Invasive exotic species are an ongoing ecological and economic problem across the United States and globally. The city of Chicago is currently preparing to deal with the arrival of one such species, the Asian Carp. Originally introduced in the southern US to control algae build-up, the carp have since made their way up the Mississippi River. Now that the Asian Carp is nearing Chicago, authorities are thinking of ways to prevent their entering the Great Lakes. The BBC has put out an article on the various ways the city of Chicago is attempting to deal with this issue. One such plan is proposed by the Army Corps of Engineers and would entail blocking the city’s canals, an $18 million project. There is much debate over blocking the canals as it would greatly hurt Chicago’s economy, while the introduction of the carp into the Great Lakes, which contain 20% of the worlds fresh water, would introduce a host of ecological and economic problems. Check out the article for more details on the situation including the plan to just eat the carp out of existence. Also make sure to check out Tom Barnes’ recent ETR article for an overview on the impact of invasive exotic species and what you can do to help, The Homogenization of Nature.
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