Invasive Asian carp have established themselves in many lakes and river systems in the upper mid-West. Once established, they have wreaked havoc on existing food chains. Some of these invasive carp have been caught in Lake Erie.
In anticipation of a possible invasion of the Great Lakes system, researchers from the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Sciencehave been working with scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Columbia Environmental Research Center to create a model to determine if there are adequate food resources to maintain a population of Asian carp in Lake Erie and Lake Michigan.
Preliminary results indicate there is indeed enough food available for the invasive carps to multiply in a fashion similar to places that have already been overrun in the western basin of Lake Erie and some smaller embayments of Lake Michigan.
For more information, contact Timothy.Wynne@noaa.gov.