Sublime

The very same qualities that have made the “domestic fishes” famous in China have made them infamous in the United States. A well-fed grass carp can weigh more than eighty pounds. In a single day it can eat almost half of its body weight, and it lays hundreds of thousands of eggs at a time. Bigheads can, on occasion, weigh as much as a hundred poun

The practical objection to animal food in my case was its uncleanness; and besides, when I had caught and cleaned and cooked and eaten my fish, they seemed not to have fed me essentially. It was insignificant and unnecessary, and cost more than it came

Seidemann told me he used to catch mainly buffalo, which are native to the Mississippi River and its tributaries. (Buffalo look a bit like carp but belong to an entirely different family.) When Asian carp arrived, buffalo populations plummeted. Now Seidemann makes most of his income from contract killing for the Illinois Department of Natural Resou

No canteen, no food. Not even the compass. One by one I left these behind. Doing this gives a visible message to the forest: “I’m not afraid any more. That’s why I chose to be totally defenceless.” Minus my hard shell, just flesh and bones, I head for the core of the labyrinth, giving myself up to the void.

At the end of the day, Seidemann and the others loaded their boats on trailers and, with the carp still in them, drove into town. The fish, now inert and glassy-eyed, were dumped into a waiting semi-trailer. This round of barrier defense continued for another three days. The final tally was six thousand four hundred and four silver carp and five hu

Fresh fish and seafood are foods to be eaten freely. Tuna, marlin and swordfish are to be eaten in moderation. Canned fish, besides tuna, can be eaten freely.