Posted on 12/02/2010 6:38:04 AM PST by Skeez
WASHINGTON, D.C. --The U.S. House of Representatives adopted a bill Wednesday that makes it a criminal offense to import voracious Asian carp into the United States.
The giant carp, which can weigh as much as 100 lbs., were legally imported to fish farms along the Mississippi River during the 1970s, but escaped during floods and spread north into Illinois. They consume vast amounts of food and could destroy Great Lakes fisheries if they evade barriers around Chicago that were designed to block them from entering the lakes.
Share Tweet 12 Comments The bill passed the House by voice vote after unanimously passing the U.S. Senate last month.
"It is our hope this will help deter further intentional or accidental introduction of the species into our waterways," Michigan Democratic Rep. John Conyers said.
"These ferocious fish prey on and compete with native species for food," added Illinois Republican Rep. Judy Biggert. "They can quickly displace native species, destroy fishing habitats and threaten maritime jobs."
The bill ads the carp to a list of species prohibited from import to the United States by the Lacey Act. The other undesirable immigrants on the Lacey Act list include snakehead fish, zebra mussels and Chinese mitten crabs. Violators can be fined up to $10,000.
The bill's Senate cosponsors included Ohioans George Voinovich, a Republican, and Sherrod Brown, a Democrat.
"Lake Erie is a national treasure and an irreplaceable resource for millions of Ohioans who rely on it for jobs, drinking water, fishing and boating," Brown said after the Senate vote. "Asian carp continues to pose a threat to this jewel of the Great Lakes and one of the most important fresh water fisheries in the world."
Ohio Ping
The horse has been out of the barn on this one for quite some time. Of course if anyone can figure out a use for the darn things we have plenty of them here in Illinois.
Let's pass a law making it illegal to fly commercial jets into buildings.
Such foresightedness and bravery! Now they should gird their loins and forbid Kudzu!
if they could be de-boned easily, they would make a good dish.
They make good fish meal fertilizer. They are certainly a hazard on the IL river. A jumping carp can spoil your whole day zooming along.
I’ve seen the show on Discovery Chanel or History... Man, those things are nasty.
The US ships carp to China for food.
“hioans George Voinovich, a Republican, and Sherrod Brown, a Democrat.”
A pair of dipsh!ts my state could do without! May they both be smacked on their empty heads by an Asian Carp!
From the Wikipedia entry on 'Asian Carp' which is of more than one type: "Asian Carp have been a popular food fish in China for thousands of years. Most people in North America refuse to try eating them because they think of the common Grass Carp, commonly used to keep ponds clean, which are bottom feeders and have a bitter and unappealing taste for most. The pearly white flesh - complicated by a series of bones - is said to taste like Cod or described as tasting like a cross between Scallops and Crabmeat. They are low in mercury because they don’t eat other fish."
lol
Fisherman: "Oh $#!+ , it's the carps"
Asian Carp: "Purr ower fewwow. You speedwing frew a 'school' zone"
(source: http://www.absolutemichigan.com/dig/michigan/michigan-invasive-species-asian-carp/)
Of course if anyone can figure out a use for the darn things
see “Mickey D’s Filet-O-Fish”...
In order to make the fish more appealing to US consumers, the fish have been renamed Silverfin or Kentucky Tuna.
Fines are looked upon as a cost of doing business. Try a 1-5 year jail term in the State Pen, especially the CEO if a company is involved.
Ohio ping..
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