Environmental groups in the US are demanding more direct Presidential control over the threat of the advancing Asian carp heading towards the Great Lakes.
A letter written to Barack Obama has demanded that the President takes more of a stance against the problem facing the Great Lakes as the so called “bighead” Asian carp moves ever closer. The letter contrived by environmental groups, is urging Obama to appoint a Federal Incident Commander to take control of the situation. At present there is no evidence that they are breeding, to which some may breathe a sigh of relief with no evidence of any juvenile population in the lakes.
There has been a find in the Chicago waterway system of a “bighead” Asian carp around 3 feet long, found just six miles from the shore of Lake Michigan. This find was the first confirmed specimen of an Asian carp above an electric barrier system. Environmental DNA tests taken since last autumn have shown the presence of Asian carp above this barrier in numerous areas of the Chicago canal system. One possibility of the Asian carp getting into these areas is that they have ridden the floodwaters, which will have taken them over and above the barrier.
Barack Obama campaigned on a slogan of “zero tolerance” on any new species invasions in the Great Lakes which are now home to more than 185 non-native species.
