The Detroit Free Press reports that Gov. Jennifer Granholm is calling for legal action to block the shipping route between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River in an attempt to prevent Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes system.
Asian carp is a non-native, invasive species that could threaten the ecological balance of the Great Lakes.
Earlier this year, the Mackinac Center published an article in its MichiganScience magazine about the Asian carp and various efforts to keep the fish from invading the Great Lakes.
According to the article:
The only thing currently preventing the carp from entering the Great Lakes is an experimental barrier that has been active since 2002. This older, smaller barrier has been operating at a power of 1 volt per inch. According to biologists, that voltage is enough to repel adult Asian carp, but not juvenile carp.
The Associated Press reports that this barrier may have failed.
The MichiganScience article provides a solid background of the issues surrounding the Asian carp's migration toward the Great Lakes.
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