Invasive carp are taking over America, and they’ve set their sights on the Great Lakes. Officials will do whatever it takes to stop them.
What happened?
Not to be confused with other carp, invasive carp outcompete other fish for resources, growing and reproducing at alarming rates and degrading water quality. Since being introduced from Asia in the 1970s to control algal blooms in limited areas, they have escaped into the Mississippi River basin and beyond.
Now, the federal government will spend $1 billion to protect the Great Lakes from bighead, silver carp, blue carp and other invasive species, Newsweek reports. Michigan will put in $64 million and Illinois will put in $50 million.
The Army Corps of Engineers will build a barrier at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Joliet, Illinois, about 25 miles southwest of Chicago, to prevent the creatures from entering the Des Plaines River while maintaining commercial shipping access.
“They consume large amounts of phytoplankton that form the basis of lake ecosystems,” Newsweek said. “…These invasive carp also have no natural predators in the Great Lakes.”
Why is this important?
Invasive species cost Americans $21 billion a year, and carp threaten to destroy the Great Lakes. Not only do they damage ecosystems, they also endanger humans; the large fish can leap more than 10 feet out of the water, according to a news release about the barrier project.
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According to the news release, if the invasive carp establishes a breeding population in the Great Lakes, the cost will exceed $1 billion and impact tens of thousands of jobs in the $20 billion fishing and boating industries.
The U.S. Geological Survey reports that removing carp from the environment is nearly impossible. Late last year, a record 750,000 pounds of fish were pulled from the Illinois River over a 10-day effort. It is the highest point in a state and is considered to mark a landmark for fresh water in the United States.
Although approximately 1 million pounds of carp are harvested annually, these animals continue to thrive in Lincoln Land, necessitating additional management strategies.
“The Great Lakes hold countless memories for many of us, from catching our first fish to watching loved ones play on their shores,” said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. “They are the core of our pure Michigan identity. This landmark agreement marks a major victory in protecting these lakes from dangerous carp invasions, ensuring that everyone can enjoy the joy and beauty of these waters.”
What measures are being taken against invasive carp?
Federal funding for the barrier comes from the Biden administration’s bipartisan infrastructure law. The project partnership agreement is also the first with two non-federal sponsors.
Municipalities across the country are looking into various ways to keep carp out of certain waters, including through sound barriers and $100 bounties. Similar methods are used to control other invasive species, such as the Chesapeake Bay’s “water-filled elevators” to deter the invasion of northern snakehead fish.
When it’s too late, they ask people to eat them. One way to make an “ugly” fish look more palatable is to rename it a “copi.”