U.S. Supreme Court rejects Asian carp measures

[Fish Farmer]

U.S. Supreme Court rejects Asian carp measures

 

 

The U.S. Supreme Court refused Monday to order emergency measures that might prevent Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes, despite a warning that the exotic fish pose a "dire threat" to the region's environment and economy.

 

Michigan and four neighboring states wanted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to install nets in two Chicago-area rivers and to expedite a study of permanent steps to head off an invasion by bighead and silver carp, which have advanced up the Mississippi River and its tributaries to within 88.5 kilometers of Lake Michigan.

 

Scientists say if the large, prolific carp spread widely in the lakes, they could starve out native species and devastate the $7 billion US fishing industry.

 

The justices' ruling, which was issued without comment, was their fourth rejection of pleas by the states for interim steps — including closure of navigational locks in the Chicago waterways — while their lawsuit against the corps is pending in a federal district court.

 

"It is our duty to aggressively fight to protect the Great Lakes from invasive species," Michigan attorney Bill Schuette said. "So while I'm disappointed, we will continue forward on all fronts."

 

Faster action demanded

 

Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania have joined Michigan in demanding faster action against the carp, which eat vast amounts of tiny plants and animals at the base of the food chain.

 

The Corps of Engineers says it will complete in 2015 a study of ways to prevent migration of fish and other species between the Great Lakes and Mississippi watersheds. The five states and environmental groups say that's not quick enough, because it could take many additional years to carry out the study's recommendations.

 

They advocate placing barriers in Chicago-area waterways to cut a link between the watersheds created more than a century ago when engineers reversed the flow of the Chicago River to flush the city's sewage toward the Mississippi. A recent report by groups representing Great Lakes states and cities proposed three methods for doing so, with estimated costs as high as $9.5 billion US.

 

Because permanent separation could take nearly two decades to complete, the states are suing for short-term actions. Their petition to the high court requested installation of block nets in the Little Calumet and Grand Calumet rivers along with quicker completion of the corps study.

 

Federal officials say the nets would do more harm than good and the study timetable is necessary because of its complexity.

 

The Obama administration has devoted more than $100 million US to shielding the lakes from the carp and recently announced plans to spend $51.5 million US this year. Plans include operating and monitoring an electric fish barrier near Chicago, stepped-up commercial fishing in the area, and field testing new strategies such as high-pressure underwater guns and pheromones that could lure carp into lethal traps.

 

Chicago business interests oppose separating the watersheds and closing the locks, which they say would disrupt commercial barge and pleasure boat traffic.

 

"Thankfully, the Supreme Court came down on the right side of this issue," said Mark Biel, spokesman for a group called UnLock Our Jobs. "Suitable and effective steps are being taken to ensure we protect the lakes. Unfortunately, those who have used this issue for their own political agendas will continue to push for devastating actions that prevent the Great Lakes region from working together on a comprehensive solution."

 

Joel Brammeier, president of the Chicago-based Alliance for the Great Lakes, said the court ruling was "not so much a setback as a way station on the road to separation. We've got to keep our eye on a long-term outcome."

[Snidley]

"We"ve got to keep our eye on the long term outcome" Yes we do. Like learning to fly fish with dart flies since Asian Carp will be the only thing to catch once they swim past the electric barrier in high water. The US Supreme Court pulls another one out of the hat. :wallbash:

[bigugli]

The best interests of the almighty dollar win again. 2015 before the army finishes studying the problem, a few years of discussion and 2-3 years before Congress comes up with the money. A 20 year window for providing a workable solution is a joke!

[ecmilley]

shortsighted at best, only looking at the money today, not concerned about the money tomorrow

[doubleheader]

The best interests of the almighty dollar win again. 2015 before the army finishes studying the problem, a few years of discussion and 2-3 years before Congress comes up with the money. A 20 year window for providing a workable solution is a joke!

 

 

With this latest budget for Asian carp defense, the federal government will have spent $156 million since 2010 to control these two types of invasive fish. While building some type of land bridge or other type of blocking counter measure sounds great on the surface (and certainly the electronic pulse blasts are quite effective in the short term) the fact is they must develop a way to eliminate these two species or eventually they will be in the Great lakes in big numbers. It's not spending the money that anyone is opposing it's spending it effectively. The only real solution is safe eradication, otherwise they will eventually get into the lakes in big numbers by human intervention and by birds. A friend of mine built a 1 acre pond a number of years ago 3 miles from the nearest body of water. Within 5 years that pond had multiple species in it that he never stocked. Ask any farmer if he ever stocks his ponds, most all will say no, yet there are fish in every one. Unfortunately these eradication techniques were not previously developed. It will take some time to develeop, test, select, and implement. We all understand the critical nature of this project, and I have confidence that science will prevail.

[bigugli]

I have confidence that science will prevail.

Will there be anything left but carp in the Great Lakes by then? At that point why bother spending millions or billions to cure a corpse?

Edited February 28, 2012 by bigugli

[Snidley]

If anyone has ever seen electro shocking done in the Mississippi you would not believe the numbers of these huge fish in that river. Why not spend some of those millions on a fleet of electro shock boats and start harvesting. Sometimes solutions don't have to be high tech.

[Guest ThisPlaceSucks]

electro-harvesting wouldn't even scratch the surface. a rotenone treatement however would be quite effective... unfortunately it would kill everything else as well.

[BillM]

electro-harvesting wouldn't even scratch the surface. a rotenone treatement however would be quite effective... unfortunately it would kill everything else as well.

 

Sounds like a plan to me!

[Billy Bob]

The barn door was left open YEARS ago when zebra mussels were ALLOWED to enter the Great Lakes and since then MANY other exotic species have also been ALLOW to enter the Great Lakes water system and they are still ALLOWED to enter....we would rather spend BILLIONS on the problems these creatures have created then create a few 40-50 thousand dollar jobs to inspect EACH and EVERY ship coming through the St Lawrence system.... this is still NOT being done....

[Snidley]

Lets see, we can overfish every other fish using nets but we can't over fish Asian carp using electro shocking (which stuns every fish in the pool and allows the harvesters take the entire school of carp and spare the game fish too). I very much think we can if we have the will to do it. As a by product I'm told that Asian Carp (both species) are very good eating (unlike Common Carp). For sure the Asian population thinks they are excellent for the table. Just how many commercial electro fishing boats would $156 Million buy anyway? Sometimes when you get lemons you need to make lemonade. We are stuck with quagga and zebra mussels and due to their effects on water clarity smallmouth fisherman have made lemonade by catching many more big fat smallies today than in the past often using Gobi lures to do so (double lemonade really). I certainly agree that hiring inspectors in an environment where we need productive job creation is a very good idea to head off further invasive species from impacting the largest inland waterways in the world. The electro fishing could start immediately by the way.

[fishindevil]

oh and just wait till the animal rights idiots like P3TA get into the mix and tie it up in court for a few more years !!!! nothing will happen till its too late,canadian border checks are still catching people to this day bringing in live asian carp into the province,so im sure theres some already here swimming around !!! it makes the news every few months about a seizure at the border of live carp,so its probly too late already !!!

[captpierre]

I can only imagine what those carp would do to our inland, shallow, weedy lakes like the Kawarthas.

 

Changes everything. Fishing -devastated. Boating -will need a helmet/goggles.

 

Will have to take up the pitiful sport of golf

[landry]

I worked for the GRCA for a summer on a fish-shocking boat twice a week. It could never be used to eliminate a species - absolutely impossible. The current hits broader and bigger fish more easily but it still would not even scratch the surface!!!!

[Billy Bob]

I can only imagine what those carp would do to our inland, shallow, weedy lakes like the Kawarthas.

 

Changes everything. Fishing -devastated. Boating -will need a helmet/goggles.

 

Will have to take up the pitiful sport of golf

 

DON'T ever use that language again here......that four letter word has no business in a FISHING FORUM.....

[Snidley]

I watched them shock the "shwa several years ago. They brought up lots of small fish, in fact that's what they were after. I have seen video of a shock boat on the Mississippi and they brought up hundreds of fish with every go. Most of them were Asian Carp too. I do believe with a war chest of $156 Million there could be an effective shock boat developed if there is not an appropriate one being built today for this purpose. Our collective governments are pretty lame but they do understand electricity. I think

[RSF]

Wondering if resetting the lakes and waterways these monsters are inhabiting might be prudent, if the asian carp breeding infestation cannot be rapidly handled genetically? Realize it's a horrendous thought but it's been a horrendous problem that will lead to the death of existing waterlife food chain, with only the AC left. AC are killing-off aquatics making oxygen (EDIT): UNavailable for and needed by other marine life to survive.

Edited February 28, 2012 by NightFisher

[Locnar]

oh and just wait till the animal rights idiots like P3TA get into the mix and tie it up in court for a few more years !!!! nothing will happen till its too late,canadian border checks are still catching people to this day bringing in live asian carp into the province,so im sure theres some already here swimming around !!! it makes the news every few months about a seizure at the border of live carp,so its probly too late already !!!

 

P3TA... arrrggghhh... I can see them now... "But they're living creatures on this planet like you and me. We don't have the right to take their lives, even if they are invasive and destroying the waterways in which they are now residing. They must live, killing them would be a sin" ... They'd have sex with every animal if they could do so without being killed. Along with the Asian Carps, P3TA should be electro shocked and removed from our cities.

[whiskywizard]

I'm curious to hear what people here think is the right solution.

 

For some years, the in-water electric barrier in the Chicago sanitation and shipping canal was seen as the final barrier. That never was true; the Illinois River watershed finds its way to Lake Michigan in many, many different ways. Little streams and drainage ditches, and lots of the those completely bypass the Chicago canal.

[captpierre]

Didn't know that, Wizzard. Discouraging.

[MichaelAngelo]

Didn't know that, Wizzard. Discouraging.

 

Yes this isn't good. Pretty soon this will happen:

 

Oh well... I could always start a carp spearing charter....

[Christopheraaron]

I guess Obama doesn't like fishing! "which they say would disrupt commercial barge and pleasure boat traffic" you could just make a device to raise boats over the nets! and if the US wants to ruin their lake then fine let's just hope canada puts up every effort at sault st marie and every other entry point!

Edited March 14, 2012 by Richmond Hill fisher

[Jigger]

Dont know why they dont just ask the OMNR for the virus that decimated the carp in the Kawarthas a few years back.

[misfish]

Dont know why they dont just ask the OMNR for the virus that decimated the carp in the Kawarthas a few years back.

 

Top secret.

[jedimaster]

Dont know why they dont just ask the OMNR for the virus that decimated the carp in the Kawarthas a few years back.

 

That was a pilot program that snuck out in testing for possible use against asian carp was it not?

 

Besides all these videosof people using bows to kill them, why not just have a guy with a sword drive up and down and slah em all. That would seem like more fun than with a bow.