The US military is investing billions of dollars to push back invasive sea species that are known for damaging major water bodies and costing the American economy $21 billion every year.
The US federal government is planning to protect the Great Lakes from invasive carp and many other troubling species by investing $1 billion.
These creatures destroy other fishes in the Great Lakes, consume phytoplankton to destroy the natural ecosystem and reproduce at a much faster rate, which is exponentially increasing their population compared to other fishes. To make matters worse, there are no natural predators that consume these carp, which is further destroying the US aquaculture, alongside creating many problems related to commercial shipping. On top of this, the carp can jump 10 feet above the water and also endanger human lives.
This is urging the US Army Corps of Engineers to install multiple barriers at strategic locations that would keep these species far away from major shipping routes to avoid unnecessary delays in the supply chain.
The history of these invasive carp in America dates back to the 1970s when they were imported from Asia to control algal blooms in some areas, but they managed to escape into multiple major American water bodies and became one of the most threatening water species.
Tens of thousands of people employed in the boating and fishing sectors can face job cuts if the issue remains unattended, as these invasive species generally destroy normal fishing and shipping operations.
Government surveys previously suggested that completely eliminating carp from US waters is not possible. However, large-scale operations against these species have previously been conducted, including a historic effort last year when nearly 750,000 pounds of invasive carp were removed from the Illinois River within 10 days.
On average, almost 1 million pounds of these creatures are removed every year from Illinois alone, but the problem still persists, which is urging government authorities to take measures to control their invasion in the Great Lakes.
The government depends on various techniques to control their invasion, including enacting sound barriers and introducing a $100 bounty on their heads.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel spoke about the importance of keeping these invasive creatures away from the Great Lakes, as she stated that these species destroy the very water bodies where most of the Americans made their memories while growing up.
Previously, authorities have also urged people to eat these invasive carp, but critics suggest that these species consume more pollutants than other fishes, which makes them relatively unsafe for human consumption.
