Search Returns No Asian Carp in Lake Calumet; Business Leaders Suggest Carping, Not Carp The Growing Threat

CHICAGO, IL – After an extensive four day search for Asian carp in Lake Calumet, the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee announced today that no specimen was found.  Many who favor lock closure and permanent separation of the Great Lakes from the Mississippi River Watershed pointed to an increase in the number of positive eDNA samples in the lake as cause to pursue extreme action to address the presence of Asian carp in the region.

“eDNA sampling remains a controversial and unreliable testing method. Today’s announcement, once again, calls the practice into question,” said Mark Biel, chairman of UnLock Our Jobs and executive director of the Chemical Industry Council of Illinois. “Now, more than ever, it is abundantly clear that other regional stakeholders are not interested in a comprehensive solution to this problem.  Unproductive rhetoric calling for extreme and virtually impossible action like closure and separation suggests that political carping is becoming a higher priority for some than stopping the advance of the species itself.”

UnLock Our Jobs is a coalition dedicated to protecting the essential waterway connection between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River corridor. A project of the Chemical Industry Council of Illinois, coalition members represent agriculture, business, labor, river communities, and concerned citizens working towards a comprehensive solution to stop the spread of Asian Carp, while leaving the Chicago locks open to commerce.

To speak with Mr. Biel or other UnLock Our Jobs experts, please contact Lisa Burgess at lisa@unlockourjobs.org.

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