Court Ruling Makes Carp's Great Lakes Invasion More Likely

The US Supreme Court declined Tuesday to order Illinois to close locks on a shipping canal that provide the gateway to the Great Lakes for a predatory fish, the Asian carp.

Weighing up to 100 pounds, the carp would overwhelm recreational and commercial fisheries, thus threatening economic and environmental damage across an eight state, two (Canadian) Province region.

It is possible the Court will reverse its order if there is actual damage attributable to the carp, though such after-the-fact action would be too late to stop the carp, as they have no known natural predator.

The ruling will be lauded in Chicago, until the first carp smacks a boater off the lakefront there.