Asian Carp

Intelligent investigative writing meets experiential journalism in this important look at one of North America’s most voraciously invasive species Politicians, ecologists, and government wildlife officials are fighting a desperate rearguard action to halt the onward reach of Asian Carp, four troublesome fish now within a handful of miles from entering Lake Michigan. From aquaculture farms in Arkansas to the bayous of Louisiana; from marshlands in Indiana to labs in Minnesota; and from the Illinois River to the streets of Chicago where the last line of defense has been laid to keep Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes, Overrun takes us on a firsthand journey into the heart of a crisis. Along the way, environmental journalist Andrew Reeves discovers that saving the Great Lakes is only half the challenge. The other is a radical scientific and political shift to rethink how we can bring back our degraded and ignored rivers and waterways and reconsider how we create equilibrium in a shrinking world. With writing that is both urgent and wildly entertaining, Andrew Reeves traces the carp’s explosive spread throughout North America from an unknown import meant to tackle invasive water weeds to a continental scourge that bulldozes through everything in its path.

"Proceedings of the Symposium, 'Invasive Asian Carps in North America: a Forum to Understand the Biology and Manage the Problem,' held in Peoria, Illinois, USA, August 22-23, 2006

"Through dynamic infographics, charts, up-close photos and strong reading level control, this title explores the invasion of Asian carp, including where they came from and their impact within biomes and food webs." --

Asian carp have big appetites and can leap out of the water when startled. They were brought to the United States from their native Asian habitats to control algae growth on fish farms. Find out what happened when some of these big, jumping fish escaped and made their way up the Mississippi River.

There is an increasing ecological disaster going on right now which has infected the major river systems and surrounding wetlands of America. Hidden below the surface of muddy waters throughout the land, from southern Florida to the Canadian border, Asian carp are ravaging ecosystems, destroying native fish populations and wildlife habitat, and now threaten to enter the Great Lakes. These invasive species have also negatively impacted regional economies that depend on renewable natural resources for their financial health. Millions of dollars are being spent annually by Federal and State Governments to control the damage done by these fish, with little or no impact. The Asian carp continue to multiply exponentially and destroy all in their path. Natural resource experts have come to firmly believe that the only viable solution to the long-term management of these fish is to promote large-scale harvesting and utilization efforts through both commercial and recreational fishing. Silver and bighead Asian carp have been a highly prized staple of nutrition in their native countries for thousands of years, but in America, they're considered worthless "trash fish." In recent years, however, scientists, health experts, and gourmet chefs have discovered that these fish are incredibly delicious and one of the healthiest on the planet! In blind taste tests, Asian carp have been preferred almost unanimously over other highly favored fish. Most intriguingly, because silver and bighead Asian carp are filter feeders, they do not bioaccumulate toxins as most other popular eating fish on the market do, making them a healthy choice for regular consumption. In Eat the Enemy, author Joseph Classen offers a complete guide to harvesting and utilizing this organic, beyond-sustainable, wild-caught, locally harvested food source, which is currently going to waste! This book explores the following topics: An overview of the Asian carp invasion and ecosystem destruction The autobiographical adventure story of a river rat catfishing kid turned Alaskan fishing guide, who upon his return to the Midwest was in search of worthy table fare A biological and nutritional profile of Asian carp Detailed Asian carp fishing and processing methods A cookbook component with 50 mouth-watering Asian carp recipes

Four species of non-indigenous Asian carp are expanding their range in U.S. waterways, resulting in a variety of concerns. Three species -- bighead, silver, and black carp -- are of particular note, based on the perceived degree of environmental concern. Current controversy relates to what measures might be necessary to prevent movement of Asian carp from the Mississippi River drainage into the Great Lakes through the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS). Contents of this report: Background; Potential Impacts; The CAWS; Federal Response to Asian Carp; Litigation; Canadian Concern; Congressional Interest: Current Legislation; Funding and Authority for Ongoing Actions. Charts and tables. This is a print on demand report.