Environment & Climate Change

A bighead carp at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.

Asian carp have been making their way up the Mississippi River system for years after escaping from fish farms and wastewater treatment ponds in the southern U.S.They’re knocking on the door of the Great Lakes, and a number of people are concerned about what could happen if carp become established in the region.In this five-part series, we’ll take a look at what officials are trying to do to keep the fish out, what might happen if carp get in, and why some people want to turn carp into a business opportunity.

Feds working 'as fast as possible' to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes

Michigan Public | By Zoe Clark

Published January 28, 2011 at 7:53 AM EST

The Obama Administration's 'Asian carp czar' was in Traverse City yesterday

John Goss, the Obama administration's so-called 'Asian carp czar,' was in Traverse City yesterday to talk about how the federal government is trying to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes. Goss said the government is moving as fast as possible to keep the species out of the Lakes. There's concern that if the carp made their way into the Great Lakes it would devastate the waters' ecosystem.

As the Associated Press reports:

Goss of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, said... the government made significant progress last year with actions such as bolstering an electric barrier near Chicago to keep the unwanted fish from reaching Lake Michigan. The Army Corps of Engineers is studying how to prevent invasive species from migrating between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River drainage basins. It plans to finish in 2015. Many state officials and activists say that's too slow.