The Northeast-Midwest Institute (NEMWI) and the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee (ACRCC) co-hosted a Congressional briefing on Asian carp mitigation in the Great Lakes Region last Tuesday, April 30. The briefing focused on the ACRCC’s 2019 Action Plan, grass carp, and the Brandon Road Selected Plan.
ACRCC Co-Chairs Bill Bolen (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) and Mike Weimer (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) discussed the 2019 Action Plan and how it addresses the threat of Asian carp to the Great Lakes. They also provided information on sound deterrent technologies that could impede the movement of Asian carp and actions that are being taken to address the potential transfer of Asian carp through entrainment between barges.
John Navarro (Ohio Department of Natural Resources) and Cindy Tam (U.S. Geological Survey) talked about the current efforts in addressing grass carp in Lake Erie, while Kevin irons (Illinois Department of Natural Resources) focused on the expanding harvesting efforts in both Illinois and Kentucky.
Finally Colonel Aaron Reisinger (U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Chicago District) discussed the Corps efforts in the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS), while Colonel Steven Sattinger (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District) focused on recent developments concerning the Brandon Road Selected Plan, which would put new barriers in place at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam that would prevent the upstream movement of Asian carp towards Lake Michigan.
The presentations from the briefing can be found here and a full audio recording of the program can be found 4.30.19.mp3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable">here.