Crazy Carp Have Invaded Missouri's River

NW Cable News ^ | 08/28/03 | Staff Writer

[bedolido]

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Crazy carp have invaded Missouri's rivers. Two species of nonnative carp have been jumping into boats, injuring occupants and damaging the watercraft.

A state fisheries biologist motoring near Columbia had a filling knocked out of his tooth by a high-flying fish that struck him on the side of the head. Another state biologist in the St. Charles area was seriously hurt when he was hit by a giant carp.

Brian Todd of the Missouri Department of Conservation said the big head carp and silver carp were brought to private fish hatcheries from Asia by the aquaculture industry. They were intended to eat excess algae and waste in aquaculture ponds - which grow fish for food as well as bait and tropical fish. But they escaped in floodwaters in 1993, 1995 and 2002.

"This could be an indefinite problem," Todd said. "They are safe to eat, but ecologically they could damage the mussel population and are competing with native fish for food. We are going to hear more and more over the next few years about the problems these fish are causing, especially injuries to boaters and anglers."

Todd said the carp have been spotted in many of Missouri's rivers, including throughout the Missouri River.

"The sound of a propeller under water makes these fish go crazy," Todd said. "The fish don't jump if you're sitting there without the motor on, but the higher the RPMs, the greater the noise, the higher these fish jump."

Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

[Eala]

and damaging the watercraft.

How, I wonder?

[Blood of Tyrants]

Perhaps as the bony fish run into a propeller spinning at high rpm.

[Eala]

Fair enough.

[Notred]

"big head carp"

ah...the Hillary fish! It all makes sense to me now.

[cweese]

...sounds like a good place to be practicing skeet...

[Dick Vomer]

that will leave a mark!

[AnAmericanMother]

Carp jump out of the water just for fun.

This summer I took a BSA Lifeguard course up at a local lake, and they made us get up at 5:30 in the morning to swim 500 yards and do some lifesaving drills before breakfast . . . << eeek! >>

So there was not a motor running on that entire lake, and the carp were still jumping out of the water in the cove - high enough that you could identify them as carp while they were in the air.

I was brushed by a large fish while swimming on the bottom in 12 feet of water doing lost swimmer drill . . . that'll give you a start - but at least I knew it wasn't a shark << g >>! A fish bit one of the LG students on the back, too, but we think that was a bream or a sunfish.

[Portnoy]

There is also the threat that these fish will accidently get into the Great Lakes. If they do, they will wreck havok with the fishing industry here...

[steve8714]

I thought there was also a problem with tiger mussels in the waterway. Perhaps we will get lucky.

[Ronin]

...big head carp and silver carp were brought to private fish hatcheries from Asia by the aquaculture industry...

Kung Fu Karp!!!!

[skeeter]

Brian Todd of the Missouri Department of Conservation said the big head carp and silver carp were brought to private fish hatcheries from Asia by the aquaculture industry.

How come its always their exports that overwhelm ours?

Just once I'd like to hear that North American buffalo are driving the Chinese Ox to verge of extinction, or loan sharks from Detroit are driving New Dehli's pawn brokers out of business.

[Eva]

That's one big goldfish.

[bert]

....a problem with tiger mussels....

Tiger mussels were introduced into the Great Lakes/ St Laurence water way, cold water....

The mussels in question are in the Missour river. The Missouri/ Missippi is not connected except for a small mand made channel in Chicago.

[donozark]

This would explain Cousin Earl's odd behavior of late. He is after all, an avid fisherman.

Best recipe I've found for Carp is to place them on a pine board. Cook for three hours at moderate temperature, then eat the board.

[Tom Pain]

These Chinese carp are well known in the Illinois River, for the last year. They are close to Chicago, but an electric gate/barrier is keeping them from Chicago and Lake Michigan.

Do a search in Illinois media sites/Illinois Dept of Conservation.

[Elliott Jackalope]

"Everybody was Kung Fu Carping".

Yep, that pretty much sums up what we do on this forum...

[EagleMamaMT]

If you want to make carp actually edible, here's the way to do it (seriously):

Put some French's mustard (or any brand of mustard like you eat on a hotdog) in a plate. After cutting up the carp in filets or pieces, roll them first in the mustard, then in seasoned cornmeal, or I prefer the seasoned Louisiana Fish Fry. Then fry them like you would catfish or crappie. They will taste great. It takes all the "muddy" flavor out of the carp.

My great fisherman/hunter Louisiana brother-in-law taught me this trick. He's an outdoorsman par excellence. If it swims, flys or lives in the woods, he can make you a meal fit for a king out of it. :)

[bedolido]

"Everybody was Kung Fu Carping".

I've always loved that song. Wasn't that by the Salmon Skeins?

[hispanarepublicana]

Sounds like the conservation service there is floundering....