That's the hope of some lawmakers, who are considering a subsidy for the commercial fishing industry to make the harvest of the Asian carp commercially viable, says MyWebTimes.
"It's a great concern here and we've been looking for ways at the state and federal level to harvest or find markets for Asian carp and to clean up the problem that we're having before they do great damage to our natural fisheries," state Rep. Frank Mautino, D-Spring Valley, told the news organisation.
A bill introduced by state Rep. Jim Watson, R-Jacksonville, would give the Illinois Department of Natural Resources $3 million to develop a one-year pilot program to encourage bulk-harvesting of Asian carp on the Illinois River.
Though the fish has been in the United States for more than 40 years, only in the last decade has it become a nuisance with its migration up the Mississippi River and into its various tributaries, including the Illinois River.
Turning Carp to Fertiliser
US - An Illinois fishing problem could be solved by turning the exotic Asian carp into food or fertilizer.
