Chicago’s playing host to a Great Lakes conference today and tomorrow, and attendees are assessing the lakes’ health.
Scientists from Canada and the U-S say there are fewer toxic chemicals heading into lake water.
But EPA’s Gary Galezian suggests making a new challenge a top priority.
Galezian: I think it really is invasive species, just the impact it’s had on the ecosystem overall, on biodiversity, on the way in which nutrients are behaving within the lakes.
Scientists worry foreign fish and mussels are eating food that Lake Michigan’s native fish need.
That scares recreational fishing and boating industries that rely on healthy sport-fish populations.
Scientists recommend more research on how to keep foreign species out of the lakes.
One idea is to inspect all ships that enter the lakes from the Atlantic Ocean.