Carp Fear

Recently, in an attempt to remove an invasive species of carp from the Great Lakes, forest rangers spread a poisonous chemical in the lakes. The chemical was supposed to kill them, but they turned up with a grand total of… one carp. The carp was first brought into the area for its aggressive algae-eating, but they bred quickly since they have no natural predators and soon began to push other species of fishes out of the ecological niche. The carp in this lake and many of the other niches it has invaded have overtaken the natural roles of native species, a trait that could lead to the demise of many of the area’s most precious inhabitants. This could have disastrous effects on the ecosystem, and wreak havoc on the area’s wildlife.
Personally, I believe the whole idea of poisoning an entire lake in an attempt to get rid of one species of carp is insane, since this seems detrimental to the habitat of the other wildlife. I’ve heard recently of an attempt to sequester all the carp into one area of the great lake system, using invisible fences. This idea could be used to also remove the fish from the lake entirely, and help get rid of the menacing species. I also believe that the government should take more action against the import of invasive species, and help try and eradicate the invasive species taking over various habitats. Without their help of some kind many of our most beloved ecosystems will be destroyed, leaving only a single species remaining. The carp problem like all other invasive species problems needs serious thought, and tough action, with collaboration between Washington, scientists, and volunteers- it cannot be solved just by putting a chemical in a lake.