Asian carp pose threat to more than just lakes

MISHAWAKA — The Obama administration says it will spend $78.5 million to help keep the Asian carp out of the Great Lakes. Monday, governors from the Great Lake States met with the administration. Officials say the Asian carp's DNA has already been found in Lake Michigan. Not only could the giant carp devastate the fishing industry, it could also have a major effect on hatcheries. "Potentially, hatcheries may not make their assignment because not enough fish are returning to provide the eggs that they need to keep the program going," Dave Meuninck, property manager of Bodine State Fish Hatchery, explained. The job of the hatchery is to raise Steelhead trout and Coho salmon to be released into the rivers and tributaries that feed Lake Michigan. This helps stock the waters that keep the Great Lakes fishing industry going. The fish eggs from these fish would not survive in the waters around this area. "These fish originated from the Pacific Northwest where there are pristine waters for natural reproduction to occur," Meuninck said. The Coho salmon and Steelhead trout were introduced to the Great Lakes to fight off another invasive fish, the alewife. "The primary reason we're here is to control the alewife population, the secondary reason is that we have created a $1 billion-plus fishing industry in the Great Lakes," Meuninck said. Scientists believe the Asian carp could devastate the Great Lakes ecosystem. To prevent this, Michigan wants Chicago's locks into the lake closed, but the U.S. Supreme Court denied its request. The Obama administration tried to strike a compromise, promising to implement short- and long-term strategies that include building a third electric barrier to keep out the carp, and opening the locks less often. Michigan's Gov. Jennifer Granholm said that's not enough. "I believe we should shut the locks down until they get these other measures in place and permanently have a solution to separating these two water systems," Granholm said. The Obama administration and Illinois officials said closing the locks would hurt Chicago's economy. A panel of experts is scheduled to testify on the matter in front of Congress Tuesday.