By AP
CHICAGO – Experts are set to testify in a federal lawsuit in Chicago, where five states are asking a judge to close Illinois shipping locks to prevent invasive Asian carp from overrunning the Great Lakes.
In two days of hearings starting Tuesday, scientists will discuss environmental DNA testing that found genetic material from carp in Illinois waterways near Lake Michigan.
Biologists fear if the ravenous fish get into the Great Lakes they will decimate a $7 billion-a-year fishing industry.
Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota and Pennsylvania filed the lawsuit to temporarily close the O'Brien and Chicago locks. They also want barriers installed to stop the fish.
The barge industry and others say closing the locks would deliver a major blow to their businesses.