Michiana fishing industry fears Asian carp invasion

The threat of Asian Carp making their way into Lake Michigan is real. Those who rely on the great lakes for a living are worried the invasive fish could destroy the industry that keeps them afloat. "It is not if, it is when" the Asian carp arrive, said Ken Burress. Captain Burress has been living off the lakes for a long time and owns "Room For More," a fishing charters company. Burress has seen his industry overcome threats like gobees and zebra muscles, but Burress has serious worries about Asian carp. "It will be a catastrophe when it happens," Burress said. Burress is one of a handful of fishermen at this year's Michiana Boat and Outdoor Show in South Bend. Saturday, conversations there managed to touch on Asian carp, a threat to the industry that many show goers rely on. "Very concerned," Les Bontreger said, describing his thoughts on the potential invasion. "I don't know how they can possibly keep them out. But I sure hope they do. I think they will take over the Great Lakes and decimate them," he said. Bontreger, an avid fisherman, has fished the Illinois River where Asian carp already exist. The worry among fisherman is the carp will make their way up the Mississippi River and into the Great Lakes. The fish grow so large they disrupt the food chain and could ultimately damage the multi-billion dollar a year fishing industry. "I think it would hurt our fisherman's industry at the marina as far as all the customers we get," said Jamie Horwath of Pier 33. Representatives for Pier 33 in St. Joseph, Mich. have heard concerns from the fisherman who dock there. But they, like many, won't know the real effects of Asian carp until they get here. "Anytime you have an invasive species from another area, you don't know how they are going to adapt. That is the scariest thing is the unknown," says Captain Greg Meyer of Full Pull Charters. Another problem the Asian carp present is they have been known to injure boaters and severely damage boats when they jump from the water.