DNA evidence of Asian carp above electric barrier grows
While it's been nearly two years since crews landed the only live Asian carp specimen above an electric barrier on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, DNA evidence of the jumbo carp continues to come in - and the percentage of DNA-positive water samples taken above the barrier this year appears to have grown tenfold over last year.
The Army Corps of Engineers reported that of the 2,378 water samples taken throughout 2011 in the canal system above the electric barrier, a total of 34 samples were positive. This year, after just one day of sampling the waters above the barrier, the Army Corps reports it landed 17 positive results from 114 water samples. In other words, the percentage of samples that tested positive for Asian carp DNA last year was about 1.5%. This year, so far, it has jumped to almost 15%.
The information is posted on the Army Corps website.
The Army Corps acknowledges that Asian carp pose a significant threat to the ecology of the Great Lakes, the world's largest freshwater system that is home to an estimated $7 billion fishery and is a drinking water source for some 40 million people. The Army Corps is looking at what it will take to permanently separate Lake Michigan from the Asian carp-infested Mississippi River basin as part of a multiyear study that isn't scheduled to be complete until 2015. But in the meantime the agency maintains that its electric barrier continues to provide adequate defense for the lakes. Conservation groups and Illinois' neighboring states, five of which have sued the Army Corps to force it to do more to stop the fish, remain dubious.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/dna-evidence-of-asian-carp-above-electric-barrier-grows-m45qi20-159455565.htmlMinn. DNR: Invasive species violation rates unacceptable
The DNR began extra patrols May 12 that will continue through the summer. The agency is trying to stop zebra mussels, spiny waterfleas, Eurasian watermilfoil and other nonnative species from infesting more of Minnesota's waters, because once the species are established, it's next to impossible to get rid of them. The DNR is operating check stations near infested waters and is ordering boats that are suspected to be contaminated to be power-washed.
As of June 6, conservation officers had issued 193 criminal citations for invasive species violations, 463 civil citations, 975 written warnings and 267 verbal warnings — a total of 1,898. That compares with 850 citations or warnings last year and 293 in 2010.
"We hope these citations, warnings and public contacts will continue to raise awareness that this state looks at invasive species very seriously," Meier said in the statement. "We will enforce the rules."
http://www.crookstontimes.com/news/x1179512951/Minn-DNR-Invasive-species-violation-rates-unacceptableThe Chinese ought to feel right at home in their zones here. Why aren't they doing more to stop the source? It's a "free-for-all"!
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Topic: Invasive Foreign Species (Read 1645 times)
