Return of Carrot!

It's not Carrot unless she's caught in the Champagne region of France. No seriously - a comically large female carp who is known for her orange-goldfish-like appearance can be caught (and released) in Bluewater Lakes in the Champagne region of France. Which is also known for its sparkling white wine, champagne. Hence the saying "it's not real champagne if it doesn't come from Champagne in France."

Anyway, like champagne, Carrot the carp is also a tourist attraction. If you're due for a fishing trip, Bluewater Lakes is known as the premier fishing spot in the country of France for carp specifically. Last fishing season Carrot was caught 9 times and towards the end, was booked weighing more than 60 pounds. She was released into the Bluewater Lakes fifteen years ago as "something different" that anglers could catch. This season, she avoided capture until Tuesday of last week where her weight was recorded at 67.5lbs.

Interested in knowing more about carp? Well, did you know that carp are a species of oily freshwater fish that are native to Europe and Asia? They are considered an invasive species in Africa, Australia, and the United States. Chances are, you've seen a carp and just didn't realize that that was what you were looking at. For example, koi fish, which are common in Eastern Asia, are in fact a type of carp. Ever had a goldfish? Those too are a species of carp.

If you put two and two together, yes releasing your pet goldfish into the wild is in fact a problem. A lot of species of carp live a long time (30+ years in some cases) and get very large. In the case of goldfish specifically, their lifespan is between 10-30 years, and about two years ago a 9-pound one was caught in the wild in South Carolina. That doesn't sound like a big deal, but goldfish are omnivores and will eat just about anything that may have nutrients, including other smaller fish. As long as they are given space, they will expand to their maximum size as well. One or two released into a lake, pond, or river may not be a problem, but once numbers are large enough to shift a local ecosystem, that's when there's a problem because now the native species are competing with a foreign species that is aggressive and has the ability to get large quickly.

So next time you get tired of your goldfish and flush it down the toilet (or just release it into a pond or lake of some sort), think about the environment and the potential impact that your fish could have as it takes resources from the native species that are trying to live there. Or maybe, don't get a goldfish if you're not ready for a long-term commitment; get a beta fish or something else that lives 5 years or less.

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