U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., is joining other Great Lakes senators to call for including the exotic and destructive Asian carp on the list of species which cannot be transported across state lines without a permit.

Bayh is a co-sponsor of the Asian Carp Prevention and Control Act, which would amend the Lacey Act and designate the Asian carp as injurious wildlife and prohibit its intentional introduction into the Great Lakes.

“Asian carp are one of the most serious threats to the health of the Great Lakes,” Bayh said in a statement released on Thursday. “Unless we act soon, they have the potential to devastate the Great Lakes ecosystem. This legislation is an important step towards protecting the Great Lakes from the disastrous invasion of these species and ensuring that the Lakes remain in shape for everyone to enjoy.”

“Asian carp are voracious eaters and can grow up to six feet long and weigh 110 pounds,” the statement said. “Unfortunately, these species were introduced into the Mississippi River, about 25 miles from Lake Michigan, wreaking havoc on the food supplies available to native fisheries.”

The Asian Carp Prevention and Control Act would ban the interstate transportation of the fish without a permit. Similar measures have been taken for other exotic and injurious species, including the mongoose, fruit bats, and the zebra mussel.

Posted 7/15/2005