Echo once again is running the Wisconsin Sea Grant version of the popular 12 days of Christmas carol. Produced by outreach specialist Tim Campbell in 2011, it brings 12 days of holiday invasive species cheer.
Things may have changed since then so feel free to update the song in the comments.
Alewives are one of the few invasive species that foul Great Lake’s beaches throughout the summer.
Dead alewives wash ashore. Image: Lester Graham, Michigan Radio
Until the introduction of Pacific salmon, alewives died off in such great numbers that tractors were required to remove them from beaches. Salmon now do a great job controlling alewife numbers, but there are still alewife die-offs due to spawning and temperature related stresses.
- Ninth day: Nine eggs in resting
- Eighth day: Eight shrimp ‘a swarming
- Seventh day: Seven carp and counting
- Sixth day: Six lamprey leaping
- Fifth day: Five boat wash stations
- Fourth day: Perch on ice
- Third day: Three clean boat steps
- Second day: Two red swamp crayfish
- First day: A carp barrier in the city