June 30, 2010 - Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Gary Peters today joined Rep. Dave Camp and Senator Debbie Stabenow in introducing the Permanent Prevention of Asian Carp Act.  Last week, commercial fisherman captured the first Asian Carp fish above the electrical barrier in Lake Calumet, just six miles downstream from Lake Michigan. 

“The capture of Asian Carp past the barrier may be the final warning bell before a major catastrophe.  The oil spill in the Gulf offers a bleak preview of the tragic economic and ecologic consequences our region could face if the ecosystem of our largest bodies of water are destroyed,” said Rep. Peters.  “We need serious action now to stop Asian Carp from spilling into the Great Lakes and threatening our multi-billion dollar commercial fishing and tourism industries once and for all.  I am pleased to have joined with Rep. Camp and Senator Stabenow to introduce legislation that would take steps to permanently stop the invasion of Carp and other species from invading the Great Lakes through the Chicago river system.”

Last week’s discovered Asian Carp represents the first physical evidence that the invasive species has breached the electronic barriers designed to stop it, confirming the results of months’ worth of eDNA evidence.  The Permanent Prevention of Asian Carp Act would authorize and expedite Army Corps of Engineers actions aimed at permanently separating the Great Lakes from the Mississippi river basin.