A University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point professor will testify before Congress Feb. 9 about the threat that Asian carp pose to the Great Lakes.
Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn. invited Michael Hansen, professor of fisheries at UW-Stevens Point, to testify before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment, according to a UW-Stevens Point statement.
Asian carp have become a problem since it was announced in December 2009 that Asian carp DNA was found in Lake Michigan.
In January, the Supreme Court ruled the Chicago waterways could not be forced by surrounding states to close their locks to stop the Asian carp from spreading into the Lakes, because closing the gate would affect trade.
Hansen plans to tell the committee members that the Great Lakes would provide an ideal environment for the carp, which could eventually wipe out indigenous fish species.
“We need to throw resources behind this problem and make sure that the ecosystem isn’t changed forever,” Hansen said.
In Hansen’s view, the committee has both the legislative power and the money needed to fund research into the issue.
“If they give the funds to the Army Corps of Engineers, we can hopefully research and develop a lasting solution to this, rather than just putting up temporary barriers,” Hansen said.
Hansen added the committee is interested in his past work in combating sea lampreys, another invasive species that had devastating effects for the natural ecosystem and indigenous species of the Great Lakes.
Former President George W. Bush appointed Hansen to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission in 2004. Currently Hansen serves as co-editor for the North American Journal of Fisheries Management, is an awarded member of the American Fisheries Society and conducts research for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, according to the statement.
Despite the seriousness of the carp problem, Hansen is optimistic about the meeting and hopes to give legislators new insights on the issue.
“It’s always good news when an important committee asks for your help and I look forward to contributing to the conversation,” Hansen said.
