Asian carp that has been detected in the Mississippi river's tributaries toward the Chicago area has raised worries among officials. The Obama administration and state officials even adopted some quick measures to stop the spread of the invasive species, but these efforts also failed to head off the invasion by Asian carp.

Researchers think that spread of the invasive species can devastate fishing and boating on the vital Great Lakes.

So far, the federal agencies have spent more than $300 million on stopgap measures, which included placing electric barriers on one likely route, a shipping canal that leads to Lake Michigan.

Researchers noted that as the carp got quite closer in the waters, almost 80 miles of the lake, it was felt that the efforts made to stop Asian carp ended in failure.

An advisory panel which has been suggesting measures to stop the invasive species has scheduled a meeting for Thursday.

Several members hope that even if talks continue, chances that the carp will arrive before anything conclusive is done to stop them are increasing. At the present speed, the first young carp could reach the Lake Michigan within two years, said researchers.

US Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat whose state borders four of the five Great Lakes, said, “It's one of the things that keep me up at night. Asian carp could devastate our Great Lakes and the hundreds of thousands of jobs that depend on them”.

So far, the most effective measure proposed is blocking the waterways that connect the Mississippi river watershed with Lake Michigan.