Spring - Gull Chain of Lakes Association

9
P R O F E S S O R P R O P O S E S
I N VA S I V E S P E C I E S R E S E A R C H C E N T E R AT U O F M
Source: Doug Smith, StarTribune, January 6, 2012
Continued from page 8
species plaguing many Minnesota’s
waters. He has had some success. But
the success scientists have achieved in
reducing the sea lamprey, another invasive
species, in the Great Lakes gives
him hope that solutions can be found to
control Minnesota’s waters or rid them
of invasive species. Using chemicals,
barriers and traps, sea lamprey numbers
have fallen 90 percent since the 1950s.
Meanwhile, the invasive species will do
a lot of damage in Minnesota, Sorensen
said. Zebra mussels could alter
ecosystems, affecting game fish. And
more invaders are on their way,
including the northern snakehead fish
— sometimes called the “Frankenfish”
because it is voracious, grows up to 3 feet
and can survive several days out of water.
“Conventional approaches don’t work,’’
Sorensen said. “It’s time to get serious
about this.’’
DNR sees merit
A research center could potentially
develop poisons, parasites or even
genetically engineered diseases that
would attack the invasive species.
Steve Hirsch, Department of Natural
Resources director of ecological and
water services, said Sorensen’s proposal
has merit. The DNR would work closely
with a research center.
“This would have nationwide
significance,’’ Hirsch said. He said that
some invasive species research is being
undertaken elsewhere but that doing
more locally likely would be beneficial.
He agreed with Sorensen that deterrent
barriers aren’t 100 percent effective, “but
they would buy us some time while we
develop better control methods,’’ he said.
The DNR intends to conduct a research
symposium in March to gather
researchers who are working on Asian
carp to determine what research is being
done.
Sorensen’s proposal says efforts to control
invasive species are stalled by a lack of
local resources and expertise. DNR
managers “are restricted to imperfect
technologies developed at other locations
for other reasons,’’ he wrote in his
proposal.
“This is a critical issue that the state must
address, because if we do not help
ourselves, no one else will.’’