To fight carp, boaters willing to use locks less

Posted on 17 February 2010

ShareTweet

Boaters are against the proposed closures of Chicago-area locks and prefer the Obama administration's solution, which includes a $78.5 million approach to slow the advance of the Asian carp and a search for other means to halt the invasion, rather than closing the locks, according to the Great Lakes Boating Federation.

There are 7,000 boaters in the Chicago area with moorings and winter storage areas in the Chicago harbors and in the river system. One in five Great Lakes residents is either a boat owner or a boating enthusiast, the federation says.

"The boating community that uses southern Lake Michigan would be willing to consider using the locks less often in an effort to combat the invasive species," said F. Ned Dikmen, chairman of the Great Lakes Boating Federation, in a statement.

"In an effort to fight the Asian carp invasion, boaters would be open to less frequent use of the locks, similar to the flotilla protocol that is utilized for bridge openings on the Chicago River during the boaters' seasonal migratory transits to and from their storage yards to the lake," he added.

Click here for the full release.

Comments

4 Thursday, 18 February 2010 16:19

Here's the thing, locks are NOT constructed to close completely, so even if they are "closed" they are not water tight, thereby allowing fish to swim through.  Second, there are several other entry points from the Chicago Area Waterways, including free flowing river and streams such as the Little Calumet.  The eDNA evidence, while alarming is far from conclusive.  What is important is that we avoid a knee-jerk reaction and instead take the time necessary to make a well-reasoned decision.  It has taken these invasive species nearly 30 years to migrate as far as they have.  They are not going to invade the Great Lakes overnight.   Not to mention, given that no actual fish have been found in the Chicago Sanitary & Shipping Canal east of the electric barrier, that if we were to separate the watersheds by sealing off the connections, that we should do so farther downstream rather than literally on the other side a wall from the lakes.

3 Wednesday, 17 February 2010 18:57

This is ridiculous.  If the canals are open at all the carp will get through to Lake Michigan.

2 Wednesday, 17 February 2010 17:44

What a crock. These few thousand Chicago boaters, at best, are going to ruin the whole Great Lakes for everyone. How many boaters would really truely be effected by these locks closing ? I'm sure not every Chicago boater uses them. The whole eco-system, boating on the great lakes, recreational fishing and commercial fishing indsutries HAVE to outweigh those few Chicago area boaters and business. Why not take the 78.5 million and buy the few marina's on the locks that would be put out of business.

1 Wednesday, 17 February 2010 16:59

Chicago boaters economic contribution is not enormous. It is a fraction of one percent of the total economic output of the Chicago area. Also if one if five Great lakes residents are boaters than the few thousand in the Chicago area represents .0001833% of all boaters in the region.

The $78 million that Obuma wants to use to NOT solve the problem would come at the expense of the Great Lakes fund not some magic Obuma source of money. Stupid non-solution.

Add your comment

Your name:	Required, screen names acceptable
Your email:	Required, will not be published
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive. For more information, please see our Comments Policy.:
Word verification:
	Post Preview

yvComment v.1.21.1