If you want to win $700,000, you might be in luck. If you know how to keep invasive carp out of the Great Lakes.
Governor Rick Snyder wants proposals for how the state can keep black, silver, and bighead carp out of the Great Lakes. The challenge opened Tuesday.
“There’s been numerous examples throughout the world where people who don’t normally work in the everyday environment of fish – in this example – can come up with some really great and innovative ideas,” said Senior Water Policy Advisor at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Tammy Newcomb.
Newcomb said black, silver, and bighead carp could bring multiple problems to the Great Lakes. They can take up too much space and the silver carp are known to jump out of the water and hit boaters.
“At times it’s in response to the sound of a motor, but at other times canoeists or people rowing have also experienced those jumping fish, so they tend to harm people,” she said.
The contest will accept proposals in any stage of development. From a concept to a field-tested model.
“Invasive carp pose a serious and growing threat to the economy and ecology of our Great Lakes,” Snyder said in a press release. “The Invasive Carp Challenge will tap into the creativity and expertise of the entrepreneurial community to find the best ways to protect Michigan’s most prized natural resource.”
One or more winners will share up to $700,000 in prize money. The contest closes October 31.