Ryan
Silver carp jumping in Fox river
Hypophthalmichthys molitrix
The demonstration had been scheduled to begin at 1 p.m., at Hu-B’s Offshore Marine Boat Sales and Service in Eddyville. The place is easy to find. It’s just off U.S. Hwy. 62 and next door to Venture River Water Park.
A mixed crowd had gathered: a handful of state officials, including a representative from the governor’s office; a couple of fishery biologists from the state fish and wildlife agency; and some local politicians, including Lyon County Judge-Executive Wade White, who seemed to know everyone by first name. A couple of enforcement officers wandered through the crowd, chatting with folks in that detached, watchful way that cops have. A scattering of local business owners worked the crowd. A few press people had shown up, along with about 30 or 40 more people who’d apparently dropped by to see what the fuss was all about.
We were there to see a patch of concrete poured. The form had been set before anyone had arrived, but it was nearly 1:30 before the cement truck rolled into the lot. No one seemed to mind the wait, and once on-site, the concrete guys were efficient. It wasn’t long before a gray mass began slide down the chute and into the form, which appeared to be about the size of a two-car garage and 5- or 6-inches deep. Two guys in rubber knee boots began to spread the stuff. Pouring concrete is a taxing, labor-intensive job but not one without a certain skill level. Well-finished concrete is artful.
Only this wasn’t your run-of-the-mill concrete. It was Carp-Crete and, according to inventor James Nobles, is something he believes might hold the answer to the vexing problem of what to do about the Asian carp invasion that is upsetting ecosystems from the Tennessee Valley to the Great Lakes, including Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, where the carp—primarily silver and big head—have gained a solid foothold and pose a danger to boaters. The fish are also in the lower Ohio River and have been discovered in the lower Tradewater and Green rivers.
The patch of Carp-Crete that was being poured in the back lot of the boat dealership was a concrete that uses Asian carp fish ash as part of the mixture. This may sound inconsequential, but it could be the industrial use for the invasive, damaging carp being sought by fishery officials, fishermen, environmentalists and businessmen whose livelihoods hinge on recreation dollars generated by the lakes and rivers.
The Eddyville event was the first public demonstration of Carp-Crete, according to Nobles, a 40-year-old civil engineer and southern Illinois native who also is marketing and selling the stuff.
He explained that the production process for making Carp-Crete is simple. Commercial fishermen would deliver their fish to transport vehicles, which Nobles said he would provide. The fish would be transported to his processing plant in Beardstown, Ill. He hopes to expand to other locales as demand grows.
“The fish go through a grinding process,” Nobles explained. “Then an incineration process. And then the fish are pressed to excrete the oils. It’s then dried. That’s the final product.”
The powdery fish ash is used as a concrete admixture. Nobles said Carp-Crete meets product and construction standards and in no way compromises the strength or durability of the finished concrete product.
The only practical way to remove measurable numbers of carp from the lakes and rivers is by commercial fishing. To date, it has been a marginally profitable financial venture for fishermen.
“I’m willing to increase the price per pound to increase the harvest levels of production,” Nobles added.
How much?
“Starting at 30 cents per pound, which is almost double what [commercial fishermen] are getting now for Asian carp,” he said.
The potential market is huge. A cubic yard of concrete contains approximately 4 pounds of the Carp-Crete mixture, Nobles noted. Sixteen pounds of live carp are needed to produce the 4 pounds of powdered admixture.
“There are tens of millions of pounds of carp out there in the waterways,” Nobles said. “Eventually, they are going to get into the Great Lakes, if they’re not there already. We’ve got to do something.”
Aside from the slightlycheesy name, he might be onto something. Find out more at abovegradeenvironmental.com.