Illinois environmental officials continue the fish count today along the Sanitary and Ship Canal.
Officials this week dumped a toxin in the Canal, killing thousands of fish in a 6-mile area. The target was the Asian carp: an invasive species that could starve many other fish if it gets out of the canal and eventually reaches the Lake Michigan.
Officials yesterday did find one Asian Carp. John Rogner says this is the closest to Lake Michigan they’ve found an Asian carp.
ROGNER: We believe this will reduce or eliminate any doubt for the need for this operation. We’ve now confirmed with a body what the EDNA evidence has suggested, that Asian carp are indeed knocking on the door of the Great Lakes.
Rogner says he doesn’t know how many more carp are close to the Great Lakes. He says they will continue working along the canal through tomorrow.