It is easy to get caught up in the solemn news of the industry and pass over the bright spots.??
This week my eye grazed articles on lagging oyster harvests, tightened shrimp seasons, cod stock controversy, turtle excluder violations, albatross bycatch and salmon anemia.??
But one thing that is undoubtedly going well is the expansion of Asian carp processing facilities in Illinois. The invasive fish may be beating down the doors at the Chicago Ship Canal, but the Pearl, Ill.-based Big River Fish company is doing its best to keep the swarm in check.
??Last year, Big River began processing Asian carp from Illinois rivers and selling it to a Chinese company for resale to high-end Chinese restaurants. This week, the Midwest company will finalize a deal to expand its processing capabilities to a new location in Griggsville, Ill., which will also create about 61 jobs.??
I'll admit, I've never tasted Asian carp (that I know of), but I'm starting to wonder why Americans can't take advantage of this surplus and make something of it.??
It's not often we have the opportunity to think of a fishery as excessively abundant.
