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The latest in the ongoing saga of the Asian and Silver carp vs attempts to prevent them from infesting and likely destroying the Great Lakes fishing industry.

This is a long report (504 pages) and took quite a while to download last night. The term dispersal barrier generally refers to the electric fish barrier complex in Romeoville, Illinois. This report, while describing the current status of this system, mainly covers other possible options to prevent the invasive carp from reaching the Great Lakes. The letters from interested parties responding to the question of the financial impact of closing the locks are quite interesting.

NOTE The following text is a quote:

http://hoekstra.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=192071

Hoekstra Calls on Administration to Take Immediate Action after Asian Carp Found

Washington, Jun 23 - U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, today called on the Obama Administration to immediately provide the Army Corps of Engineers with the authority necessary to fight the invasion of the Asian carp after one had been found above the Corps Electric Barrier System.

“The administration has been dragging its feet instead of taking bold decisive action to stop the invasion of the Asian carp,” Hoekstra said. “For far too long the effort has been reactive as opposed to proactive.”

Recognizing the urgency and lack of leadership, Hoekstra earlier this year introduced a bill that would make the Army Corps of Engineers the lead agency and provide them the authority to fight the invasion of Asian carp into the Great Lakes.

The bill would authorize the Army Corps of Engineers to expedite a number of measures to prevent the Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes, including applying fish poisons, fixing locks and installing new barriers that include electrical, air-bubble and sound barriers that disorient fish.

“Closing the locks is not enough, and the Army Corps has acknowledged that they have no intention to do so,” Hoekstra said. “Time has been wasted with lawsuits and crossing fingers hoping that the carp will stay out of the lakes. Action has never been more necessary, and I hope that the administration recognizes the urgency with which this problem needs to be addressed and provide every tool to end this threat.”