Aliens Amoug Us
Protecting Ontario Biodiversity from Invasive Species
The Empire Theater is holding a two hour seminar on invasive species.
Saturday, April 17 2010
9:30 – 11:30am
Ontario takes Asian carp battle to United States Supreme Court
Ontario has filed a motion, supporting a lawsuit which will prevent the spread of Asian carp into the Great Lakes that could cause billions of dollars in damage to the fishing industry.
Ontario — the only Canadian province that borders the Great Lakes — joins U.S. states Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin in support of a lawsuit launched by Michigan earlier this month, demanding the state of Illinois shut down shipping locks in Chicago to prevent the Asian carp from spreading into Lake Michigan.
Aquatic biologists warn that once the fish gets into Lake Michigan, it will spread uncontrollably into the other Great Lakes, and eat so much, it will starve off native species. DNA evidence has shown the fish are 10 kilometres from the mouth of Lake Michigan, close to a barrier intended to block them from infiltrating the lake.
Lets hope this passes and they close the locks soon before anymore fish cross over.
You can read more about this via CTV News
Asian Carp getting closer to Great Lakes
Looks like the asian carp might have gotten passed the electronic barrier that was set up to prevent them from getting into the Great Lakes.
You can read more in the article below from the The Associated Press.
U.S. officials say the despised Asian carp may have breached an electronic barrier designed to prevent it from invading the Great Lakes and jeopardizing their $7-billion sport fishery.
Officials with the Army Corps of Engineers said Friday that DNA of the giant carp have been found north of the barrier in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal.
If correct, that would mean the carp might reach Lake Michigan if they get through a navigational lock.
From there, they could spread throughout the Great Lakes and out-compete native species for food.
Asian carp escaped from fish farms in the southern U.S. in the 1990s and have been migrating up the Mississippi and Illinois rivers.
They can exceed one metre in length and weigh about 50 kilograms.
If you don’t know what the asian carp is, view these videos.
