NEW ORLEANS- A business lobbying organization in Louisiana is expressing concerns about proposals to block an invasive species of fish from the Great Lakes.

The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry has released a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers urging consideration of alternatives to proposed structures that could affect maritime traffic from the Mississippi River to the Great Lakes.

LABI's letter acknowledges concerns that Asian carp could harm the Great Lakes fishing industry. However, the organization notes the importance of maritime traffic to Louisiana's economy and says thorough studies are needed on the cost effectiveness of structural controls.

Proposals include upgrading Illinois' Brandon Road Lock and Dam on the Des Plaines River, part of an aquatic chain connecting Lake Michigan to the Asian carp-infested Mississippi River watershed.