Southern Wisconsinites may soon have a new source of local fish: invasive silver and bighead carp.
Tim Campbell with the UW Sea Grant program says those carp, called copi, aren’t like the common carp you usually find at the bottom of inland waters, feeding in the mud.
“Silver and bighead carp aren’t doing that they’re, you know, filter-feeding higher up in the water column. So they tend to have that really kind of clean, mild taste that takes well to a bunch of different seasonings.”
Campbell says there’s plenty of upsides to eating carp.
“It’s a local fish, oftentimes, you can get it never frozen. So it’s super fresh. And just its nature as an invasive species can also be less expensive than some other fresh fish products that you might be able to get.”
While there aren’t enough copi in Wisconsin waters to justify commercial fishing, groups are busy pulling them out of the water in Illinois. If you’re looking to add carp to your diet, contact your local grocer or fish market.