Grave News on Lake Erie

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All this and yet the only invasive 90% of people know about is the snakehead.

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The problem is with introducing anything is that your changing the natural balance of what is already there. The gar may predate on other native species in the lake as well. In effect, introducing a new predator to negate invasive species can cause an invasive problem with the introduced predator. I understand that gar may have been native to the area in the past, but that is no longer the case for many years. In any one doubts this, look at the effects of feral dogs or pigs (all though terristrial) can provide a similar example. That being said I hope there is a good solution that will keep native species intact and preserve the lake.
 
MN_Rebel said:
Native K, we experienced the negative effects from invasive zebra mussels here. A swimming beach near us has shut down due to too many zebra mussel shells washed up on the beach and caused lot of cuts on barefoot. The zeebs also changed the ecosystem and even changed the fauna as well. Few walleye fingerlings survived, tulibees & whitefishes do poorly in zeeb infested lakes and even increasing the growth rate of invasive aquatic plants.

I supposed we should not be worried about zebra mussels in these pictures. Took pictures last May in southern MN on Mississippi River. 3 feet deep of shells of zeebs
zeebs_zps8d0827e3.jpg


zeebs1_zps3339c4d1.jpg


Sure the natives are still here, doesn't mean everything is okay. Round Gobies numbers are out of control despite of the predators has been eating them.

There is evidence of natives do poorly in Asian carp infested rivers. Skinny paddlefish and sickly buffaloes are common in some river systems.
paddlefish_zpsf0c3c883.png


Sure let's not be worrying about Asian Carps jumping out and hit our heads.....
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+1 I agree 100%
 
Empyreal said:
The problem is with introducing anything is that your changing the natural balance of what is already there. The gar may predate on other native species in the lake as well. In effect, introducing a new predator to negate invasive species can cause an invasive problem with the introduced predator. I understand that gar may have been native to the area in the past, but that is no longer the case for many years. In any one doubts this, look at the effects of feral dogs or pigs (all though terristrial) can provide a similar example. That being said I hope there is a good solution that will keep native species intact and preserve the lake.
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Your right.....but the natural balance is already being disrupted in a major way, I believe reintroducing gator gars to historical areas in the Midwest where Asian carp are rearranging our ecosystem will help more than hurt (gator gar are opportunistic feeders and will eat the most abundant food source) I was told by a conservation agent here in mo that a 7ft gator gar could possibly eat a 3ft long fish (depending on body size) and since gator gar can max out in the right conditions (it would take years) at 7-10 ft they could help more than we may know. I think we should also start a commercial fishery for Asian carp and stock adult natives like Walleye, and Smallmouth bass (who like according to studies will help control goby populations) in overinfested goby areas.
 
warmouth said:
Your right.....but the natural balance is already being disrupted in a major way, I believe reintroducing gator gars to historical areas in the Midwest where Asian carp are rearranging our ecosystem will help more than hurt (gator gar are opportunistic feeders and will eat the most abundant food source) I was told by a conservation agent here in mo that a 7ft gator gar could possibly eat a 3ft long fish (depending on body size) and since gator gar can max out in the right conditions (it would take years) at 7-10 ft they could help more than we may know. I think we should also start a commercial fishery for Asian carp and stock adult natives like Walleye, and Smallmouth bass (who like according to studies will help control goby populations) in overinfested goby areas.
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Warmouth, I seriously doubt that alligator gars will able to control Asian carp populations. There's some river systems where both gator gars and Asian carps coexisted and the gars don't even put a dent on the carp populations. Even with the combined of three macropredatory fishes (gator gars, flathead catfish and blue catfish) don't put dent on the carp populations. Another issue is that if both are in Great Lakes, the Asian carps being pelagic prefer open waters where the gator gars prefer structural areas so that means the carps are leaving the gars behind and out in the open waters.
 
behold the ultimate controlling organism to explosive asian carp populations

it has a high capture rate for prey

it has an overwhelming population to match the asian carp population

it is already well established to the point of being impossible to remove from american waterways

in it's native range this one predator has put asian carp on the cites endangered list due to the sheer effectiveness and magnitude of predation from this species

with a little homeward education the full potential of this predator can be brought to bear on asian carp

now... Behold the Monster:

surprised.jpg

surprised.jpg
 
MN_Rebel said:
Warmouth, I seriously doubt that alligator gars will able to control Asian carp populations. There's some river systems where both gator gars and Asian carps coexisted and the gars don't even put a dent on the carp populations. Even with the combined of three macropredatory fishes (gator gars, flathead catfish and blue catfish) don't put dent on the carp populations. Another issue is that if both are in Great Lakes, the Asian carps being pelagic prefer open waters where the gator gars prefer structural areas so that means the carps are leaving the gars behind and out in the open waters.
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I agree 100% with what your saying rebel (the facts are there) I don't think theyre going to be able to help in the deep open waters of Lake Michigan much......but I do think they could help (not get rid of the problem) in areas like the Illinois and Mississippi rivers ,I agree with all previous posters that creating a market where man eats and uses them for feed will be a tremendous help.....but to be honest this is a great opportunity to reintroduce an apex river monster back into its historic range.....and who wouldn't want that ;)
 
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