I was startled to hear on the radio just now that American inland waters are under attack from Asian carp, which can grow to four feet, weigh as much as 100 pounds, and consume nearly half their body weight each day. They’ve already invaded the Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio rivers, and they’re closing in on Lake Michigan.
“The most drastic action to date to try to stop Asian carp from getting into Lake Michigan was taken Wednesday, when authorities dumped 2,300 gallons of the fish-killing toxin Rotenone into a 6-mile stretch of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship canal. Authorities conducted the massive fish kill to ensure that no Asian carp were in the waterway and could sneak through while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers shut down for maintenance an underwater electric barrier designed to turn back the fish.”
What’s at stake here, anyway?
“When startled by boat motors, Silver Asian carp can jump 10 feet into the air. With so many of them in the Illinois River, several boaters and Jet Skiers have been injured by the flying fish.”
