Last June I Blogged about the Asian Carp and the MNR’s Rapid Response Plan – a strategy put together by that jurisdiction to deal with this horrible invasive species.
This is that post:
http://blogs.canoe.com/outdoorsguy/safety/asian-carp-mnr-rapid-response-plan/
Here we are 8-months later and talks in the US of a ‘permanent’ physical barrier being built, is finally back in the news. Unfortunately, though, the news south of the border is not great as a private consulting firm put the Asian Carp Barrier price-tag at over 3 Billion dollars!
USAtoday had this to say on the subject:
The cheapest solution would cost taxpayers more than $3 billion and would take at least a decade to complete.
The study, which cost $2 million and was funded by several foundations, says separating the two watersheds would create jobs and could end up being cheaper than spending money every year to fight invasive species.
The article went on to say:
The engineering study proposes one to five new barriers near Chicago, rerouting cargo and pleasure boats, and building huge tunnels to handle floodwaters that could no longer go into Lake Michigan.
Funding would need to come from Congress. More than $80 million has been spent fighting Asian carp in the past two years from federal Great Lakes funds; the fight against invasive sea lamprey costs $20 million per year.
Some scientists fear Asian carp could take over the Great Lakes if they were able to get into Lake Michigan in sufficient numbers.
A similar study by the Army Corps of Engineers is due in late 2015.
Still, whether Congress is willing to foot the multibillion-dollar bill for stopping invasive species is unknown.
“Physically separating the Great Lakes and Mississippi watersheds watersheds is the best long-term solution for preventing the movement of Asian carp and other aquatic invasive species, and our report demonstrates that it can be done,” said Tim Eder, executive director of the commission.”
With a pretty good understanding of what would happen should these ugly fish make it into the Great Lakes, I don’t think I’m the only one who’s a tad nervous!
Outdoorsguy
This is a totally unrelated blast from the past hunting photo from November, 1990 ….Yukon Bob is pictured in the top left and yours truly is in there as well, cept I’m not sure which one (could be the Waylon Jennings look alike):
I don’t think any government is going to spend 3 billion dollars keeping invasive species out of the great lakes. Think of the public backlash. Their willing to spend that much on fish, but not on healthcare or other pressing issues.
as always its all about money. some say they cant close the canal cause it would cost billions (with a b) in economic loss other want the fish as they taste good and are making them money .
This fall, researchers at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale are conducting an experiment to determine exactly how much incentive fishermen and processors need. They have ordered a million pounds of fish meal (a product used for pet food and feed on fish farms) made from Asian carp at a cost of $1.1 million, and they are going to see what happens.
“If it’s a viable model, we’ll keep going with it,” says Jim Garvey, a fish ecologist.
Perhaps the biggest challenge is getting Americans to eat Asian carp. “They look horrible,” Mr. Brooks says. “They’re bony.” Yet, as he and others attest, they taste just fine.
Efforts to market the fish in the United States have been slow to take hold. One of the few restaurants serving Asian carp regularly is Beasley’s Fish Market in Grafton, Ill. The eatery began offering carp as a special last spring after patrons started asking about it.
“Mostly they were surprised that it was good,” says Deborah Beasley, the restaurant’s manager. “In this area, if you just say ‘carp,’ it has a very negative connotation.”
Not everyone is enthusiastic about large-scale fishing for carp. Some biologists worry that a big Asian carp industry would create pressure to maintain carp populations, not get rid of them. Still, it’s hard for some to resist a fish that has become so abundant.
“We’re finding new ways to use it all the time,” says McNitt. “We make jerky. We’re setting up to make hot dogs. We’re going to make fish sandwiches, breaded or unbreaded. There’s a worldwide need for cheap protein, and I think it’s one of those things that fit the bill. I think the future is bright for this fish.”
Yes, it would be great if they could make some use of this crap…but its the damage to our fisheries that’s of greater concern I think.
I don’t think we could ever eat Asian Carp fast enough to keep them under control…and appparently they just loooovvveee cold water.
Funny thing is, after reading a few American articles..there’s no real mention of Canada. Truth is, we stand to lose as much or more, than they do!
Outdoorsguy
Is it ever about Canada when it comes to our neighbours to the south?
“Me debunk an American myth…and take my life in my hands?”
Gord Downie – 100th Meridian
i’m going to go on another tack on this. dairy farmers around here have a quota, if they produce more milk than their quota they have to dump it. The pork industry have been in big trouble and have over produced for years and saturated the market. the fishing industry is and has been in troubled times due to mismanagement. all this to say if this asian carp ends up in our waterways (wich they will if we dont spend billions)and by some acounts are edible ,could we not use this to some advantage to stock up the food banks, help feed the working poor etc…..i know it will screw up our fisheries as it stands now. these fish could be fished with no limits. just a thought ,because even with spending billions i dont think we will be able to keep these fish out of our waterways. we are capable of producing enough food in this country to keep all fed but we have so many regulations. just throwing that out there
Wasn’t there evidence that the Asian Carp has already invaded the Ottawa River ?
Man, I hope not Trapper…the river is in bad enough shape already…I hadn’t heard that.
I know there were unconfirmed reports of Asian Carp breaching the Chicago barrier…but I never heard any more about it.
Outdoorsguy
the army corp did a test with 6 fish jeff on the barrier (not asian carp) were stunned by barrier 2 were killed immediately when contacted barrier 2 other fish swam through completely unharmed this is just six fish test could you imagine the numbers of carp testing it daily ????? once again this all has to do with money, which ever side can make the most that will be the way they will go .. could you imagine if we could feed every one a good source of protein cheap it would collapse our whole system and rich people will never let that happen
Oh man, that’s not good…so obviously there are some AC getting through the system. Well, that article does bring up a good point about cheap protein source.
Of course as you noted, money is an issue and as mcdan mentioned, quotas would surely be set as with the milk and pork industry. Can you imagine anything over surplus being dumped..what a terrible waste.
If they could somehow set-up commercial fishing for AC as they do with high-end commercial crab, lobster fishery…etc…we’d be all set!
We’d prob eat an Asian Carp fish stick and not know the difference!
Outdoorsguy
There is another problem with this species of carp, They are not only predacious in their diet, but dangerous to boaters and sea-doo operators on the water. The silver carp is the worst of the 4 sub species of asian carp. Those are the ones you see in the youtube videos flying in the air when a boat passes to close to them. Imagine running your 250 hp bass boat down the river and catch a 20 lb carp in the face. Man that would hurt.
Yup..that would smart! I’d much rather get hit with a plate of Silver Carp fishsticks..hehe
Outdoorsguy
Face it, there likely isn’t much we can do to stop this invasion because I suspect they are already here, We can slow it down by killing everything trying to get through that Chicago barrier. Harsh maybe, but it’s the only way to be sure is if nothing gets through. We should be spending the billions on prevention, and ways to eliminate the next invaders before they get in. You dump your untreated ballast, you go directly to jail, forfeit your ship, and pay huge fines. No leniency.
BTW, I heard that that Captain Highliner’s guys are using nets that run a foot above the water for these fish, so no worries about dolphins and such.
Johan, you got that right about Captain Highliner’s nets..the only fishing I’ve ever seen for these guys is motoring around and waiting for them to leap into the boat. I guess, as Rob suggested, we should head down there and give the AC a run for their money…better bring our hard hats though!
Outdoorgsuy
So am I the only one thinking of advocating over fishing of the carp and then heading down south to sort that cARp out?
If the asian carp get into the Great Lakes it is just a matter of time before they end up in the Saint Lawrence, Ottawa and Rideau rivers. It would be catastrophic for native fish and could destroy sport fishing in these water bodies.
According to Time magazine, invasive species cause 1.5 trillion dollars of damage around the world every year, or nearly 5% of global gross domestic product. Three billion dollars spent on a barrier is relatively low in comparison.
This week’s Outdoors Column…sorry its a day late:
http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/02/02/outdoors-keep-rover-under-wraps
Outdoorsguy
Just tossed-in an unrelated old hunting photo above…Yukon Bob, are you there?
Outdoorsguy
Well, here we go again:
http://blogs.canoe.ca/outdoorsguy/hunting/animal-rights/ottawa-coyotes-more-popular-than-ever/
Outdoorsguy
We have several native predators for juvenile asian carp. Restoring our native predators turns the entire ecosystem into an invasive specoes control, no matter how they get in. Please google (biotic-resistance native predators) you will see we can control the asian carp, all baby fish have predators even the carp! The carp have already gotten past several barriers, and barriers do not reduce invasive species populations, predators do!
The U.S. Supreme Court refused Monday to order emergency measures that might prevent Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes, despite a warning that the exotic fish pose a “dire threat” to the region’s environment and economy.
Michigan and four neighboring states wanted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to install nets in two Chicago-area rivers and to expedite a study of permanent steps to head off an invasion by bighead and silver carp, which have advanced up the Mississippi River and its tributaries to within 88.5 kilometers of Lake Michigan.
Scientists say if the large, prolific carp spread widely in the lakes, they could starve out native species and devastate the $7 billion US fishing industry.
The justices’ ruling, which was issued without comment, was their fourth rejection of pleas by the states for interim steps — including closure of navigational locks in the Chicago waterways — while their lawsuit against the corps is pending in a federal district court.
“It is our duty to aggressively fight to protect the Great Lakes from invasive species,” Michigan attorney Bill Schuette said. “So while I’m disappointed, we will continue forward on all fronts.”
Faster action demanded
Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania have joined Michigan in demanding faster action against the carp, which eat vast amounts of tiny plants and animals at the base of the food chain.
The Corps of Engineers says it will complete in 2015 a study of ways to prevent migration of fish and other species between the Great Lakes and Mississippi watersheds. The five states and environmental groups say that’s not quick enough, because it could take many additional years to carry out the study’s recommendations.
They advocate placing barriers in Chicago-area waterways to cut a link between the watersheds created more than a century ago when engineers reversed the flow of the Chicago River to flush the city’s sewage toward the Mississippi. A recent report by groups representing Great Lakes states and cities proposed three methods for doing so, with estimated costs as high as $9.5 billion US.
Because permanent separation could take nearly two decades to complete, the states are suing for short-term actions. Their petition to the high court requested installation of block nets in the Little Calumet and Grand Calumet rivers along with quicker completion of the corps study.
Federal officials say the nets would do more harm than good and the study timetable is necessary because of its complexity.
The Obama administration has devoted more than $100 million US to shielding the lakes from the carp and recently announced plans to spend $51.5 million US this year. Plans include operating and monitoring an electric fish barrier near Chicago, stepped-up commercial fishing in the area, and field testing new strategies such as high-pressure underwater guns and pheromones that could lure carp into lethal traps.
Chicago business…