- a $7.5 billion a year business.

Silver Asian carp have been described as live missiles for their ability to leap high into the air into boats, which could wreak havoc on the $16 billion recreational boating industry.

Both species can grow up to 4 feet long and 100 pounds. Females can carry up to a million eggs and spawn multiple times each season.