Anyone in Minnesota knows, we are loving our lakes to death. To save our freshwater habitat and the popular fisheries, why not borrow from successes on the oceans. Water conservation have been working in the oceans for 50 years. It's time to do the same in our lakes.

Peter’s interest in all things aquatic began with childhood trips to the Jersey shore and extended into adulthood. He earned a Ph.D. at the University of Rhode Island, studying the migration of freshwater eels from their spawning grounds in the Sargasso Sea to nurseries in streams thousands of miles away. Peter joined the University of Minnesota in 1988, and his research since then has been directed at understanding the behavior and ecology of native and invasive fishes.

Much of his work has focused on the common carp, an invasive fish that destroys habitat and water quality. Years spent devising sustainable ways to reduce carp populations has convinced him that lake restoration is urgently needed but presently not realistic, so our best hope of saving these ecosystems and their fisheries lies in selectively preserving portions of them. Peter is married, lives in St. Paul, and enjoys hiking, fishing, and sailing.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx