Last night, Illinois biologists dumped rotenone into the canal waters near Romeoville, Illinois to keep Asian Carp from entering the Great Lakes while an electrial barrier is turned off for maintenance. The barrier will be down for a few days and the toxin will kill any Asian carp that try to pass through the canal.
The rotenone is estimated to cost between $1-$2 million. Roughly 200,000 pounds of fish not just the carp will be killed. The toxin is not hazardous to humans.
Asian Carp pose a major treat to the Great Lakes because they can consume up to 40% of their body weight in food each day. They can grow to more than 4 feet long. They have been known to be in excess of 100lbs and are know to leap at boaters!
If the Carp enters the Great Lakes, the ecosystem could be damaged. The Great Lakes sportfishing industry which takes in an estimated $7 billion per year will be greatly affected.
Recently, water samples taken six miles from Lake Michigan tested positive for the Carp by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The University of Notre Dame verified this stating the waters tested positive for carp between Sept 23 and Oct 1.
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