Asian Carp
Asian Carp Invasion
Asian carp are a species of fish that are large, very aggressive, and very destructive. These fish are very territorial, spawn quickly, and eat and destroy almost anything. These fish can grow to up to four feet long and around a hundred pounds. When the fish are frightened by boats, they jump in the air sometimes causing injuries to boaters. In the 1970’s Asian Carp were imported by Southern fish farmers to clean commercial ponds. Sometime between then and the 1990’s the carp began to find their way into the Mississippi River. Since then Asian Carp have created a dominant population in the river and have found their way nearly up to the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes fishing industry reels in over seven billion dollars annually. If the carp get in the Great Lakes they will cause irreversible damage. The United States government put effort into stopping the fish, but aren’t taking it as seriously as needed. Asian Carp are a serious threat to the largest body of freshwater in the world, the Great Lakes. Something needs to be done to save the ecosystem of the Great Lakes. I believe that the United States need to permanently block off all rivers associated with the Mississippi River from flowing into Lake Michigan in order to stop Asian Carp.
If Asian Carp make their way into the Great Lakes they will ruin the ecosystem. The ecosystem of the lakes right now is already weak. “The aquatic food chain in Lake Michigan is already so weakened by other invasive species, like zebra mussel, that adding a voracious plankton feeder such as Asian carp to the mix will likely push it over the tipping point. Meaning? Most fish other than the Asian carp will die. The carp will eat the fish at the bottom of the food chain, leaving very little for other fish to eat” (Sackman). According to Sackman, Asian Carp would be the fittest, fastest, and fattest in the lakes if they break through. Asian Carp spawn multiple times each year, which would basically seal the
Asian carp are a species of fish that are large, very aggressive, and very destructive. These fish are very territorial, spawn quickly, and eat and destroy almost anything. These fish can grow to up to four feet long and around a hundred pounds. When the fish are frightened by boats, they jump in the air sometimes causing injuries to boaters. In the 1970’s Asian Carp were imported by Southern fish farmers to clean commercial ponds. Sometime between then and the 1990’s the carp began to find their way into the Mississippi River. Since then Asian Carp have created a dominant population in the river and have found their way nearly up to the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes fishing industry reels in over seven billion dollars annually. If the carp get in the Great Lakes they will cause irreversible damage. The United States government put effort into stopping the fish, but aren’t taking it as seriously as needed. Asian Carp are a serious threat to the largest body of freshwater in the world, the Great Lakes. Something needs to be done to save the ecosystem of the Great Lakes. I believe that the United States need to permanently block off all rivers associated with the Mississippi River from flowing into Lake Michigan in order to stop Asian Carp.
If Asian Carp make their way into the Great Lakes they will ruin the ecosystem. The ecosystem of the lakes right now is already weak. “The aquatic food chain in Lake Michigan is already so weakened by other invasive species, like zebra mussel, that adding a voracious plankton feeder such as Asian carp to the mix will likely push it over the tipping point. Meaning? Most fish other than the Asian carp will die. The carp will eat the fish at the bottom of the food chain, leaving very little for other fish to eat” (Sackman). According to Sackman, Asian Carp would be the fittest, fastest, and fattest in the lakes if they break through. Asian Carp spawn multiple times each year, which would basically seal the