Asian Carp - Threat to Our Native Species

Milwaukee Riverkeeper is demanding that immediate action to be taken against the invasive Asian Carp, which can grow to over 100 pounds and wreck havoc on our Great Lakes' ecosystem.   

Together with other Great Lakes Waterkeepers, we recently sent a letter to the Great Lakes Governors asking them to declare a state of emergency, which would allow Federal agencies to enact emergency measures to prevent the invasion of Asian Carp into Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes.

Emergency measures include shutting down the Chicago River, Willamette & O'Brien Locks, and authorizing federal agencies to take all control measures necessary to stop the carp.

New DNA evidence shows the carp has likely made it past the electric barrier on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, as well as made it to Cal-Sag Channel and Calumet River just 8 miles from Lake Michigan.  Now, the only thing standing between the carp and Lake Michigan are a few heavily used navigational locks!

MAKE A CALL, STOP A CARP

1. Please immediately call Major General Peabody, Commander of the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division, Army Corps of Engineers and the Corps in DC and urge them to:
- Immediately close all controlling locks in Chicago waterways that lead to Lake Michigan.
- Take any and all monitoring and control efforts to keep the Asian carp at bay and the Great Lakes safe.
- The risk is too great to delay taking action, we must act today to save the Great Lakes from this devastating invasive species. 
- To reach Major General Peabody, call the Great Lakes Division Headquarters at 513-684-3010. You may reach the Army Corps in Washington, DC at 202-761-0011.

2. Governor Doyle is the Chair of the Council of Great Lakes Governors.  Please call his office at 608-266-1212, or send him an e-mail at the State of Wisconsin website urging him to declare a state of emergency so Federal agencies can move in and help.

3. You can also contact your member of Congress (find out yours here) and Senators Feingold & Kohl.  Ask them to take emergency action and close the locks to stop the carp and save our Great Lakes.  You can also call 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to your Representative's office.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW MORE?

• The Michigan Governor recently called for an immediate shut down of the navigational locks in Illinois.  For that story visit JSOnline.com.  JS also posted a recent editorial advocating for the closing of the locks.

• Milwaukee Riverkeeper recently signed onto a letter encouraging Michigan's Attorney General to take emergency actions to prevent the carp from entering the Great Lakes.  To view that letter click on the attached document below.

• For up-to-the-minute info visit Asiancarp.org. 

• To read the letter we sent to the Great Lake's Governors, regarding the need for action, click on the attached PDF below.

• To read the recent press release from the Alliance for the Great Lakes, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, Great Lakes United, and National Wildlife Federation regarding the issue click the PDF below.