Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombie_babies Dec 30, 2009 13:50:59	I hate these fish.
#2 ADHadh Dec 30, 2009 16:18:49	Maybe you should adopt Polish Christmas Eve tradition - Eve carp is our Thanksgiving turkey :D And since carps are smaller, you'll need more than one per family... No wait, this may cause extinction. A delicious one, but still.
#3 KillerGM Dec 30, 2009 16:24:01	It looks to me less of a "business vs environment" than a "business vs business" issue - the carp threaten to destroy the fishing industries in the areas, but the waterways are needed for shipping industry.  The carp themselves are invasive species, introduced unnaturally into the environment in the 70s anyway, so it's not like they're naturally there. It's a pickle, alright.
#4 Cpt_Micha Dec 31, 2009 9:48:18	Can't we just start a mass killing campaign of these carp? If they infest lakes and streams as bad as this makes it out to be, wouldn't we be better off just dynamiting them? It's like the snakehead problem down here in the south. There's nothing that can really eat them. and they are predators. I say start the Dynamite Fishing program until their numbers are either brought under control, or are completely eradicated. Then repopulate the lakes and streams with actual native species later.
#5 zombie_babies Dec 31, 2009 9:56:58	Unfortunately, the environment is massively involved.  These carp exterminate food sources that native fish use.  Those fish are at the low end of the food chain and their loss in numbers will obviously impact those above negatively.  We're talking about the potential for the loss of the entire ecosystem as we know it.  As an added wrinkle, these fish also pose a public health hazard.  They leap from the water at the sound of a boat engine and have been known to strike people and cause injury when they do.  It's inspired a market for a sort of 'adventure bowfishing' experience, but it's damned dangerous.  If you're piloting your vessel and are struck in the head, you may be knocked from it and rendered unconscious - which, in a water environment, usually means a bad day. Luckily the species is invasive and is ercognized as such and measures have been taken against them.  The thing is, they've not been very effective.  So we're at a tough place.  Shutting down the canals would be a financial disaster of no small magnitude.  Not shutting them down could be an environmental disaster of epic scale.  Not fun.
#6 Klirshon Dec 31, 2009 9:59:05	Then we'd have to deal with the environmentalists afterwards. They're an ornery bunch. And yes it would destroy the ecosystem if all the fish in the lake were condemned to death along with the cursed carp.
#7 Cpt_Micha Dec 31, 2009 9:59:35	Hence my Dynamite Fishing solution. We've exterminated species which breed faster, and were less threatening to eco systems in the past. And it's not like these carp have alot of places to go. Large explosion + confined area = dead fishies. Frankly the species has ALREADY destroyed ecosystems in the areas it's infested at this point yes? if that's the case you'd actually be doing a good thing in the long run by being able to use the metaphorical Reset Button.
#8 Klirshon Dec 31, 2009 10:04:27	Why not just fish the buggers out? I know plenty of people that eat carp (I don't however).
#9 Cpt_Micha Dec 31, 2009 10:09:17	I'm assuming the worst and assuming they breed like Snakehead fast. you can still eat fish you dynamited. there might not be a market large enough for Asian Carp otherwise though.
#10 zombie_babies Dec 31, 2009 10:30:41	We need a way to kill them without harming the native species - cuz some of them need help as it is.  Right now they use a fence and occasionally some poison.  The poison kills everything, though, so they have to move the other fishies first - and that costs cash and time.  So it's an ugly, ugly situation.
#11 Klirshon Dec 31, 2009 10:32:52	There are ways to over-fish a fish. Thing is, we normally do it with fish that are much more profitable... maybe grind up the leftovers and use them for livestock feed? I'm sure domesticated pigs would love extras. Speaking of pigs, how about those wild boars? Bunch of jerks they are...
#12 Cpt_Micha Dec 31, 2009 10:33:09	couldn't we just repopulate the areas after using more indiscriminate methods afterwards though? It's not like we are talking about nuclear weapons here where there is nuclear fallout to worry about.
#13 Klirshon Dec 31, 2009 10:35:37	Of course, but we all know the powers-that-be would rather go for a more profitable solution. It's all about the money.
#14 Cpt_Micha Dec 31, 2009 10:42:15	Too true. Doesn't matter if it would work or not. If it doesn't totally serve the $.
#15 ADHadh Dec 31, 2009 13:28:52	In Australia a Dingo pelt will earn you $10 (or at least it used to be that way). Maybe you should make a similar law?
#16 zombie_babies Dec 31, 2009 13:37:17	With a population likely in the millions, I'm not so sure that would be any more economically feasible than other options.
#17 Cpt_Micha Jan 01, 2010 9:32:57	at least Dynamite is cheap. And it inflicts loads of casualties.
#18 Klirshon Jan 01, 2010 13:40:54	And can cause explosions. Everyone knows americans love a explosions...
#19 Klirshon Jan 19, 2010 12:22:22	Well, seems the judicial system doesn't think it is very important to stop these invasive fish.
#20 death_isthe_begining Jan 19, 2010 14:07:12	The 3rd comment under the story is an interesting comparison.
#21 zombie_babies Jan 20, 2010 9:53:02	Hoo-ray.  More invasive species coming to an area near you.  Wonderful.  Dammit.  Ohio just got the stupid Emerald Ash beetle and we've got Zebra Mussels and Gobi already.  We don't want these carp.