Plan would block pest species from Mississippi River

By Tom Saul Thursday, November 13, 2008

For nuisances like the zebra mussel and the round goby, a species of fish, it is far too late, said Joel Brammeier of the Alliance for the Great Lakes.

But a new report by the advocacy group recommends severing a century-old barge and boating link between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River to help stop the spread of invasive species in the future, Brammeier said.

Primary targets are species of Asian carp, particularly the silver carp that infests the Illinois River, Brammeier said. The leaping critters can grow up to 100 pounds and have been known to knock boaters unconscious. (More)

Source: Quad-City Times