Can't wait and see
The Great Lakes' $7 billion fishing industry is in jeopardy. That does not include the regions' tourism industry, which is also at serious risk. Asian carp are coming. The biggest can reach 100 pounds and four feet long, consuming up to 40 percent of their body weight daily in plankton, the base of the aquatic food chain.
Once established in the lakes, the carp could starve out the prey fish on which popular species such as salmon and whitefish depend.
Asian carp also pose a significant hazard to boaters, mainly due to silver carp jumping into moving boats, causing human injuries and property damage. Damage from a jumping carp hitting an object reasonably might be compared to being hit with a thrown bowling ball. They can also travel up to 200 miles in a single year and can migrate easily up rivers and streams.
Inaction is not an option. Please encourage your local, state, and federal representatives to close the locks in Chicago to halt the advance of these dangerous invasive species until a permanent solution can be thought up.
We can't afford to wait and see.
Leslie Suitor
Traverse City
Going too far
For once I must agree with the Republicans concerning this health care debacle.
After spending billions to bail out Wall Street, the bankers and bonus money for their executives; billions for an ill-advised war in Iraq; the double-dipping that many government employees are doing; the billions for the auto industry bail out; and then of course, the billions of stimulus money that, in Michigan, benefited primarily policemen, firemen and teachers, this spending just has to stop.
Now, health care for the hurt, helpless and sick.
Why, that is going too far. I'm sure glad I've finally got those Republicans protecting my pocketbook.
Douglas Bert Vipond
Kalkaska
