SR0659 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0659 LRB097 20529 CEL 66089 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Silver and bighead carp, also known as "Asian carp", are considered invasive species in the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers; Asian carp can consume plankton at an alarming rate, with bighead carp sometimes growing to over 5 feet in length and weighing 100 pounds or more; and

WHEREAS, Asian carp females can carry over 2 million eggs at a time; and

WHEREAS, Asian carp grow quickly such that adults exceed the gape size of all but the largest predators; and

WHEREAS, Asian carp are voracious eaters, consuming up to 20% of their body weight per day in plankton; they compete with native fish species for food and can quickly overtake native populations of fish in our rivers, lakes, and streams; and

WHEREAS, Policymakers, scientists, natural resource professionals, the fishing industry, and citizens are extremely concerned about the spread of Asian carp to the Great Lakes; Illinois' $15 billion-dollar shipping industry has been threatened through ongoing legal actions by neighboring Great Lakes states in an attempt to close Chicago's navigation locks, a possible point for Asian carp to access Lake Michigan; and

WHEREAS, Over the past 2 years, efforts by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (the Department), through contracts with Illinois commercial fishermen, have netted the removal of over 415 tons of bighead and silver Asian carp from the Illinois River; in some cases, commercial fishers in the Illinois River have caught tens of thousands of pounds of Asian carp in a single day; and

WHEREAS, At the same time Asian carp are processed into fertilizers or pet foods, America's food banks are experiencing a significant need for healthy, protein-rich food sources capable of meeting the increasing demands of communities of need; and

WHEREAS, In a 2011 Public Health Opinion to the Department, the Illinois Department of Public Health determined that using Asian carp as a food source "could be beneficial" and "not expected to pose a public health hazard."; furthermore, the Department of Public Health stated: "Fish tissue data currently available for Asian carp caught from the Mississippi River and lower Illinois River would place many of these fish in the 'unlimited consumption' category"; and

WHEREAS, Asian carp are high in protein and healthy Omega-3 fatty acids; additionally, since they only eat plankton and are not bottom feeders, Asian carp are low in mercury and other contaminants; and

WHEREAS, The Department established Target Hunger Now!, one of the largest humanitarian efforts ever undertaken by the State, to encourage hunters and commercial anglers to donate deer and Asian carp, respectively, for processing into healthy, ready-to-serve meals; partnering with Feeding Illinois, Illinois American Water, and other corporate, not-for-profit, and governmental partners, the Department is innovatively feeding communities and lessening the Asian carp threat to our waterways; the program has already served more than 2,200 meals to people in need; and

WHEREAS, On Thursday, January 26, 2012, the Department brought the Target Hunger Now! program to Peoria's South Side Mission where delicious Asian carp meals were prepared and served to children, adults, and families; Peoria is located on the banks of the Illinois River, where Asian carp are found in abundance; and

WHEREAS, Many small Illinois businesses, including meat and fish processing plants and large commercial fishing crews, will add jobs to meet the increased demand for processed Asian carp; the success of Target Hunger Now! and other similar programs will create a demand for Asian carp and drive market opportunities that will create job opportunities in multiple industries; and

WHEREAS, Using Asian carp as a healthy food source is a major step towards eradication of the fish in Illinois waters, providing a healthy and delicious meal for our citizens, protecting the waterway shipping industry from forced closures of our locks and dam systems, and adding new jobs in many sectors of Illinois' economy, including the fishing, processing, and transportation industries; and

WHEREAS, Public and media perception of this fish species must change if they are to be effectively used as a quality food source at not only food banks, but by all Illinoisans; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, That we urge the Department to continue building strong partnerships with Feeding Illinois, Illinois American Water, and other corporate, not-for-profit, and governmental entities and to continue employing creative solutions, including Target Hunger Now!, to battle the Asian carp problem in our waterways while providing a protein-rich, low-mercury meal for Illinoisans; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge further use of Asian carp as a healthy food source as well as the development of markets for the catch, processing, and distribution of Illinois' Asian carp, thereby reducing the overpopulation of Asian carp in our waterways, promoting Illinois' commercial fishing industry, protecting Illinois' shipping industry, creating new jobs for our citizens, and forming new international export partnerships; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the President of the United States, the Governor of the State of Illinois, the Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the members of the Illinois congressional delegation, the Governors of the Great Lakes states of Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, and the Minister of Natural Resources for the Government of Ontario.