Why Arkansas Wants More Americans To Eat Invasive Carp

Why Arkansas Wants More Americans To Eat Invasive Carp

Why Arkansas Wants More Americans To Eat Invasive Carp This story is one in a series about the confluence of capitalism, conservation and cultural identity in the Mississippi River Basin. It is part of Waterline and is sponsored by the Walton Family Foundation. S ince their introduction into the Mississippi River Basin by accident in the 1970s, invasive Asian carp have grown to pose one of the greatest economic and ecological challenges facing the watershed. The fish have become a real headache for policymakers due to their rapid reproduction rate and voracious diet, which enable them to outcompete the river’s native aquatic species. Over the years, goals for controlling the fish have shifted from a dream of full extermination to a more pragmatic approach that aims to keep the fish out of the Great Lakes at all costs. At the heart of that approach is a deceptively big challenge: creating a market for carp, which means convincing American consumers that carp are delicious. According to expe…