Cacophony of carp -- clarifying the unintelligible noise of the carp debate

Abstract

The carp as an icon of political ecology's major themes of the 19th through 21st centuries traces the fish's identity as a "subpar" species-turned American enemy. Images of the carp, beginning from its introduction in 1877 provide a unique and widely disregarded profile of the development of the carp's position within American ecology, namely as an economic resource. The legacy of conservation that characterizes the late 19th and early 20th century transition demonstrates a shift in attitudes toward nature. The purpose of this research is to construct an historical narrative of the carp's introduction and the change in American perceptions of the fish.