Warren Ribley, director of operations with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), discussed Big River Fish, based in Pearl, at the recent Illinois River Conference.
Ridley noted the fish processor is selling Asian carp, a nuisance fish that is disrupting the river’s ecosystem, to Asia.
The Asian carp were imported from Asia in the 1970s for aquaculture purposes, but some of the fish escaped those facilities into Midwestern rivers and streams.
Big River Fish is exporting 40,000-pound containers of frozen Asian carp to Asia, Lisa McKee, the company’s chief executive officer, told FarmWeek. Big River also is selling frozen fish to the West Coast.
Asian Carp Boon to Pike County Fish Farm
US - A Pike County fish processor is making waves by selling Illinois River fish to Asia and soon to Europe.