ASIAN CARP – AN ECOLOGICAL DISASTER!
I like fly fishing for Carp (European Carp), but this invasion of Asian Carp to the United States has me worried about my safety when I am on the water fly fishing, for any species of fish. I live and fly fish in Minnesota, and fish mostly for non-trout species, found in ponds, lakes, streams and rivers near my home at White Bear Lake. Over the years I have become concerned with this infestation, of our home water by Asian Carp.
Asian Carp, were introduced to the United States in the 1970‘s, at commercial catfish farms in the southern regions of the United State, as a means to control the algae in the ponds of the fish farms. Some these Asian Carp escaped into the Mississippi River, and have multiplied in numbers and migrated to just about every stream, river and lake that is connected to the Mississippi River system. This includes the Missouri and Ohio River Systems as well as any other system that drainage enters the Mississippi River.
Once they take hold these fish will destroy any local water ecological system,. The Asian Carp is dangerous to boaters and anglers since just the sound of a boats motor will cause these carp to leap out of the water, and into the boat.
If hit by a five-pound Asian Carp, you might get a broken nose, or a black eye, you might want to be prepared to “Duck”! But imagine getting hit by a 10 to 20 pound Asian Carp, leaping over 10 feet through the air. Getting hit by an Asian Carp, could cause a person major damage, and they may even knock that person unconscious.
The Asian Carp could even get into the Great Lakes ecosystem, by way of the Illinois River, and the Chicago River. There are no native predatory species to keep their population in check.
The only thing I can think of to control, and maybe eradicate this invasive fish, is to catching and eating them. There should be no limit on Catch and Keep, and we need to create new ways of cooking them. Wherever they are found Asian Carp are a major part of the Southeast Asian diet, and I suggest that we do the same.
Just remember to wear your Kevlar vest, fly fishing helmet (with shatterproof visor. And most importantly, keep your head-down, and know when to duck!
[URL=https://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2007/06/21/mattingly.ms.river.carp.attack.cnn]CNN Video: When Fish Attack![/URL]
~Parnelli
PS: Then there is another Asian Species that is going to ruin our home waters, the Asian Snakehead Fish, but that is another story.
SysAdmin Note (I ran that story last week.. These two are out of order .. oops.. )