Asian Carp: Great Lakes Fishing and Ecology vs. Chicago Shipping

[HDRoberts]

A story with more a local interest to us Clevelanders, but with national implication.

For those that don't know, the Asian Carp (mostly the Silver Carp and the Bighead Carp) have been slowly making their way up the Mississippi River and it's tributaries. But you might not know is that the Mississippi is connected to the Great Lakes by a series of canals in the vicinity of Chicago. This is part of the system that enabled the Chicago river to flow backwards.

These carp are devastating to local fish populations, and even boating in general. The Silver carp, in particular, has the habit jumping out of the water when a boat comes close.

To try and keep them out of the Great Lakes, electrified barriers were put in place on the Illinois canals. But recent evidence suggest these systems are failing, as Asian carp DNA has been located downstream of these barriers.

Several great lakes states are petitioning the government to close the locks to prevent any more invasion into the great lakes. But they have refused, no doubt at least in part due to Obama's association with Chicago. See, Chicago does not want to lose it's shipping business. It is now progressing to the supreme court.

So where do the rest of you stand on this?

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/01/feds_oppose_closing_locks_to_s.html

[Madtown HD Junkie]

here too, kinda. They need to stop them. They are bad news.

[msmith198025]

Something needs to be done about them it seems, but at the cost of Chicagos shipping industry? Surely there is another way

[HDRoberts]

Something needs to be done about them it seems, but at the cost of Chicagos shipping industry? Surely there is another way

I don't think you can have both. Those canals are a direct link. The barriers they have tried have failed.

They just need to ship the stuff by train that short distance.

[fallout2600]

As a Cajun, I've been hit in the chest many times by mullets jumping out of the water. If anything, it is funny as hell, you don't see it coming and it doesn't hurt. Makes for great drinking stories at night while sitting on the porch! Now, I would imagine that if your boat is doing 35mph or more then the fish might leave a bruise on you if it happened to jump out of the water and hit you. Never seen that happen in my life, 30 years on the water...The only time I've seen them jump in the boat was when we are basically idling....

As far as the carp threatening other fish, what fish are they killing?

[HDRoberts]

As a Cajun, I've been hit in the chest many times by mullets jumping out of the water. If anything, it is funny as hell, you don't see it coming and it doesn't hurt. Makes for great drinking stories at night while sitting on the porch! Now, I would imagine that if your boat is doing 35mph or more then the fish might leave a bruise on you if it happened to jump out of the water and hit you. Never seen that happen in my life, 30 years on the water...The only time I've seen them jump in the boat was when we are basically idling....

As far as the carp threatening other fish, what fish are they killing?

They take a tremendous amount of food, which disrupts the entire food chain. The consume half their body weight every day. What they eat is what small feeder fish eat, which, in turn, is what the larger sport fish eat.

Also, the great lakes are very large, and thus have a lot of fast moving boats. Plenty of potential for injury.

[fallout2600]

They take a tremendous amount of food, which disrupts the entire food chain. The consume half their body weight every day. What they eat is what small feeder fish eat, which, in turn, is what the larger sport fish eat.

Also, the great lakes are very large, and thus have a lot of fast moving boats. Plenty of potential for injury.

I'm just curious, where do they come from? Local to that area or what?

[Skyhi]

They need to do something or these rats will eventually be the only thing swimming in the Great Lakes.

[HDRoberts]

I'm just curious, where do they come from? Local to that area or what?

The carp? They were imported by fish farms in the south to control algae. But they escaped into local rivers and now run rampant.

The boats? Lots of boat owners on the Great Lakes.

[fallout2600]

The carp? They were imported by fish farms in the south to control algae. But they escaped into local rivers and now run rampant.

The boats? Lots of boat owners on the Great Lakes.

I meant the carp...

Are they good to eat? Why not let the commercial fishermen go no limit on them and harvest them if they are eatable...

[HDRoberts]

I meant the carp...

Are they good to eat? Why not let the commercial fishermen go no limit on them and harvest them if they are eatable...

They are popular for eating in Asia, but not in the US. Like most carp, the flesh is very bony.

They also are not easy to catch as plankton feeders for sport fishermen. I'm don't think they would be worth enough to finance commercial fishing.

[msmith198025]

I'm just curious, where do they come from? Local to that area or what?

Im suprised you havent seen any. We have, or had several in our ponds. They can grow very very large. Not good for eating, but they will keep a pond clean.

[msmith198025]

They are popular for eating in Asia, but not in the US. Like most carp, the flesh is very bony.

They also are not easy to catch as plankton feeders for sport fishermen. I'm don't think they would be worth enough to finance commercial fishing.

They are pretty easy to catch out of our pond. Seems like every time I cast a line one of em darn near breaks the rod.

[HDRoberts]

They are pretty easy to catch out of our pond. Seems like every time I cast a line one of em darn near breaks the rod.

Hmm, I've read that they don't generally bite hooks.

But still, if commercial or sport fishing was the answer to get rid of these things, it would have already happened. There is nothing to prevent the large scale fishing of these things.

[msmith198025]

Hmm, I've read that they don't generally bite hooks.

But still, if commercial or sport fishing was the answer to get rid of these things, it would have already happened. There is nothing to prevent the large scale fishing of these things.

Perhaps a different type of carp? I guess that is possible.

[fallout2600]

Im suprised you havent seen any. We have, or had several in our ponds. They can grow very very large. Not good for eating, but they will keep a pond clean.

I'm a saltwater/brackish water Cajun....haven't done much freshwater fishing...

[fallout2600]

HD, do like we do down here on the Delta, DYNAMITE! :)

[msmith198025]

HD, do like we do down here on the Delta, DYNAMITE! :)

Or an electical source and....:)

[fallout2600]

Or an electical source and....:)

:thumbup: :)

[msmith198025]

:thumbup: :)

Just scoop em up then:D

Not that I know anything about that.....;)

[fallout2600]

Just scoop em up then:D

Not that I know anything about that.....;)

Everyone had enough to eat that night, eh? ;)

[Madtown HD Junkie]

http://www.stopasiancarp.com/

online petition to stop the carp and close the locks

[Bob Haller]

geez isnt mom nature just adapting? if you doubt global change then why get your panties in a wad over some fish?

[HDRoberts]

Well, with no explanation, the court denied the request to close the locks. But at least it looks like they will hear the case.

[Madtown HD Junkie]

geez isnt mom nature just adapting? if you doubt global change then why get your panties in a wad over some fish?

because they will decimate the Great Lakes.

[HDRoberts]

Well, it's official. Asian carp DNA has been found in Lake Michigan.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/19/AR2010011903159.html

[Bob Haller]

too late.

Heck I would of released some just for fun:)