Monday, February 8, 2010

Federal Officials Release Asian Carp Control Plan

After today's White House Carp summit, federal officials released plans to control the asian carp, called the Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework. The plan lists a bunch of short-term and long-term ways that federal agencies will deal with control of the asian carp. Such plans include building a third electric barrier, installing fences where they would prevent the asian carp from flowing into Lake Michigan during a flooding event, and using the locks less.

The plan also calls for more rotenone treatments in places where carp DNA has been found as well as development of biological controls that mirror those used in sea lamprey suppression. Officials are also calling for expanded carp DNA testing. Under the proposed plan DNA testing would double.

This new plan does not address Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox's request for closure of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal Locks. The plan also does not acknowledge the recent study done by Wayne State researchers that valued the shipping industry resulting from the locks at $70 million. The study also found that new jobs would be brought to the region from closing the locks. Cox's lawsuit is still in the works and still is aimed at having the locks closed down. The recent reopening of the lawsuit asks that the U.S. Supreme Court consider the Wayne State study as well as the new asian carp DNA that was found in Lake Michigan.

The plan is posted on the website of the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee.

This is federal officials proposed plan:
Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework

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