Invasivores: An Idea Finally Gaining Traction

[Tim Smith]

These kinds of articles are starting to crop up all over the place now.

The idea is to focus harvest pressure on invasive species for the benefit of all.

Got a problem invasive animal? Eat it.

Asian carp, common carp, snakeheads, lionfish, feral hogs, feral goats...

...same idea as the spotted bass harvest that has been proposed for Missouri.

[flytyer57]

First off, I'm not registering to read the New York Times.

Second, are we to eat zebra mussels? Round Gobies? Milfoil? They are all invasive species, and there are a lot more out there, that probably would not be considered good eating. Like carp for instance.

[rps]

Kudzu makes excellent greens.

[Tim Smith]

First off, I'm not registering to read the New York Times.

Second, are we to eat zebra mussels? Round Gobies? Milfoil? They are all invasive species, and there are a lot more out there, that probably would not be considered good eating. Like carp for instance.

Hmmm. Didn't make me register. The article is right there on the page?

Check out Robert Rice and Carpbusters for their ideas on carp.

Common carp are too foul for my personal taste, but other people like them and Asian carp are fine.

It's not a universal solution for sure (and along the with the potential problem of NOT wanting to eat something there's also the issue that some things might become over-popular...like the guys in Maryland trying to conserve snakeheads on the Potomac). There's also going to be a trial period to see when and how these kinds of solutions can catch on and if they are actually effective.

[smallmouthjoe]

Interesting, I know there has been a push to catch and eat Lionfish down in the Caribbean and the silver carp has had its common name changed to silver fin in order to make it more appealing to eat. I wish we could eat tall grass fescue, I despise that stuff.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Fescue, the Common carp and the hogs were all made welcome while some species never should have had the opportunity.

The Asian carp have a potential in the market place, but they will never stop the population growth, just help maybe. The Snakeheads don't have much potential beyond destroying prime freshwater fishing areas.

As far as hogs go, there needs to be more publicity and less whining.

Goats don't know about.

Fescue can be controlled, if the money is available.

Tilapia will probably be the next invader.

The old common carp, here since the 1800's can be a sport fish, it is edible is one wants to take the time to clean and prepare it right, but its most valuable trait might be that they will eat Zebra mussels. I don't how dedicated they are to the food source, but maybe they will help, who knows?

[troutfiend1985]

To me, it would seem that the state of Missouri(if it hasn't done so already) and KS should just tell people to throw the darn fish, like Silver Carp, onto the banks. But, at least in Kansas, this act would be "Wanton Waste." It seems silly to have invasive species problems and yet the idea of Wanton Waste applies to these species. To me, it would make more sense to have the idea of wanton waste only apply to those fish that have limits to them under the state laws, or that are actual game fish.

I like the idea of keeping fish and having something like a round up for invasives. It could work, we as humans have been efficient at ruining things by overharvest, now maybe would could take that trait and apply it to invasives.

[skeeter]

30 million tons of Bighead carp to be exported to China for food. http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/illinois/article_067546f6-0b89-5c30-a5a1-e56d0e61b740.html