February 15, 2010

MUSKEGON The large turnout at Monday's Asian Carp update signals the amount of local interest regarding the health of the Great Lakes, in general, and the threat posed to world's largest fresh water system by the Asian carp.

And details out of Washington D.C. this week indicate the issue has national importance as well.

U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, who has previously announced his plans to seek the governor's post in Michigan this fall, hosted the gathering sponsored by the Muskegon Area Chamber of Commerce at the Annis Water Resources Institute in Muskegon.

And Hoekstra's message was one of less talk, more action: "We can't spend years talking about it," he said.

"It is better to be safe than sorry", said Hoekstra. "Rather than saying, well, the research and technology on this is unproven, and (thus) we're not going to use it, let's use it. Let's believe that it is good, and that it gives us a good insight into exactly what is happening. And if we find out five years from today that it was traditional carp, you can flog us, all right, but the thinking there is better safe than sorry."


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