54 problem. For instance, the Asian carp was imported in the southern part of the U.S. in the 1970s by the U.S. Fish Commission to clear algal blooms from wastewater treatment plants and aquaculture ponds.5 Unfortunately, due to flooding that allowed the carp to escape into the Mississippi River basin, this troublesome species has made its way to northern rivers, wrecking ecosystems. Asian carp can reach up to 100 pounds, they have insatiable appetites, and they breed very quickly in large numbers. Therefore, the invasive fish can easily outcompete other species, resulting in significant damage to both the recreational and commercial fishing industries. In places such as the Illinois River, Asian carp now make up 70 percent of the entire biomass of fish.6 The Fox River does not currently have Asian carp (though there is the German carp, which was introduced in the 1880s but coexists with native species), but efforts have been necessary to keep it free from the Asian carp, such as rebuilding dams or creating barriers.7 8 Because of the introduction of this invasive species back in the 70s as a means to clear waste, Congress now needs to approve a $778-million plan to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes in order to protect the $7-billion-a-year fishing industry there.9 From the stocking of largemouth bass to restore their population, to the accidental decimation of native populations of frogs by introducing trout species, to the widespread infestation of Asian carp and the continued efforts to curb their expansion, the intentional addition of species to a body of water can prompt a variety of outcomes, which all have long lasting consequences and exemplify why all decisions concerning the Fox River need to be examined from the point of view of its inhabitants. 5 Burton, Adrian. “The Great Lakes Carp Lockout.” Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 8, no. 1 (2010): 6–6. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20696395. 6 Bentley, Chris. “If You Can't Beat 'Em, Eat 'Em: Illinois Fisheries Rebrand the Invasive Asian Carp.” Here & Now. WBUR, July 1, 2022. https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2022/07/01/asian-carp-copi-rebrand-food. 7 “Carping about the Fox River...” historyonthefox, June 23, 2015. https://historyonthefox.wordpress.com/2015/06/23/carping-about-the-foxriver/#:~:text=German%20carp%20thrived%20after%20being,Commission%20in%20the%2019th%20Century. 8 YoungDyke, Drew. “Stopping Carp Ripple Effects.” National Wildlife Federation, August 1, 2019. https://www.nwf.org/Magazines/National-Wildlife/2019/Aug-Sept/Conservation/Asian-Carp. 9 YoungDyke
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