EPISODE 312: TWO RESPONSES TO THE INVASIVE CREATURES STORY ABOUT THE GREAT LAKES

EPISODE 312:  TWO RESPONSES TO THE INVASIVE CREATURES STORY ABOUT THE GREAT LAKES

alan skeoch

April 2021

 Gary, Glen and Monica responded to the story about Asian Carp, Snakeheads, Zebra and Quagga Mussels.  Gary tells

how the invasion affected his life along the shores of Lake Erie.  Glen and Monica provide a video on the Asian Carp.  Very

dark humour.   We must take better care of our 20% of the world’s fresh water and the creatures therein…the good creatures.

Asian  carp jumping 10 feet in the air by the hundreds is chilling.  Water Skiing through them with a fish net is funny…sort of funny…no,

not funny in the least.

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Hi Alan, 

Your last series of articles on the Great Lakes has really caught my attention, as we bought a lake shore property on Lake Erie,at Selkirk, ON. in 1994 as a weekend retreat, but we moved there permanently in 1998, for 10 years, then to Port Rowan at the inner Bay of Long point 2008. Up until we moved to Selkirk, i was unaware of the invasive creatures that infested our waters until then. I knew that a great effort in the 60’s and70′ took place to clean up lake Erie, and in 1994, it was really a clear, enjoyable lake . BUT, when we bought, we thought our beach was a sandy one, discovered in the spring, it was millions of tiny pieces of Zebra and Quagga mussels. I also discovered Zebra mussel, as they coated the bottom of my friends aluminum boat to the depth of 3 inches, fortunately my sailboat had a bottom paint that discouraged their attaching to it. Hydro inlets at Nanticoke were affected by them as were many other structures. 

I experienced the Gobie, when fishing with my grandson, it was often the fish that he caught. 

In addition we experienced Algae, a scourge of the Lake on our beach, that when drying created a Nauseous odour, that often prevented sitting on our deck overlooking the lake, if the wind came from the wrong direction. 

No Asian Carp yet while there, but in the Spring during spawning , hundreds would do so on our beach, a nuisance in itself. The other invasives were not as prominent in our area, bur we were aware of them. 

I have enjoyed these writings, as it encourages me to try to do something about the spoiling of our wonderful great Lakes. Keep up the information. Sorry such a long winded compliment to you, but many people who may receive your stories may not have experienced  them. I have, and am aware of the problems these invasive creatures have had on the fishing industry, sports fishing, the balance of the ecosystem etc. about which you have so interestingly written. Thanks old Buddy. Gary Logan