Preventing invasive species, including the Asian carp, from entering the Great Lakes is of utmost concern and is of epic importance in the lives of the 4.3 million boaters using the lakes. These aquatic nuisances stand to ruin the family boating sport and hobby, and the $7-billion fishing industry, and to cripple the $10-billion annual economic impact contributed to the Great Lakes region by the boating community.

The fortified electric barriers are performing adequately, which leads us to believe that we are not ready to seal the Chicago locks. The absence of live Asian carp and traces of eDNA belonging to the carp family in waterways past the barriers indicate that the current protections against the Asian carp are sufficient. Fish netting and rotenone distribution help to ensure that the Asian carp does not make any headway into Lake Michigan.

The Great Lakes Boating Federation is aware that there are other avenues for the Asian carp to invade the Great Lakes through other lakes and tributaries. With environmental agencies, the Great Lakes Boating Federation remains committed to protecting the Chicago Area Waterways and to vigorously fighting to ensure that this watershed does not become a conduit for Asian carp transit into Lake Michigan.

The boating community’s assessment of the Asian carp matter is in line with the recent court decision that closing the locks is not a solution at the present time. Sealing the Chicago locks now is an unnecessary and costly move to prevent the carp from invading the Great Lakes.