Gov. Quinn open to Great Lakes-Mississippi split

[malaise]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/10819872
<snip>
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn said Saturday that separating the Great Lakes and Mississippi River systems is the "ultimate solution" to prevent voracious Asian carp from overrunning the lakes, a potential step toward resolving a longstanding regional feud.

During a meeting with governors of several neighboring states, Quinn said it would be a massive and costly undertaking to rework the Chicago canal project that linked the two giant watersheds a century ago. He defended Illinois' efforts to block the advance of silver and bighead carp toward the lakes by hiring commercial fishermen and operating an electric barrier, but acknowledged more needs to be done.

"Ultimately, I think we have to separate the basins," Quinn said. "I really feel that is the ultimate solution."

His comment during a Council of Great Lakes Governors panel discussion on this Lake Huron resort island drew applause from government officials, environmental advocates and others in attendance. "I hope you're clapping when Congress comes to invest the money," Quinn said. "It has to be a national project."

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This is getting serious

[roamer65]

1. Hate to say it, but more than likely they already are in Lk Mich

I have seen articles where DNA tests say they may have made it beyond the barriers. Hopefully it will not be as bad as the sea lamprey and zebra mussel contaminations.

Once the sea lamprey got in and destroyed the native fish, the Great Lakes became an artificial fishery...based on the periodic application of lampricides in its tributaries.

IF the Asian carp truly get in and completely destroy the sport and commercial fishing industry in the Great Lakes, then I would advocate the ending or scaling back of lampricide application. Let the lampreys at them. No other fish can prey on them but the lampreys can definitely get them.