Lake Isabella is one of three northern Michigan lakes that are being considered by the Michigan Department of Fish and Game (MDFG) for a study on endangered aquatic life. According to the MDFG one or more of the three lakes in northern Michigan may be selected to host "an in-depth study into the breeding and habits of several species of fresh-water sharks."
Up to two thousand sharks are planned to be released into the lakes including Borneo river sharks, speartooth sharks, and a few of the rare Irrawaddy river sharks via a grant obtained by the MDFG under the American Recovery and Investment Act. All three of the proposed sharks live in fresh water rivers of Asia, and are thought to be the last surviving fresh water shark species in the world. The experiment was designed to determine whether the sharks could survive and be repopulated in the cold climate of the Great Lakes. Researchers believe that the species lived in the waters of the Great Lakes until the last ice age.
The federal government was said to be spending $3.2 million to determine whether further repopulation efforts would be possible. A representative from the National Biological Foundation was quoted as saying that there would probably be a noticeable decline in the populations of other fish in the lake because "the sharks will eat about 20 pounds of fish each per day, more as they get older."
Members of the Village Council have sent numerous objections to the MDFG and are considering legal action to halt the project. Objections raised by the village cite the hazard it would pose to fishermen and swimmers, but their complaints had been ignored by both the state the federal government. Furthermore, under the research program, fishermen will be forbidden from catching the sharks, with fines and possible jail time for violators.
Oh, if you haven't figured it out yet, happy April Fool's Day!
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