Iowa has a problem which very few people know about, and this problem could turn serious quickly. Iowa is being invaded by a fish known as the Asian carp. These fish were brought here originally to control snails and other organisms in fish farms, but they escaped into the Mississippi River during floods. Without trying to combat the Asian carp, we could have a devastating nightmare on our hands. Asian carp consume up to 20 percent of their body weight per day in plankton and can grow to over 100 pounds. If we do not act, Asian carp could displace the indigenous species of fish and cause harm to our ecosystem.

Allowing Asian carp to take hold in the Great Lakes will set back restoration efforts that are currently taking place — which is why confronting the Asian carp crisis needs to remain a top priority. Also, allowing the Asian carp invasion into the Great Lakes could devastate the region’s $7 billion sport and commercial fishing industries.

Thanks to many different organizations and historic governmental investments, we now have the money to build electrical barriers to prevent invasion into the Great Lakes from other water sources. In Dickinson County, they have made efforts to protect Lower Gar Lake, located in Northwest Iowa. An electrical barrier at the top of the dam will send out electrical currents that cause Asian carp to swim away. Electric barriers are a critical tool in the fight to stop the Asian carp invasion. We need to put our future in perspective and start fighting these invasive species.