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Project aimed at keeping Asian carp out of Great Lakes passes U.S. House committee July 21, 2020
A project designed to keep invasive Asian carp out of the Great Lakes is moving forward to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee recently passed legislation authorizing the construction of a multilayered system to prevent the spread of invasive species at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, Ill. The project is designed to prevent the upstream transfer of Aquatic Nuisance Species from the Mississippi River Basin into the Great Lakes Basin. The Brandon Road Lock and Dam project will be carried out by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The plan includes the construction of an acoustic fish deterrent, an electric dispersal barrier, a flushing lock and boat launches. The bill approved by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee increases the federal cost share for the project to 80 percent, reducing burden on cash-strapped state and local communities According to a Sea Grant Network study, “Asian carp are voracious and often outcompete native fish for food and habitat, which is of great concern to wildlife and resource managers.” In the Great Lakes, Asian carp will compete with native fish like ciscos, bloaters and yellow perch, which in turn are fed upon by predator species including lake trout and walleye. According to AsianCarp.us, there are no North American fish large enough to eat an adult Asian carp. |