Asian carp are creating havoc in Midwestern rivers. The invasive fish is usurping habitat of native species in the Missouri and Mississippi river basins, and threatening to enter the Great Lakes. The easily scared carp even injure recreationists when the fish leap out of the water at the sound of a boat motor.
Conservationists haven’t yet found a solution to slow their spread, but , an associate professor in the at the University of Missouri, has an idea to fight back: If you can't beat 'em, then eat 'em.
With help from a grant, he and his research team have identified a commercially viable boneless carp product, conducted a taste test on campus, compiled tasty carp recipes and test marketed the product at local restaurants and grocery stores. His mission now is to get people to overcome their reluctance to try the fish.
He’s confident that he will have diners hooked. The creation of a commercial carp fishing industry on the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers could help control numbers of the troublesome fish.
Reviewed 2015-02-13