Monday, April 10, 2006
By John Tunison
The Grand Rapids Press
To sport anglers, the round goby is a headache that could turn to a migraine.
A prolific, invasive species from the Caspian Sea, the gobies in Lake Michigan are crowding out the perch.
"Gobies are the worst. They're just all over the place," said John Borgman, of Gold Coast Outfitters tackle shop in Ottawa County's Port Sheldon Township. "Where we used to catch perch, they're gone.
"You catch gobies when you're trying to perch fish."
Borgman, others in the fishing industry and Great Lakes' researchers hailed a federal bill introduced recently that looks to toughen ballast-water management programs on ocean-going vessels and stop the latest threat, the Asian carp, from getting into Lake Michigan.
The sweeping bill from U.S. Rep. Vern Ehlers, R-Grand Rapids, also would provide billions of dollars for cleaning pollution, phasing out mercury in products, stopping sewage contamination and restoring fish and wildlife habitat.
Chuck Pistis, a Michigan Sea Grant agent and Ottawa County Cooperative Extension Service director, supports the effort.
Invasive species have altered Lake Michigan's ecosystem, and other species, such as Asian carp, likely would cause severe damage. The carp can grow to more than 100 pounds.
"(Asian carp) are a concern because they are prolific feeders," Pistis said. "They feed on the bottom of the food chain."
Found in the Illinois River near Chicago and thriving in the Mississippi River, the carp are being kept out of Lake Michigan by an electronic barrier. Ehler's bill would charge the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with maintaining and operating the barrier instead of saddling Illinois with the cost burden.
"These fish have taken over that (river) environment," Pistis said. "No one wants to find out what they would do here."
Under the legislation, the U.S. Coast Guard would oversee a program to require ballast-water treatment systems on ocean-going ships that ply the Great Lakes.
In the past, ballast tanks with stowaway creatures have brought invasive species to the lakes.
"We would love to see something like that, but the shipping industry is going to resist that," Pistis said.
He figures the sea lamprey and zebra mussel have been the most-damaging invasive species over the years. The lamprey, once declining in numbers, is making a comeback, Pistis said.
Lakeshore charter boat captains think the goby is one of the worst, as well.
"The gobies pretty much displace the perch," said Ron Westrate, captain with Cohooker Charter Fishing Service in Holland. "We haven't run a perch charter in four or five years."
Westrate said perch charters no longer are worth the effort because the state set a
35-perch catch limit due to the ecological concerns.
He hopes federal laws can stop new invasive species, but says the damage is done to some native species.
"It's like closing the barn door after the horses are out."
Some fishing experts wonder whether a decline in lake trout might be caused by invasive species.
"Our lake trout numbers have gone way down, and we're not sure why," said Caleb Gritter, general manager of American Tackle Outfitters in Holland.
"To try to catch a lake trout out of this area, you might as well stay home."
|
