Posted on 05/09/2009 12:01:06 AM PDT by JoeProBono
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries biologists are preparing to eliminate a cluster of invasive fish known as tilapia that have been found in waters off Plaquemines Parish.
Tilapia is a popular imported and farmed fish served in restaurants across the U.S.
Native to Africa, the fish could devastate native species important to recreational and commercial fisheries, scientists fear.
The Wildlife and Fisheries Commission declared an emergency Thursday, which will allow agents to kill tilapia in an isolated part of Plaquemines Parish.
The process of poisoning the fish with heavy applications of a substance called rotenone will take about two weeks, said Gary Tilyou, administrator of the state inland fisheries program.
It wouldn’t surprise me, but I doubt that will happen.
Fish don’t worry me much. There are idiots down in Florida keeping king cobras, black mambas, and all manner of other nasty exotic venomous snakes for pets. If a hurricane hit, and they got loose and became established in the southern US, it would change the outdoors experience a little bit I think.
Pretty much all freshwater fish tastes that way to me. The only exceptions are salmonids (trout, steelies, char), walleye, and striped bass from big clean lakes like Lake Powell. I don't eat tilapia, bass, crappie, catfish, etc. if I can help it.
Okay, why not just lift the bag limit?
And remember...everything tastes better breaded and fried.
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