marine industry professionals
Report: It's costly to close locks to block Asian carp
The Illinois Chamber of Commerce released an economic impact analysis reporting that a permanent closure of the Chicago and O'Brien locks to stop the spread of Asian carp could eventually cost $4.7 billion.
The report says the cost would be $582 million the first year, $531 million annually during the next seven years and would result in a net loss of $4.7 billion during a 20-year planning horizon.
"Between April and June each year, an estimated 2,600 recreational boats depart marinas, boat ramps or winter storage facilities on the Chicago River or Cal Sag Channel en route to Chicago Park District facilities on Lake Michigan, where they remain for the summer .... The lost value to boat users from losing their preferred option would, as a rough approximation, be about $5.1 million annually," the report said.
The report, conducted by DePaul University economist Joseph Schwieterman, stands in contrast to Michigan's Taylor and Roach report, which said the impact of lock closure on the Chicago economy would fall within the range of $64 million to $69 million annually.
"Beyond the economics, we question the science as well. The eDNA test cited in claims that Asian carp are above the electric barrier was only recently developed within the past year, and has not had the benefit of peer review to determine its reliability or accuracy," said Jim Farrell, executive director of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce's Infrastructure Council, in a statement.
"Essentially, the Asian carp debate has been fueled by an unscientific economic analysis and an experimental eDNA test. This hardly seems like sufficient evidence to bring the most environmentally friendly mode of transportation and a billion-dollar industry to a halt," he added.
Two weeks of recent targeted fishing in areas above the electronic barrier yielded no Asian carp, calling into question the original eDNA testing mechanism used to detect the carp's existence, according to the chamber.
"It is the chamber's hope that this study will bring some well-reasoned perspective to a debate that has been fueled by rhetoric from the state of Michigan," said Farrell.
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The eDNA that they found are false positives. There are NO live fish swimming through the electric barrier or are getting past it. I know this how? I see how the eDNA gets past the barrier. The eDNA is caused by DEAD fish. Silver carp jump very high out of the water when disturbed by passing vessels. I have seen DEAD silver carp on the sides of barges near the lake this past fall... Right before they took the samples. Also, bighead carp and others can get caught in the couplings of barges and DIE. When they reach port, the barges are uncoupled and the DEAD fish fall into the water. This is why not much eDNA was found just past the barrier and more eDNA was found nearer to the lake. Very little shipping stops just past the barrier and nothing gets tossed in the water. This fact gives the ILLUSION that the Asian carp are on the move above the barrier. That they are not. I work in the industry and witnessed it with my own eyes.
Dead female Asian carp can't carry fertilized eggs. The LIVE female has to deposit them in A RIVER where the male then fetilizes them.
This is all a big joke and boondoggle. The money for this eDNA grant runs out in June of 2010... Any wonder why they are pushing it?
Has there been any new eDNA findings? Is it getting harder to detect while the previous fish in the river deteriotate? I know for a fact that shipping is more hypersensitve to this issue now and they are making sure that dead fish don't get transported. Even ballast water is being dropped in the same pool they took it from.
Kill them all !!! this species will desimate the great lakes. Our DNR hurts us so much allready we can't stand to let mother nature take her shots too. So we either kill the fish or abollish the DNR. I kill every fish I get my hands on I hope theres no laws against it, they make GREAT fertilizer for my food plots in my woods that I have to do because I can no longer bait on my own property, so please don't let these fish ruin our fishery. Because the DNR have ruined our hunting.
Thank you and good evening
a concerned outdoorsman.
Jewelblock- I totally agree with the hypoxic zone. I dont know why the delays, lets move forward with the solution, before all of the water access is rendered "useless" and "unprofitable", then we will have even bigger problems. Im curious, though- is it still possible for fish to enter that oxygenless zone and do they go back out, or just die? Maybe they can take those "casualties" if thats what happens to them, several times a day and use those for the food banks?
These fish are already in Lake Erie, and closing the locks in Chicago will not stop the fish from entering Lake Michigan thru the Little Calumet River and other rivers that are connected to the DesPlaines River - which already has these fish. Only navigatable waterways are regulated and controlled by the Army Corps of Engineers. Closing the locks, therefore, will not stop the fish - but will cause an economic hardship for not only Chicago but the entire corridor from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi which currently relies on this waterway.
Many industries not mentioned (for instance, the electric power plants) rely on the canal to recieve their incoming raw materials. To lose this waterway will greatly increase the cost of living for many serviced by ComEd, etc.
Netting and using these fish could provide protein for those served by food pantries, or by fast food resturants, or even used for fertilizer. Or, if the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District were to stop aerating the canal, there will be miles of waterway that will once again have too little oxygen to sustain fish which would be win-win: no fancy barriers needed and the MWRD saves money they currently spend on aeration. I'm sure such less-antagonistic methods of controling the fish can be utilized.
What they seem to keep forgetting.. is that no matter what state youre from, no one will want to go boating, water skiing or anything else, if there are giant fish jumping out of the water and hitting them in the head. Even the fisherman wont have much to fish for, cept the carp eventually- since they eat all the food of the other fish with their voracious appetites! The remaining worlds major fresh water supply and the food supply chain of anything else other than carp would be in jeopardy and that should be more of a cause for concern for EVERYONE, no matter where you are from.