GBA Flipping Book - Spring 2020

12 ≥ www.georgianbay.ca GBA UPDATE Spring 2020 By Bill Steiss Chair, Fisheries Committee F or some time, fisheries experts have considered Asian carp to pose the most serious threat to the Great Lakes’ walleye, perch, and especially its whitefish populations. The entry of Asian carp into the Great lakes would jeopardise a $7 billion recreational and commercial fishery. There are four species of Asian carp which pose a threat to the Great Lakes – the silver carp, bighead carp, grass carp and black carp. The silver carp and bighead carp are generally considered to pose the greatest threats, and so far they haven’t been found in the Great Lakes. However, grass carp pose a major threat to wetland vegetation, as well as spawning and nursery habitats, and are therefore, arguably, the most dangerous for our extensive Georgian Bay wetlands. There is evidence that grass carp are now present in the eastern end of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Should the number of grass carp increase, their presence could soon threaten fish habitat in Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and ultimately Georgian Bay. In order to address the potential harm caused by increasing numbers of grass carp, a bipartisan agreement approving US federal funding of $1 million is to be given to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission for their grass carp population management program. While steps are being taken to control the numbers of grass carp in the Great Lakes, serious concerns are being raised about the potential for bighead and silver carp to enter Lake Michigan and eventually all the Great Lakes. Today, millions of pounds of Asian carp are being pulled out of Mississippi tributaries. It is costing governments millions of dollars a year to track, study, and capture the fish, as well as to hire commercial fishermen to remove them. Asian carp can move from the Mississippi River to the Illinois River and then through connecting rivers, eventually arriving at the Des Plaines River, which is connected to the south end of Lake Michigan. An electric barrier is the only obstacle currently preventing Asian carp from entering Lake Michigan. The Brandon Road Lock and Dam project in Joliet, Illinois, Asian Carp: Preventing a Threat to Great Lakes Fishing Source: Ontario Invasive Species Program Proposed lock and dam barrier in Joliet, Illinois FISHERIES