2007 Year in Review

Illinois River Conference Grapples with Carp Controversy

The hazards posed by large Asian carp in the Illinois River is one among a host of river-management issues in the line-up of the 11th Biennial Governor's Conference on the Management of the Illinois River System. The conference is set for Tuesday through Thursday, October 2 to 4, at the Holiday Inn City Centre in Peoria, Illinois, and "early-bird" registration has been extended to September 8.

"This year's conference offers great opportunities to see what the many different local, state and federal agencies and organizations are doing to make the Illinois River a better resource for the residents of Illinois," said Bob Frazee, conference co-chair and an Extension educator in natural resources management with the University of Illinois.

One of those opportunities is learning about the current carp problem.

"The Asian carp is not a native species," said Frazee. "Asian carp were introduced to the United States in the early 70s to control algae in catfish farms in the South. Floods washed them into the Mississippi River in the 1980s, and they've migrated up the Illinois River in the last ten years."

The carp grow very fast, Frazee noted, and they can actually leap as high as four feet out of the water. "The situation is becoming hazardous," said Frazee, "because the fish can weigh as much as 25 to 35 pounds. They've been known to knock people unconscious, so they're really curtailing the use of jets skis and water skiing on the river."

Even more distressing, said Frazee, is the number of carp in the river. "These fish reproduce rapidly (females carry up to 2 million eggs) and they can grow as big as 80 pounds. They eat about 40 percent of their body weight in plankton and other microorganisms, which is the same food source for many of our native fish."

If the carp continue to overrun the waterways, Frazee said, native fish will starve to death and that could cause major economic and environmental damage, especially if they reach the Great Lakes.

In addition to the carp controversy, the conference features the Illinois River Watershed Conservation Tour on Tuesday, from 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tour will include visits to restored wetlands near Bartonville and a significant wildlife habitat restoration site near Mackinaw, among other stops.

Lt. Governor Pat Quinn, the featured speaker at the banquet on Tuesday evening, will discuss issues and concerns related to the management of the Illinois River Watershed as part of a public forum. Quinn is chairman of the Illinois River Coordinating Council.

Concurrent sessions will run on Wednesday and Thursday, with topics ranging from stormwater management, restoration projects, private-public partnerships and river monitoring to natural disasters—including flooding, drought and the Gulf Coast experience and its implications for Illinois.

Other panels will discuss nature-based tourism, the prehistory and archeology of the river valley, flood plain restoration, and dam removal and safety issues.

"At this conference, individuals can also see the latest developments in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and work with different agencies to see how GIS and other computer-based technologies can assist them with data collection," Frazee said.

Due to the lack of a signed state budget, the Conference Planning Committee has extended the "early-bird" conference registration deadline to September 8. Cost for the Conservation Tour is $25, and must be paid by September 8. Full conference registration, paid by September 8, costs $135 and includes three meals, two continental breakfasts and a reception. Registration on or after September 8 costs $175 and walk-in registration will be $225.

Wednesday-only fees are $90 before September 8, $130 on or after September 8 and $160 for walk-ins. Thursday-only fees are, respectively, $60, $100 and $120. Reservations may be made online at The Illinois River - Continuing our Commitment and credit cards are accepted.

"The first Illinois River conference was held 20 years ago," Frazee noted, "and for each subsequent conference, we've tried to identify new topics, invite new speakers, and provide an update on the significant improvements to our state's most important natural resource. This year's conference looks to be very exciting and challenging."

by  Editor, theCity1.com
August 27, 2007