U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Invasive Fish Survey Resumes in Illinois Waterway:
Boater safety around electrical barrier a priority
The U.S.F.W.S. (Service), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), and Chicago's Shedd Aquarium will resume yearly surveillance efforts this June for invasive fish and fish pathogens, across 200 miles of the Illinois Waterway .
Members of the media are invited to join field crews during the 14th yearly Goby Roundup and Carp Corral on Wednesday, June 17 or Thursday, June 18. Contact Pam Thiel at 608-783-8431 by Thursday, June eleven to secure space aboard a survey boat. Space is limited and will be given on a first-come, first-serve basis.
A permanent electrical barrier designed to prevent and slow the spread of invasive fish species through the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal (CSSC), became operational 24 hours a day this past April, increasing the importance of safety precautions for navigational and recreational boaters.
"The Illinois Waterway is a critical avenue for commerce, transportation, and recreation," said Tom Melius, Midwest Regional Director of the Service. "The safety of our boaters is our highest priority as we work with our partners to reduce the threat of invasive species to these waters."
Along with other federal, state and regional partners, the team will chart the range of bighead carp and silver carp, 2 Asian invasive species. Biologists will also collect tissue samples from captured fish to test for lethal pathogens including the non-native spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV) and the viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV).
The "Goby Round Up/Carp Corral" surveillance effort is critical in determining if round goby populations have extended farther downstream toward the Mississippi River, and, if Asian carps have moved upstream toward Lake Michigan.
Sampling will cover nearly 200 miles - in excess of half the length of the Illinois Waterway - from Chicago downstream to Havana. In previous years, surveillance efforts have determined that round goby are most abundant at upstream sample sites like Alsip and Joliet. Bighead and silver carp, known for their ability to leap out of the water, are more common and likely to be encountered downstream near LaSalle-Peru, Morris or Havana.
The interconnected man-made channels and natural rivers of the Illinois Waterway near metropolitan Chicago provide a direct link for water-borne movement of non-native aquatic nuisance species like round goby, bighead carp, and silver carp between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins. Together, these watersheds encompass parts of 31 states and 4 Canadian provinces.
The potential economic and environmental impacts of Asian carp, round goby, fish disease pathogens and other invasive species are widespread and significant.
"The Great Lakes fishery brings $4 billion to the region every year and approximately 5 million anglers fish the waters annually, and invasive species like Asian carp and round goby threaten the very future of this valuable resource," said Marc Gaden, spokesman for the bi-national Great Lakes Fishery Commission. "We must do everything possible to halt these biological invasions. With the fate of both the Great Lakes and Mississippi River fisheries at risk, there are elevated concerns for the future."
A demonstration barrier constructed and operated by the USACE has been in continuous operation in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal (CSSC) since 2002. After extensive testing, the USACE placed the permanent barrier into 24-hour operation in April 2009. Both barriers are now in operation, providing a redundant back up system for one another.
"Invasive Asian carp not only upset the natural balance of aquatic ecosystems, they also leap high out of the water-silver carp in particular-when disturbed by boat motors and often collide like flying missiles with anglers, passengers, water skiers, jet skiers, and others who recreate on rivers, posing a serious safety hazard to all," said Pam Thiel, plan leader for the Service's La Crosse Countrywide Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office in Wisconsin.
To date no bighead or silver carp have been collected above the barriers. However, survey biologists captured one bighead carp 15 miles below the original barrier in 2007 and 2 silver carp 20 miles below it in 2008. Reproducing populations of bighead and silver carp have expanded from lower portions of the Illinois River to at least as far upstream as the Starved Rock Lock and Dam near Utica.
To address electrical safety concerns near the fish barriers, the USCG published a Temporary Interim Rule (TIR) that became effective earlier this year. The TIR established a Regulated Navigation Area (RNA) and safety zone in the navigable waters located adjacent to and over the barrier system, placing navigational and operational restrictions on all vessels transiting these navigable waters. The RNA encompasses all waters of the CSSC from river mile 295.0 to 297.5 and requires all commercial vessels certificated to carry, in bulk, any hazardous material (as defined in 46 CFR - 150.115) to be escorted through the area by a bow boat contracted by the USACE. A bow boat is a towing vessel capable of providing positive control of the bow of a tow while transiting the RNA.
Commercial and recreational mariners are also reminded to exercise extreme caution while traveling the CSSC from the Romeo Road Bridge to the pipeline arch, an approximately 1400-foot section of the canal from river mile 296.1 to 296.7. While transiting this area, boaters are advised to wear a USCG-approved life jacket, remain seated, stay out of the water, keep hands and feet out of the water, and closely supervise children and pets or send them below deck. All vessels are prohibited to linger or attempt to moor in the restricted area.
Operators of recreational watercraft are likewise advised to proceed cautiously when transiting waters infested by Asian carps.
To protect yourself, your passengers, and your equipment from "flying fish" while boating, follow these common sense recommendations:
- Always wear a life jacket
- Prepare a float project
- Protect the engine throttle mechanism
- Clip the engine kill-switch securely to the boat operator
- Do not follow other boats at high speed
- Provide shields to deflect leaping fish
- Do not ski in infested waters
- Store equipment where it cannot be damaged
- Come to a complete stop if surrounded by leaping fish
Native to large rivers of Asia, bighead and silver carp were brought to the U.S. in the early 1970s and began appearing in public waterways in the early 1980s. These species feed on plankton (microscopic plants and animals), consuming 3 to 5 times their body weight per day and can reach weights of in excess of 80 pounds. A 92-pound bighead carp was recently captured in the Illinois River while bow-fishing. Asian carps compete for food with larval and juvenile fish, as well as adult paddlefish, gizzard shad, bigmouth buffalo and native mussels.
"At Shedd Aquarium we are committed to educating the public about the dangers invasive species pose to our incredible waterways," said Jim Robinett, Vice President of Animal Legislation at Chicago's John G. Shedd Aquarium. "Each person who comes through the exhibit learns about the electric barrier and our partners' efforts in controlling invasives. But more importantly, each person knows they have a role to play in helping to prevent the spread of invasive species."
The round goby, a non-native fish from the Black and Caspian Seas in Eurasia, was 1st discovered in North American waters in 1990 and has since spread to all the Great Lakes. Known for its aggressive feeding and defensive behavior, and prolific reproductive rate, the round goby is a threat to native fish and a nuisance to anglers. The goby has been moving inland from Lake Michigan, toward the Mississippi River via the Illinois Waterway System since 1993. In 2004, the Illinois Natural History Survey collected a small round goby below the Peoria Lock and Dam, nearly 170 miles from Lake Michigan and half the distance to the Mississippi River.
The U.S.F.W.S. is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. Since 1871, the U.S.F.W.S. Fisheries Plan has played a vital role in conserving and managing native fish and other aquatic resources. For more information about the Fisheries Program, go to http://fisheries.fws.gov.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provides vital public engineering services in peace and war to strengthen our Nation's security, energize the economy, and reduce risks from disasters. A great engineering force of highly disciplined people, the Corps works with partners through disciplined thought and action to deliver innovative and sustainable solutions to the Nation's engineering challenges.
The U.S. Coast Guard is a military, multi-mission, maritime service within the Department of Homeland Security and one of the nation's 5 armed services. Its core roles are to protect the public, the environment, and U.S. economic and security interests in any maritime region in which those interests may be at risk, including international waters and America's coasts, ports, and inland waterways.
Shedd Aquarium's Great Lakes conservation initiative Listen to Your Lakes is dedicated to protecting the Great Lakes, the connected waterways and their nearly 11,000 miles of shoreline from growing threats. From beach sweeps to blogs, Shedd continues to offer diverse opportunities for the public to learn more about and get involved in Great Lakes conservation. Visit http://www.listentoyourlakes.org for more information.
For more information about the U.S.F.W.S., visit http://www.fws.gov
For more information about the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, visit http://www.usace.army.mil
For more information about the U.S. Coast Guard, visit http://www.uscg.mil/
For more information about the Shedd Aquarium, visit http://www.sheddaquarium.org
