Researchers at the University of Michigan and the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor have released the first in a series of papers describing what would happen if bighead and silver carp – two species of what is commonly known as Asian carp – were to appear in the Great Lakes. Their analysis shows that the carp could end up accounting for fully one-third (by weight) of fish in Lake Erie, at the expense of such fish as walleye, rainbow trout, and emerald shiners. At the same time, the researchers believe smallmouth bass could see a population boost. The same team is working on similar forecasts for the other Great Lakes.
