If you have to deal with an invasive species, why not make a competition out of it?
That's what fishers in New South Wales, Australia, have done, taking to the Narrabri Creek to try to catch more carp than their rivals.
It's estimated around 200 million carp can be found in Australia's waterways in average rainfall years, with this number rising to 357 million in a wet year, according to the Guardian. Carp were brought to Australia from Europe in the 19th century, and their numbers have exploded since.
The species are crowding out native fish and having a negative impact on water oxygen levels, which reduces water quality and puts the lives of other aquatic animals at risk. This can impact the whole ecosystem, and the consequences can be wide-ranging.
However, the over 500 participants in the annual Namoi Carp Muster are trying to alleviate the issue, with prizes on offer for the fisher who catches the most and the largest carp.
In 2024's competition, 2.3 tonnes of carp were removed from the river, with the top competitor catching 57 on their own — Tom Holland in the 13- to 18-year-old group took that honor, per the Narrabri Courier.
Typically, the caught fish go to a nearby fish farm to be turned into food that helps with the restoration of native yellowbelly and cod species that can then be returned to the creek. However, the Carp Muster has been so successful in recent years that freezers are full, so the fish were sent to landfill sites instead.
In other places that are dealing with invasive animal species, captured animals are being turned into tasty treats. Chef Jeremy Sewall, for example, has been cooking up green crabs and feeding them to diners at his Row 34 restaurants in the northeastern United States.
Elsewhere, state officials in Maryland are awarding grants of up to $5,000 for plans to humanely remove blue catfish and northern snakeheads from the state's waterways.
Back in Australia, though, the Carp Muster is not only helping to keep an invasive species in check, but it is also helping to teach children about the damage non-native fish can do to creeks, rivers, and lakes.
"The kids really understand what we're here to do, that the fish are doing damage to the waterways," fisher Chloe Whitmore told the Guardian. "They think it's absolutely awesome when they release yellowbelly and cod [fingerlings] at the end and realise in the future, this is what they need to do."
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