Grothman, Pocan Announce Bill to Help Prevent Invasive Species’ Access to WI Lakes

A bipartisan bill introduced Wednesday would help keep
Wisconsin’s lakes healthy by restricting the access of invasive fish
populations. Republican congressman Glenn Grothman along with democrat Mark
Pocan of Madison introduced the bill – which would amend the Federal Power Act
to allow the Secretary of Commerce and Secretary of the Interior to consider
the threats posed by invasive species before issuing a mandate for a new fish passageway
to be built through a dam. Those passageways ensure native fish are able to
safely travel around dams – but are also used by invasive species like the
Asian Carp to move into rivers and lakes and disturb native species and their
habitats.

A
press release about the bill says the Fish and Wildlife Service has ordered a
fish passageway be installed at the dam in Prairie Du Sac in southern Wisconsin.
Asian Carp have been found at the base of the dam – which could allow them
passage into the Wisconsin River, Lake Wisconsin and eventually the Great
Lakes.