The feds came up with eight barrier-type options to "control" the transfer of invasive species, both north and south. One costs $18 million over 25 years. They're going to let Congress pick one.
Even if they build this very expensive Asian carp obstacle course, the Asian carp below the barrier are out of control and increasing/spreading, and the invasive species above the barrier are also out of control increasing/spreading inland.
Barriers are no more than obstacles. Control is only in one spot, does not reduce invasive populations and stops when funding stops.
So we can use predators to control Asian carp. Native predators. Using predators is part of the overall Asian carp plan under biological controls; they have to be abundant to be effective. Restoring native fish populations does not interfere with building barriers.
We can restore native fish/predator populations without an act of Congress. We can start now. There are Dingell Johnson Restoration Act funds available for that very thing. Every state could be restoring native fish/predator populations, while they play musical barriers on Capitol Hill.
Make our lakes and rivers useless to any invasive species, or as resistant as possible. If we don't do it, we are not doing everything to keep the carp from taking over, and we don't have 25 years!
TOM MATYCH/Twin Lake