MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich. (AP) — Despite an unresolveddispute over Asian carp, states that surround
the Great Lakes hope todevelop a common strategy for battling invasive species during a meetingof governors
and other top officials that began Friday.Thesometimes contentious issue is among several up for discussion
during aweekend gathering of the Council of Great Lakes Governors on this LakeHuron resort island. From New
York to Minnesota, there’s broad agreementthat invasive species — particularly zebra and quagga mussels —
havewreaked havoc on the lakes’ ecosystems and the regional economy. But thestates have largely gone their
own way in dealing with them."We’retalking about the largest body of fresh water in the world,"
saidMichigan Gov. Rick Snyder, the council’s co-chairman along with IllinoisGov. Pat Quinn. "It is
important that we work hard to protect it."Inaddition to Snyder and Quinn, governors expected to attend
the meetingincluded Mike Pence of Indiana and Scott Walker of Wisconsin. Ohio sentLt. Gov. Mary Taylor.
Environmental regulators and other officials fromMinnesota, Pennsylvania and New York were on hand, along
with PremierKathleen Wynne of the Canadian province of Ontario and provincialofficials from Quebec.The
council was established three decadesago during another Mackinac Island gathering inspired largely by
concernthat Great Lakes water might be piped or shipped to arid regions.Off-and-on negotiations eventually
produced a compact prohibiting mostwater diversions.Snyder, convening the first gathering of thegovernors
since they signed the compact in 2005, said he hoped theycould unite on invasive species policy as well but
acknowledgeddifferences remain.Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota andPennsylvania filed an unsuccessful
federal lawsuit against Illinois overa Chicago-area network of canals and rivers that could provide apathway
to Lake Michigan for Asian carp. The huge, voracious fish haveinfested the Mississippi River and its
tributaries. Scientists say ifthey reach the Great Lakes, the carp could damage the $7 billion
fishingindustry by crowding out native species.Illinois officials,backed by the federal government, contend
an electric barrier is keepingthe carp at bay. The other states are pushing for separation of theMississippi
and Great Lakes watersheds at Chicago.Snyder toldreporters no public negotiations were planned on the
matter, although heand Quinn might discuss it privately. The meeting is designed to seek astrategy on which
all the states can agree even if some issues remainunresolved, he said."This is a common-ground
opportunity … to say where can we advance and where can we show progress," Snyder said.MarcMiller,
director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, saidhis state had arranged for commercial
fishermen to harvest 700 tons ofAsian carp on the Illinois River in recent years."That takes
thepressure off the electric barrier and buys all of us some time infinding a long-term solution,"
which could include some type ofwatershed separation, he said.The states also will look foragreement on the
best way to regulate ballast water dumped by oceangoingcargo ships, the primary vehicle by which aquatic
invasive species havereached the Great Lakes.Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.