How do you deal with an invasive species? Eat it. The city of Chicago is thinking about eating the invasive Asian carp out of existence, according to BBC News. The new initiative could help curb the tide of fish in the Great Lakes--and potentially lead to some tasty new meals.
The Asian Carp is actually a catchall name for species of silver, bighead, grass and black carp from Southeast Asia. They're voracious filter feeders and can consume up to 20 percent of their bodyweight per day in plankton, and can grow up to 100 pounds. Once established in an ecosystem, they're nearly impossible to eradicate since they have no natural predators in North America. In addition, they reproduce rapidly; females can lay about half a million eggs each time they spawn.
Currently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is attempting to establish a way to stop the spread of Asian carp. U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, who represents northern Trumbull County, stated in an interview with TribToday.com, "To be frank, we don't have another seven years to wait for the Army Corps to outline the best path forward. It's critical that the ACE quickly recommends and executes a plan of action. There are hundreds of thousands of jobs and over 20 percent of the world's supply of surface fresh water at stake."
Now it looks like some are taking action into their own hands. In Chicago, local Dirk Fucik is selling carp burgers at his specialist fish shop, according to BBC News. Yet this isn't the first time people have attempted to eat an invasive species out of local waters. Florida natives has also taken to eating lionfish, the invasive fish that are playing havoc on Florida coral reefs, according to The Huffington Post.
Want to help prevent the spread of invasive species? Eat up; it may just help your local waterways.
