Poison to be used to test for Asian carp

May 6, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

Illinois and federal officials announced plans Wednesday to again dump fish poison into a Chicago-area waterway to help them determine whether the invasive Asian carp has come any closer to the Great Lakes.

Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of about a dozen lawmakers from Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin continued to pressure congressional leaders to bring up for quick action their legislative proposal that would force the closure of locks between the waterway and Lake Michigan.

“We’re talking about a $7 billion recreational fishing industry, a $16 billion recreational boating industry and, frankly, our way of life,” Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said at a Capitol news conference.

Illinois politicians argue closing the locks could prove too costly to industries that rely on area shipping.

The plans announced Wednesday involve using the fish toxin rotenone in a stretch of the Calumet-Sag Channel that links Lake Michigan and the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, to find out whether there are any Asian carp in an area where positive carp DNA samples have been found.

A similar mass fish- poisoning was conducted in the canal in December, when no carp were found. Officials say rotenone kills carp and other fish but poses no risk to people or other wildlife when properly used.

The poison will be applied about a mile downstream from the lock and dam May 20, and a stretch of the waterway will be closed for about five or six days.

Proponents of legislation that would require the Army Corps of Engineers to close the lock, at least temporarily, said they were pleased the Obama administration was moving in what they consider to be the right direction.

“Obviously, there is much more we need to do,” Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich., said.