Agreement paves way to halt spread of invasive carp in Great Lakes – Macomb Daily

Two species of Asian carp, the bighead carp and the silver carp, leap out of the Illinois River near Havana, Illinois. In a major step toward preserving the Great Lakes, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to co-sponsor construction of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project, which aims to keep these flying fish and other invasive species out of the Great Lakes. Photo courtesy of the National Wildlife Federation

The fishermen are delighted.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed a project partnership agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) on Monday, giving the green light to the Brandon Road Lock and Dam project.

The project is being built in Joliet, Illinois. But it’s also important to Michiganders because it represents a plausible solution to prevent the spread of invasive carp (those crazy flying fish) and other aquatic pests from entering the Great Lakes and impacting Macomb County’s ecosystem and blue economy.

“Today’s agreement will help us get the critical Brandon Road project underway as quickly as possible,” Governor Whitmer said in a news release. “The Great Lakes are the heartbeat of Michigan’s economy, and Brandon Road will help us protect local communities and key industries, including fishing and recreational boating.”

Candice Miller agrees.

“I commend the states of Michigan and Illinois for working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to reach this agreement,” Macomb County Public Works Commissioner and current Great Lakes Commission member Robert E. Smith said in a statement. “It is impossible to underestimate the importance of this project to protect the native fish of our beautiful and cherished lakes. These invasive species have voracious appetites and could seriously damage fisheries and harm the Great Lakes ecosystem.”

The solution is long overdue.

Invasive carp species, including bighead carp, black carp, grass carp, and silver carp, were imported into the United States in the 1960s and 1970s to control algae, weeds, and parasites in fish farms. However, they escaped through various means, established themselves in the Mississippi River, and have proven invasive, especially the bighead and silver carp species, which consume large quantities of phytoplankton, the basis of the lake ecosystem. They also reproduce rapidly, outcompeting native fish species, and have no natural predators to control them.

Silver carp can also jump out of the water, sometimes several meters high, creating an injury risk for recreational water users.

Since their discovery, federal and state wildlife agencies have spent millions finding ways to further slow their migration.

They installed floating transmitters to track individual fish and capture large numbers of them, as well as electric barriers, bubble walls and underwater speakers.

There was even a movement to change their name to “copi” in hopes of generating demand for them as a delicacy in restaurants.

But those plans don’t hold water and don’t offer as much hope of stopping the voracious eaters competing with native species for food and habitat as the current plan for the Brandon Road Lock and Dam project, which has been in the works since 2011.

Among the first steps of the project was the Great Lakes-Mississippi River Basin Separation Study, which identified several options for separating the two basins.

This led to the Brandon Road feasibility study, followed by a planning, engineering and design agreement and a partnership between Michigan, Illinois and USACE; the first such agreement involving two non-federal sponsors.

The total cost of the project is estimated at $1.14 billion.

The federal government will pay 90 percent of the cost. The remaining 10 percent will be funded by Michigan ($64 million) and Illinois ($80 million), according to the plan approved by the two state legislatures.

Forty groups representing conservation and environmental organizations from across the country also sent a letter to Pritzker in June, urging him to sign the final agreement giving USACE the green light to begin construction on the project that is expected to protect the region’s $7 billion commercial and sport fishing industry as well as its $16 billion recreational boating industry.

“The Great Lakes represent a $2.3 billion fishery in Michigan alone,” said Amy Trotter, executive director of Michigan United Conservation Clubs, one of the groups that signed the letter.

“Signing the Brandon Highway Project agreement will help protect our fisheries, our economy and our quality of life,” added Marc Smith, Great Lakes policy director for the National Wildlife Federation.

Miller, who grew up enjoying the benefits of living within walking distance of Lake St. Clair, said eight states and two Canadian provinces will also benefit from the project.

“As a longtime advocate for the Great Lakes and Michigan’s coastal waterways, I am especially pleased to see this partnership reach this important milestone,” Miller said.

Scott Bowen, director of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, also praised the agreement, which was created through support from citizens at the state and national levels, as well as years of research and development by USACE scientists and engineers.

“I want to thank and congratulate everyone who was involved in this effort,” Bowen said. “Our children and grandchildren will thank them as well.”

For more information, visit mvr.usace.army.mil/Missions/Environmental-Stewardship/BR-Interbasin-Project/.