ALL species are "invasive" when they first appear. It is just the way nature works.
Up North (Mississippi River basin and surrounding areas), Asian (silver) Carp moved in and of course became the cause du jour for the environmental watchdogs among us. Large fish--reproduce like crazy--and baaaaaaaaaad for the environment! Many outlandish plans and Rube Goldberg types of inventions were concocted and implemented to stop their spread. All had one thing in common. They didn't work. They're firmly established now in thirteen states and further spread is inevitable.
But...is further spread bad? Silver carp unfortunately bear the name "carp" but there is very little resemblance between them and our native species, and as time goes on more and more of their positive attributes are coming to light. They're omnivores and primarily bottom feeders. One of their favorite foods happens to be Zebra and Quagga mussels, themselves also invasive species which have come in for more then their fair share of criticism. They can grow pretty large: 20 lbs. on average but they can get as large as 80 lbs. They also spook easily, having a habit of jumping high out of the water when boats with motors appear.
Oh...and they're also delicious. I've eaten them in Asia (where they're farmed for just that purpose) and can attest to that. Other positives: as they're primarily bottom feeders their flesh contains very little mercury compared to fish in the same waters that eat each other. Their habit of jumping in panic when they hear boat motors has led to many "redneck" fishing tournaments where boats containing folks with landing nets on large handles and probably a plentiful supply of beer crisscross waters containing the carp and snatch them out of the air. And ironically, some Illinois entrepreneurs are catching the critters, processing them and selling them not just to American markets but also to China!
So...they're big. And plentiful. And delicious (and safe) to eat. Bottom line is that they're a cheap and abundant source of protein that we're only just beginning to discover what an invaluable resource they may prove to be.
Now I'm not suggesting that Cuban brown anoles are going to be appearing in restaurants any time soon, but just because a critter is "invasive" does NOT necessarily mean it is bad for the environment.
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