Fascinating read. It reminded me of how, in Japan, North American species like largemouth bass (also known as black bass) and bluegill are seen as classic examples of true aquatic invaders — disrupting local ecosystems and outcompeting native species.
It’s interesting to see both the parallels and differences in how each region grapples with invasive species, especially when it comes to aquatic ecosystems.
I love how you highlight the nuance between “invader” and “immigrant” — not all non-native species are equally harmful.
Yupp. Always the discussion about invasive or just adaptive... It boils down to the question of, "what are they hurting?"
As you know, Hank, for a long while there I was pretty deeply engrossed in learning as much as possible about feral hogs (aka "wild boar")... not just hunting them, but where they came from, how they live, and their impacts on the ecosystem. Turns out they can really be a mixed blessing... devastating to some sensitive habitats, but neutral or even beneficial to others. But of course they are hell on agriculture, which is what I think drives the most inflammatory anti-hog rhetoric.
One of the true invasives in our area (coastal NC) is the lionfish. They have no native predators except humans, they devour juvenile reef fish, and they're ridiculously prolific breeders. I haven't done much diving since moving back home, but my friends who still go rant about these things taking over reefs and wrecks, and will go after them with extreme prejudice. They are great eating, but there's not much of a market for them, and as with most invasives, you need to kill them all... large and small. It's something that, if you haven't yet, Hank, you should find an opportunity to try. There's only one place here in Wilmington that serves it, as it's run by a couple who does a lot of spearfishing. They appear on the menu whenever these guys have a successful trip, so it's hit or miss. You will probably find a better opportunity if your travels take you back down to south Florida and the Keys.
Here in North Carolina we are very obliging to help our northern neighbors out with their Blue catfish problem. Our solution "Eat them" - and now most of our local grocery stores are promoting the sale of these Blue catfish. The going price is about $7.99 a pound and broiled, on the stove top or on the grill - excellent flavor and easy to remove the bones in the cleaning process.
I always love all the super informative and highly entertaining content of your writings!
Here in south Texas we have the infamous feral hog plague of course, and the exotic game ranch species, lol, axis, aoudad, the Nilgai, oh good grief the delicious elusive Nilgai…but the thing about the govt. planted fish is a real reel thing. They put walleye in lakes here in Texas. It was too hot for them in most places & they perished. Apparently some survive further north in this state. The hybrid stripers have been apparently welcomed, there’s a huge profit made off of them in the sport fishing industry & a lot of folks really like eating them. Certain places in Texas with deep & cold enough holes in the river have managed to keep different varieties of hatchery produced freshwater trout alive year to year and have gained some real size to them here. It’s a creed here if you catch one to release these rare gems to keep catching them at this size. There’s definitely that Frankenstein element in the history here as well. TPWD has released red drum that thrive there although freshwater renders them incapable of reproducing. Orangemouth corvina, spotted seatrout/corvina hybrids, tarpon, Nile Perch (no joke, google it), and others. Largely these experiments didn’t last/work out due to climate being too hot or too cold, just generally unsustainable. And while I dearly love our TPWD, a few of those old stocking trials just bring to mind the “Just because you could, doesn’t mean you should”.
Every one of your articles I have read and shared with my family has been so productive at sparking the conversation chain, it gets passed from me to my hunting companions, to my son to the bbq joint where he works, to the car club my parents belong to, to the guys in the shop where my husband works, to my coworkers where I work at break time, etc. We think the world of your works, Hank. Please keep publishing these much anticipated works, we love them all!
I try to do my small part. I’ve only rarely not shot a pig when I had a clean shot. I only slightly regret one, the other time I was taking a kid hunting and we found a sow who abandoned her litter and I let him choose about killing the piglets (once I saw him petting one I knew what his decision would be).
I also tend to hammer any invasives I find for foraging, though for me that’s pretty rare.
Damn, it's a small world! When I met you at the MN Deer and Turkey classic a couple years ago I learned you grew up in Westfield, just a short drive from Piscataway where I grew up. Now I see you fished the Rappahannock river near Tappahannock about the same time we were fishing there for croakers! Sadly, the croaker fishing has deteriorated but the memories of catching 2 at a time on the shell beds and seeing pods of dolphin in the river will stay with me forever.
Fascinating read. It reminded me of how, in Japan, North American species like largemouth bass (also known as black bass) and bluegill are seen as classic examples of true aquatic invaders — disrupting local ecosystems and outcompeting native species.
It’s interesting to see both the parallels and differences in how each region grapples with invasive species, especially when it comes to aquatic ecosystems.
I love how you highlight the nuance between “invader” and “immigrant” — not all non-native species are equally harmful.
Yupp. Always the discussion about invasive or just adaptive... It boils down to the question of, "what are they hurting?"
As you know, Hank, for a long while there I was pretty deeply engrossed in learning as much as possible about feral hogs (aka "wild boar")... not just hunting them, but where they came from, how they live, and their impacts on the ecosystem. Turns out they can really be a mixed blessing... devastating to some sensitive habitats, but neutral or even beneficial to others. But of course they are hell on agriculture, which is what I think drives the most inflammatory anti-hog rhetoric.
One of the true invasives in our area (coastal NC) is the lionfish. They have no native predators except humans, they devour juvenile reef fish, and they're ridiculously prolific breeders. I haven't done much diving since moving back home, but my friends who still go rant about these things taking over reefs and wrecks, and will go after them with extreme prejudice. They are great eating, but there's not much of a market for them, and as with most invasives, you need to kill them all... large and small. It's something that, if you haven't yet, Hank, you should find an opportunity to try. There's only one place here in Wilmington that serves it, as it's run by a couple who does a lot of spearfishing. They appear on the menu whenever these guys have a successful trip, so it's hit or miss. You will probably find a better opportunity if your travels take you back down to south Florida and the Keys.
Anyway, as always, good stuff, amigo.
I don't get the "bled them"comment Hank. Don't you just knock them on the head and gut them
Where’s the recipe for delicious catfish?
love to learn more about blue cats!!
Wait.... You can eat Palmer???
How many tons would you like?
Hank,
Here in North Carolina we are very obliging to help our northern neighbors out with their Blue catfish problem. Our solution "Eat them" - and now most of our local grocery stores are promoting the sale of these Blue catfish. The going price is about $7.99 a pound and broiled, on the stove top or on the grill - excellent flavor and easy to remove the bones in the cleaning process.
Tad
I always love all the super informative and highly entertaining content of your writings!
Here in south Texas we have the infamous feral hog plague of course, and the exotic game ranch species, lol, axis, aoudad, the Nilgai, oh good grief the delicious elusive Nilgai…but the thing about the govt. planted fish is a real reel thing. They put walleye in lakes here in Texas. It was too hot for them in most places & they perished. Apparently some survive further north in this state. The hybrid stripers have been apparently welcomed, there’s a huge profit made off of them in the sport fishing industry & a lot of folks really like eating them. Certain places in Texas with deep & cold enough holes in the river have managed to keep different varieties of hatchery produced freshwater trout alive year to year and have gained some real size to them here. It’s a creed here if you catch one to release these rare gems to keep catching them at this size. There’s definitely that Frankenstein element in the history here as well. TPWD has released red drum that thrive there although freshwater renders them incapable of reproducing. Orangemouth corvina, spotted seatrout/corvina hybrids, tarpon, Nile Perch (no joke, google it), and others. Largely these experiments didn’t last/work out due to climate being too hot or too cold, just generally unsustainable. And while I dearly love our TPWD, a few of those old stocking trials just bring to mind the “Just because you could, doesn’t mean you should”.
Every one of your articles I have read and shared with my family has been so productive at sparking the conversation chain, it gets passed from me to my hunting companions, to my son to the bbq joint where he works, to the car club my parents belong to, to the guys in the shop where my husband works, to my coworkers where I work at break time, etc. We think the world of your works, Hank. Please keep publishing these much anticipated works, we love them all!
I try to do my small part. I’ve only rarely not shot a pig when I had a clean shot. I only slightly regret one, the other time I was taking a kid hunting and we found a sow who abandoned her litter and I let him choose about killing the piglets (once I saw him petting one I knew what his decision would be).
I also tend to hammer any invasives I find for foraging, though for me that’s pretty rare.
Damn, it's a small world! When I met you at the MN Deer and Turkey classic a couple years ago I learned you grew up in Westfield, just a short drive from Piscataway where I grew up. Now I see you fished the Rappahannock river near Tappahannock about the same time we were fishing there for croakers! Sadly, the croaker fishing has deteriorated but the memories of catching 2 at a time on the shell beds and seeing pods of dolphin in the river will stay with me forever.
I tried Lionfish down in Florida. That's a pretty tasty invasive predator, too. I recommend we all eat as many as we can.
I never heard of Himalayan blackberries before. I did eat a Himalayan opossum once, I found him alayan' along the highway!