The Asian carp processing industry in far Western Kentucky is getting a significant boost from abroad: Chinese investors joined state and local officials at Wickliffe Friday to announce the first industrial park in the U.S. dedicated to processing the invasive fish, which is a popular food in China.
Two Rivers has bought, processed and sold 10 million pounds of carp in the past seven years since it opened, buying from about 30 commercial fishing groups in Kentucky and surrounding states, Zoeller reports. On Jan. 1 the state began a first-of-its-kind partnership with the fishery to pay anglers for Asian carp and sell their catches in online auctions in an effort to rid local waters of the voracious fish.
One of the investors, Lining He, said at the ceremony Friday that Asian carp processing is a $10 billion industry in China and accounts for more than 10 percent of global seafood consumption. "It probably could be a gold mine" in Kentucky, said He, who has a doctorate in ecological economics.
"This industrial park creates economic opportunity, and something we haven't seen - a zero waste fish facility, with a cluster of industry fish companies in one area," Commissioner Erran Persley of the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development said at the ceremony.
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Just got this from one of our Facebook group members Fishermen Against Asian Carp (FAAC) and I wanted to make you aware of a real problem for our commercial fishers; An Asian carp price per pound decrease. Here's what one of our fishers have to say: "I fish lake barkely everyday, we delivered just under 100,000 lbs of carp in march alone, I would like to weigh in on this conversation of Two Rivers/Kentucky Fish Center trying to amend their contract about small fish. 3 inch fish to be exact. We have already been told by KY fish center that they will only pay 8 cents a pound for a 3 inch mesh fish, even though there is a guarantee of 14 cents a pound from the fish centehttps://app.fw.ky.gov/FishCenter/default.aspxr . What this effectively does is, it removes fishing kentucky lake from the equation. The majority of fish on kentucky lake are three inch fish. The public needs to know that commercial fisherman are not, going to fish on Kentucky lake because of the price difference. Fish are abundant in kentucky lake, but they are smaller due to stunted growth. we have fished over there with 3.5 inch mesh in multiple locations and caught nothing. A futher concern is if they can adjust, and "amend" their contract whats to stop them from doing it, whenever something becomes "unprofitable" for them. They will have effectively monopolized the carp market, with no type of regulation from the government. I guess the bottom line is, currently no commercial fisherman are fishing on kentucky lake, which is the gem of kentucky's sportshfishing and tourism. the reason is not because they're hard to catch in actuality they are easier to catch on KY lake due to lack of commercial pressure. the reason is the fish are smaller, and no one wants to fish for 8 cents a pound. I hope to enlighten some people by writing this. Thank you for reading and, Thank you for your time."
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