Money targets Asian carp

By QMI Agency

The federal government said Monday it will invest $17.5 million over five years to protect the Great Lakes from the threat of Asian carp.

The money will be targetted at prevention, early warning, rapid response, and management and control, said Sarnia-Lambton MP Pat Davidson.

Emphasis will be placed on educating people about the danger of invasive species and ways to prevent humans from bringing Asian carp into Canadian waters, said Davidson, who has been leading a team of Great Lakes MPs advocating for a great control effort.

"One of the main components in an effective strategy to block the advance of the Asian carp into Canadian territorial waters is the need to educate communities that these species are not welcome in our waters, and in fact will cause irreparable harm if they are introduced," she said.

Asian carp, which have proliferated in the U.S. Mississippi River system, aggressively compete with native fish for food and habitat.

Some fear the Great Lakes sport fishing industry could be devastated if Asian carp become established.
Canada will work with U.S. counterparts to develop an early warning and monitoring system, and work with enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with regulations when transporting the fish, Fisheries and Oceans Canada said.

"We know that this species specifically could have an enormously negative impact on our waterways," Davidson said.

"And with the current study we have heard first-hand from important local stakeholders including Jake Van Rooyen from the Bluewater Anglers, Tim Purdy and his family from Purdy Fisheries Ltd. and also the president of the Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce, Garry McDonald, Davidson said.

Reprinted from the London Free Press.