Public Hearing On Asian Carp Prevention Underscores Concern For Great Lakes

People commenting at an Asian Carp meeting in Milwaukee on Monday night urged federal officials to act quickly, to reduce the chance of the big fish getting into the Great Lakes.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a White House agency are holding public meetings on a report released last week. The document offers eight options for reducing the spread of aquatic invasive species like Asian Carp between the Mississippi River and Great Lakes Basins.

Sport angler David Kwasny, of Brookfield, said he wants more done to keep the voracious carp out of Lake Michigan.

“If you’ve got salmon and trout and pike, that’s incredibly attractive,” Kwasny said. “If it was to be replaced with carp, I’m not so sure it would be as attractive.”

Kwasny didn’t mention which of the eight alternatives that he prefers. but others did get specific. Cheryl Nenn, of Milwaukee Riverkeeper, said she supports short-term preventive measures and eventually, physically separating the two water basins.

“We firmly believe that we must prevent an ecological catastrophe that could inflict huge damage on the Great Lakes region and the Mississippi River basin,” Nenn said.

Physical separation by blocking off or altering a Chicago canal could cost well into the billions of dollars. But, Mark Pass, of Waukesha, said any big spending would be an investment.

“We are stewards of this resource,” Pass said. “Twenty percent of the world’s fresh water is in the Great Lakes water basin. No other place in the world is like it. What’s the investment worth, not the cost?”

Two days ago, however, a Chicago tour boat company and Republican Illinois congressman stepped up their call for just turning up the electricity in a Chicago fish barrier, as the best way to block Asian carp from Lake Michigan.

Another hearing on the inter-basin study will be held Jan. 27 in the Twin Cities.