Duane Chapman, a national expert on the Asian carp

Thanks for going to that meeting and keeping us informed Brian.

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PS I still haven’t heard of a good reason to close the locks.

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And you won’t either I’m guessing.

Lenny, once the government shut down is over, you’ll be able to look up his phone number and ask him directly about flatheads eating carp.

I see what your saying Brian, There’s just three reasons they haven’t populated in bigger numbers that I can see. No zoo plankton, clarity of the water or the water isn’t seasonally warm enough for a longer period of time. I’ve fished southern Iowa rivers and everyone of them have one thing in common, lack of clarity. Do they only reproduce in cloudier waters. If they have found a few of the species years ago up in clearer waters like you guys have up there, then why no bigger numbers of them now. Id bet its not because of the locks and their ability to travel, it maybe sounds like somethings interrupting their ability to reproduce, they’ve had the chance so why aren’t they. The water clarity between southern Iowa and northern Iowa is completely different, even southern Iowa and central Iowa.

As you go north on the Miss. the water gets cleaner and by the time you get to around the LaCrosse area its very clear compared to southern Iowa. There’s a big difference just between lansing and LaCrosse. I might be wrong but I don’t think the dams are making any difference at all, it almost seems like its something else. Look at catfish and the common carp, they will reproduce just about anywhere where there is water. How come these Asian carp aren’t, food supply?, they do eat different things then the common carp and catfish, to me its not the travel routes because they have been wide open for years. I’m interested in seeing the results when they come in.

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Lenny, once the government shut down is over, you’ll be able to look up his phone number and ask him directly about flatheads eating carp.

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No video??

Brian’s videographer was at home ironing his girlfriends pants.

They said it was being streamed to Australia but if there is a video it’s on a government web site that’s shut down. I couldn’t find on today when looking for it.

Here is the presentation video for those that want to watch. The video is well done, with the slides that go with it.

http://mediasite.uvs.umn.edu/Mediasite/Viewer/?peid=73416496987d4669b0ee498d308be6a6

I knew someone on Ido would find a way!

Thanks Big E!

The discussion has generated a number of news articles about the information. LINK

Link

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Here is the presentation video for those that want to watch. The video is well done, with the slides that go with it.

http://mediasite.uvs.umn.edu/Mediasite/Viewer/?peid=73416496987d4669b0ee498d308be6a6

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Thank you.

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The discussion has generated a number of news articles about the information. LINK

Link

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Love Ya Buzz!!

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Healthy game fish populations are considered one means of controlling Asian carp, and Chapman noted that bluegills, black bass and catfish prey on Asian carp, the latter capable of eating silver carp that are almost a foot long.

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Although I really hope someone doesn’t bring any AC up here for flathead bait. ( I would use a but it isn’t funny)

Bluegills? The eggs and fry must be pretty tasty prey.

I went back and listened to that part again. That info was spread out over the lecture. It sounded like the writer of that story may have had an interview with Mr. Chapman…not sure.

On the subject of commercial business above the lock that is proposed for closure – Without looking up my sources from about a year ago, I’ll try to paraphrase the commercial and recreational use.

Last year, the Mpls city council, that grants the license for the tour boat business, basically negotiated with them and eventually renewed their license with the agreement the tour boat business would not run their tours through locks. That reduces the total number of non-commercial lock passages by a large percentage – something in the range of 30-40 percent.

The commercial locks – the land the business’ are located on is owned by Mpls, leased under a long term, 30 year lease. There are 2-3 years left on the lease. Neither MPLS or the companies operating on the land have the intention to renew the lease when the current/active lease expires. The buildings/facilities are for the most part in very poor condition, going to be tore down, cleared when the lease ends. The business’ have not expanded on what their intentions are to locate a different site, or simply close down. The only statement I’ve seen from them is that they do not intend to seek an extension or renewal of the existing lease for the land they operate on.

There are approximately 60 total jobs affected.

With the impending closure of existing commercial lockages, the reduction from tour Boat lockages, the lock passages that are left are termed recreational. In number, it would be expected to be about 200 as compared to 1200 locages in 2011.

Being consistent with the theme of not wasting money, I’m not sure there is any future cost effectiveness to continue locking through – the necessity is going away, the feasibility is not profitable to continue supporting with our taxes, imo.

Instead of attacking me for this info – ask a question if you have one. It may be hard for me to locate the documents from when this was actively being addressed a year or so ago, but I could probably find most of it. Again, this is paraphrased to the best of my recall.

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Instead of attacking me for this info

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I hope no one feels “attacked” in this thread…well maybe Lenny, but we’re friends and that’s what friends do.

I’ll be back later Burr. Thanks for the insight.