Federal officials want to assure the public that they're serious about stopping the dreaded Asian carp from infesting the Great Lakes and destroying its $7 billion fishing industry. So they're holding a public meeting this afternoon to brief the region on their plans.

Asian carp are a voracious invasive species that have out-competed native fish in every U.S. waterway they've reached. Local fishermen and environmentalists fear they're poised to do the same to the Great Lakes. Only an electrical barrier and periodic poisonings currently stand in their way. Earlier this week, following a White House summit with Great Lakes-area governors, the Obama administration announced a $78 million plan to step up prevention efforts, but several states are still calling for temporary closure of the navigational locks that link the lakes to the Mississippi River system, where the carp have already taken hold.

Read OnEarth's continuing coverage of the Asian carp crisis and follow live coverage of the public meeting (starting at 3 p.m. Central) below.