By AP
CHICAGO –
The National Wildlife Federation has passed a resolution asking for the separation of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River watersheds in an effort to stop the spread of invasive species like the Asian carp.
Jordan Lubetkin of the national conservation organization's Great Lakes office said the resolution passed unanimously Friday at the group's annual conference in Houston.
Federation board member Clark Bullard of Illinois calls Asian carp a "grave threat" and says the resolution is a "call for action."
Asian carp can weigh 100 pounds and consume up to 40 percent of their body weight daily in plankton, the base of the food chain for Great Lakes fish. Many fear they could lay waste to a $7 billion fishing industry if they reach the lakes.