The Michigan Department of Natural Resources today announced that no silver carp environmental DNA was found in a Sept. 6 resampling of the St. Joseph River.
Following notification that one of 220 samples taken on the St. Joseph River in June by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service contained eDNA from invasive silver carp, the area was resampled.
Congressman Tim Walberg had been pressing the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for additional information on the recent discovery of Silver Carp eDNA in the St. Joseph River, pointing to the importance of the Great Lakes and the St. Joseph watershed to Michigan’s residents.
“Today’s announcement is great news for Southwest Michigan. I have continued to be in contact with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources as we continue to monitor testing of the St. Joseph River. In Washington, I will continue my work with both sides of the aisle to ensure the health of our Great Lakes by protecting our natural resources from invasive species. The Great Lakes are truly a gift, and we must protect them for future generations.”
The Michigan DNR says a total of 220 new samples were collected from stretches of the river between Lake Michigan and Berrien Springs, and according to the USFWS, none of the samples tested positive for bighead or silver carp eDNA. These species of invasive carp are not known to be in the Great Lakes basin, and this sampling provides an early detection process for their potential presence.
