Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Invading Japan

The vicious Bluegill invades Japan.

Speaking at an annual convention on fishing and conservation, Emperor Akihito said he was distressed by the results of the bluegill experiment.

The fish were given to him by the mayor of Chicago during a visit to the Chicago Aquarium nearly 50 years ago, when he was still crown prince.

They were passed to a research facility next to Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest lake, to investigate whether they could provide an abundant food source during a time of protein shortages in Japan.

It soon became clear that the fish had spread into the wild.

They have now spread throughout Japan’s waterways, wiping out the Japanese royal bitterling and drastically reducing the number of some other native fish.

The emperor said he was distressed that the attempt to provide food had resulted in a threat to native species.

(5) Comments
Posted by Owen at 2115 hrs
Foreign Affairs

  1. Well, we could always give them some jumping carp

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 14, 2007 at 2140 hrs


  2. Oops.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 14, 2007 at 2146 hrs


  3. I’m not surprised. All the bluegills that I have interviewed in my research still held animosity toward the Japanese royal bitterlings for their atrocities against the Greatest Generation of bluegills during WWII.

    Posted by Steve Burri on November 14, 2007 at 2338 hrs


  4. I am a frequent swimmer in Okauchee Lake around the Party Island area and I can tell you first hand…... Nipples and skin tags beware!!!!! Those bluegills WILL attack!!!! Vicious little buggers.

    Posted by silent E on November 15, 2007 at 1019 hrs


  5. My husband LOVES blue gill.  I’d be more than willing to bread and fry a few of those fish up for dinner… tongue rolleye

    Posted by Amy P. on November 15, 2007 at 1424 hrs


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