The Northeast-Midwest Institute (NEMWI) and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC) hosted a live sea lamprey event on Capitol Hill last week, giving attendees a chance to touch a sea lamprey and learn more about one of the Great Lakes region’s most environmentally and economically damaging invasive species.

Sea lamprey have been invasive to the Great Lakes since 1921, and pose a serious threat to native fish populations. They suction themselves to fish and drain their blood; one sea lamprey can kill up to 46 pounds of fish in its lifetime. The GLFC has controlled sea lamprey populations for over 70 years through the development of the lampricide TFM, which targets sea lamprey larvae without harming the broader ecosystem. This work has reduced sea lamprey populations by 90% from their pre-control levels, preserving the $5.1 billion Great Lakes fishery.

This year’s event brought 80 visitors and included a visit from Representative Bill Huizenga (R-MI), who bravely volunteered to let the sea lamprey latch onto his hand! This event underscored the continued regional and policy importance of sea lamprey control in the Great Lakes.

Reported by NEMWI Interns Jamaica Rose, Amherst College, and Alexandre Massip, University of Pittsburgh