![]() The rebranding initiative is a big push to change that. Natural resources officials have long tried to tempt the public with invasive carp dishes, but haven’t had much luck. Other methods for controlling the fish include physical barriers, poisons, removal and the introduction of predators. If the fish swim into Lake Michigan, they could threaten the commercial fishing and tourism industries, which together are responsible for billions of dollars of economic activity. ![]() (The fish were once collectively called “Asian carp,” but state governments and federal agencies now refer to them as “invasive carp” because of concerns over bigotry toward Asian culture and people.)įederal, state and local officials have since spent hundreds of millions of dollars trying to keep the invasive fish in check, and most importantly, out of the Great Lakes. Invasive carp are also thought to lower water quality, which ultimately harms underwater ecosystems and can kill off other native species like freshwater mussels. Their population grew quickly, and they began to crowd out native fish species, outcompeting them for food (different carp species feed on plants, plankton, on up in size to endangered freshwater snail species). The fish escaped into the Mississippi River, then continued their spread into other rivers and beyond. But carp began to spread widely when the other four carp species were imported to the United States in the 1960s and ‘70s to eat algae in wastewater treatment plants and aquaculture ponds, as well as to serve as a source of food.Ĭourtesy of Alex Garcia / Illinois Department of Natural Resources The common carp was introduced in North America in the mid-1800s. Geological Survey: bighead, black, grass and silver carp. They’ve given the invasive species a new name, “copi,” in hopes that people will order copi dishes at restaurants or even cook up the fish at home.įour species are generally included under the broader invasive carp umbrella, per the U.S. Now, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and other partners hope that giving the fish a fresh new image will make them more appealing to eat. ![]() ![]() One way to help tackle the infestation is simply to catch, cook and eat the fish, but many diners turn up their noses when they hear the word carp. ![]() For decades, invasive species of carp have been wreaking havoc on lakes and waterways in the American Midwest. ![]()
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