×

Proposals sought to keep invasive carp out of Great Lakes

Asian carp were introduced into Southern fish farm ponds in the 1970s and have since spread across the United States. They are now on the verge of invading the Great Lakes.

Once established in an ecosystem they are virtually impossible to eradicate, according to the National Wildlife Federation. Adult Asian carp have no natural predators in North America and females lay approximately half a million eggs each time they spawn.

Asian carp consume up to 20 percent of their bodyweight per day in plankton and can grow to over 100 pounds. Plankton are small floating organisms that form the foundation of the aquatic food chain and are vital to native fish.

Today, bighead and silver carp are the dominant fish species in the Illinois River, which connects the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan. There is concern that if bighead and silver carp enter the Great Lakes, they may cause significant ecosystem damage.

The Chicago Area Waterways System, a series of sewage and shipping canals, is the pathway of greatest concern for Asian carp to enter the Great Lakes. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains three electric barriers to prevent carp from entering Lake Michigan, but these barriers are only temporary impediments and have proven to be penetrable.

On June 22, an eight-pound silver carp was captured beyond the electric barrier, just nine miles from Lake Michigan.

Michigan continues to seek to work cooperatively with other states and Canadian provinces to keep silver and bighead carp from entering the Great Lakes.

On Tuesday, Gov. Rick Snyder announced that the Invasive Carp Challenge is now accepting proposals for innovative methods to prevent an invasion.

“Invasive carp pose a serious and growing threat to the economy and ecology of our Great Lakes,” Snyder said. “The Invasive Carp Challenge will tap into the creativity and expertise of the entrepreneurial community to find the best ways to protect Michigan’s most prized natural resource.”

The Invasive Carp Challenge is designed to tap into the creative minds of people around the world to join the government and research community in enhancing existing research and tools while developing new, innovative solutions. The challenge will accept solutions in any phase of development, from concept to design to field-tested models, specifically aimed at preventing invasive carp movement into the Great Lakes.

Written proposals will be accepted online through InnoCentive’s Challenge Center through Oct. 31.

One or more solutions will share up to $700,000 in cash awards provided by the state of Michigan. Once registered, solvers can see a detailed description of the challenge, review existing deterrent technologies for invasive carp and submit their proposed solutions.

Learn more about the Invasive Carp Challenge by visiting: www.michigan.gov/carpchallenge.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today