Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale - Press Summary

Rock Yenta Productions Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale World Broadcast Premiere – CBC TV October 3, 2013 GAT PR Press Summary

Interviews Completed CBC Live – online Interviewed: Charlotte Engel

RCI Radio Canada International Interviewed: Scott Dobson

CBC Thunder Bay – Voyage North Interviewed: Scott Dobson, Charlotte Engel

CBC Sudbury – Points North Interviewed: Scott Dobson

Planet In Focus Interviewed: Charlotte Engel

CBC Radio Syndication Interviewed: Charlotte Engel and Scott Dobson Full city/show list to come

Green Pitch Update: Carpe Diem Allan Tong http://planetinfocus.org/industry/green-pitch-update-carpe-diem/

Producer Charlotte Engel won the 2011 Planet in Focus Green Pitch with her film, Carpe Diem, about North America’s battle with the Asian carp. PIF asked Charlotte how her documentary has been progressing since October:

“CBC’s The Nature of Things has given Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale the green light. So, Team Carp will hit the waters of southern Illinois this August. There, they will dodge slimy fish, film The Red Neck Fishing tournament and hang out with The Carp Hunters.

Further filming will take place in August and September in Ontario, Illinois, Missouri and Wisconsin. The film will be delivered to CBC’s The Nature of Things in spring 2013 for a fall broadcast on CBC.” For more details, visit http://www.rockyenta.com What’s some good pitching advice? “When you practice, use iMovie and film yourself pitching, and then watch back,” answers Charlotte. “It’s great for timing yourself and to note how many times you say, ‘Ummm.’”

REMINDER: The 2012 Green Pitch application deadline is August 10.

Submission guidelines on and application available at http://planetinfocus.org/film-festival/industry/green-pitchsubmissions/

'Carpnado' Headed Our Way? Nature of Things Premiere Tackles Asian Carp Invasion Leah Collins http://www.cbc.ca/live/carpnado-headed-our-way-nature-of-things-premieretackles-asian-carp-invasion.html

"Once again, human folly has screwed up the environment." That's what David Suzuki told producer Charlotte Engel when he watched her new documentary, "Carpe Diem, A Fishy Tale." The piece airs as The Nature of Things' premiere episode Thursday, Oct. 3 on CBC. Canada's waterways are under threat by a new species, you see, and the invader is already within 100 kilometres of the Great Lakes.

Asian Carp, first introduced to the Mississippi River in the 1970s, have already dominated many American rivers, choking out native marine life.

They're super-breeders, super-eaters and super-adaptable with no known predators in North American waters. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is already racing to prevent the further migration of the species -- considering a billion dollar separation of Chicago's canals from Lake Michigan -- and Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans is on watchful patrol.

Combine the carp's rapid takeover of the U.S. with its high-jumping capabilities -- a phenomenon that's made some rivers unsafe for boaters -- and the situation begins to sound like something out of a sci-fi movie. Carpnado, if you will.

And yet, apart from the occasional viral video, or the YouTube rise of x-treme waterskiing "carp hunters" (and yes, they're featured in the episode), Canadians haven't really been following the story. Moreover, according to Engel, the science of the situation has been overlooked on both sides of the border. That's what led her to making "Carpe Diem."

"No one was really talking about what science was doing to combat the fish," she tells CBC Live. "They were really talking about the jumping and the craziness and all the yahoos - which, again, makes the documentary lots of fun, and the story -- but the reality is that there's a huge battle going on in the science community to stop the fish from spreading."

That's the focus of The Nature of Things' premiere episode. Here, Engel discusses the origins of the doc, the dangers of filming Asian Carp and whether this "Godzilla in the water" can really be stopped.

How did you decide this story could be a documentary?

Charlotte Engel: Going on YouTube and seeing the silver carp jumping, I could see the visuals. I could see the battle. People are using electricity [against the carp], they're poisoning them, they're shooting them with bows and arrows. There's a lot of great visuals there.

But the story's really about the scientists trying to stop the fish. The Asian Carp problem is pretty well known in the U.S. but it's not that well known here. So I thought it was really important to educate the Canadian public about the problem that's coming our way.

The footage of jumping carp at the beginning of the doc is really striking, too. Can you explain what it was like actually seeing that phenomenon in person for the first time?

CE: Well, it was sort of scary. We're right in the middle of it and the fish do jump right in the boat with you, and the fish are covered in slime, blood and faeces, so the last thing you want to do is get hit by a fish.

In my research I had been reading about all sorts of people who'd had their jaws broken, people had been knocked off jet skis. When we were down at the red neck tournament some guy got two black eyes from getting hit in the face. These fish are dangerous.

I was afraid, but I'd done my due diligence because I had my crew with me and I certainly didn't want to see them getting hurt, so I warned them ahead to wear their worst clothes ever, something they could possibly throw away at the end of the day, and visors and whatever they felt they needed to protect themselves.

There are definitely a few shots where carp are hitting the camera.

CE: My DP definitely had some cleaning up to do at the end of the day when we were out on the water.

The camera we took out was pretty hardy, thank goodness, but we were definitely worried about it, for sure.

How did being on the water with the carp put the issue into perspective for you?

CE: The biomass on the Illinois River is now 80 per cent Asian Carp. Biomass means all living species. So, yes, it definitely put things in perspective. This could happen to us, we don't want this, and we have to do whatever we can to stop these fish from spreading and getting into the Great Lakes.

A lot of people don't realize that the Asian Carp are a cold water fish. They come from China, and they have the ability to live as far north as the 60th parallel. So once they get into the Great Lakes they can spread all across Canada, through all our tributaries and rivers and lakes. So it's not just a Great Lakes problem, it's actually a Canadian problem.

If you see how far they've spread throughout the United States in the last 20 to 30 years you'll understand why all of Canada should be concerned.

The researchers you interviewed: Can you tell me about what they brought to the story?

CE: The scientists were definitely amazing. They're working under a lot of duress to meet the deadline that has been imposed on them by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

They have to come up with a game plan for the United States government to tackle this problem, and the United States government has put in 150 million dollars towards this research and they need to have a plan that can be put into motion within a year or two.

They're working really hard. They are passionate. They kind of have a love/hate relationship with the fish. The fish is kind of like a superstar. It's so smart, it's got superpowers.

It's funny -- if you did a Google News search on Asian Carp right now, a lot of articles make the situation sound like a movie, albeit in a jokey way. The fish are mutant invaders, they have "superpowers." Are there any dangers in treating the situation as though it's a panic out of a sci-fi movie?

CE: Well, I think it's a long-term panic. The fish are coming. It's a matter of time. It is jokey in the sense these fish are like Godzilla in the water, but at the same time we have to be vigilant and concerned about them.

The other funny thing people don't realize is you can actually eat them. Eating them is one of the ways of controlling them.

Did you try any?

CE: Yeah, I did, it actually tastes really good. Tastes like tilapia. I had it as fish jerky, bologna and as a carp cake -- like a crab cake kind of thing.

It was really frustrating for me to be in Chicago and to know there are so many Asian Carp just south of Chicago and it's not on any of the menus. I know that the state government was trying to promote and entice people to eat Asian Carp, but you know, it's tough. They say it's got a marketing problem and perhaps if we just change the name of the fish to Kentucky Tuna or Silver Fin people might eat it. We were filming down in the south and there's a lot of poverty down there and they're just screaming for a good source of protein.

"Carpe Diem, A Fishy Tale" opens with the question "Can they be stopped?" Do you feel you found an answer?

CE: I think if we catch them early enough we can control their numbers. But this is an ongoing problem. This is never going to go away. So unless there's a constant flow of cash to keep the fish from coming in, and if the public becomes educated, they're going to get in.

Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale

By Staff http://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/episodes/carpe-diem-a-fishy-story

North America is under attack by a relentless aquatic invader. Accidentally released into the Mississippi River 30 years ago, the Asian Carp have been heading north ever since. Famous for their insatiable hunger and their Olympic high jumping, Asian Carp are now only 100 kilometers south of Lake Michigan.

Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale will take viewers on an enlightening odyssey to reveal the many fronts on which this new enemy is being fought, using every means at their disposal: cross bows, electrodes and even water guns.

Despite their fascination with this newcomer, scientists on both sides of the Canada/US border agree that the Asian Carp is a threat we need to take seriously. But can they stop the fish before they get into the Great Lakes?

Presently, the only thing stopping the fish from migrating northward is an electric barrier just outside of Chicago.

Or is it? The Army Corps of Engineers seem to think so, but environmental DNA of has been found on the wrong side of the barrier, despite their best efforts and resources. This summer, two Asian carp were found in Ontario's Grand River.

Why exactly are these fish considered a threat to Canadian waterways?

As we'll discover, the Asian Carp is extraordinarily adaptable: aside from being a very good swimmer and avoiding nets, it out-eats other species and tilts the food chain in its favour, making it difficult for native species to survive.

Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans is on Full Carp Alert. But their enemy is a sly and wily invader with Canadian waters in its sights.

Down south, where the battle has been lost, people are starting to see the fish as a resource and are starting to eat it. Is this the answer to this fishy problem?

Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale is an eye-opening take on the complicated fight against an impressive species of fish which is really just doing what it does best - surviving.

But the Asian Carp could change the Great Lakes as we know them.

As US aquatic biologist Duane Chapman says "I have kind of a love-hate relationship with these fish. I respect the heck out of them. They are amazing fish. But I just wish they weren't here."

Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale Review Christopher Chanel http://myetvmedia.com/film-review/carpe-diem-a-fishy-tale-review/ Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale directed by Scott Dobson and narrated by David Suzuki screens as a World Broadcast Premiere on Thursday October 3 at 8:00pm in the 53rd Season Opener of CBC TV’s The Nature of Things with David Suzuki.

This incredible documentary will shake you to the core. North America is under attack by a relentless aquatic invader: our number 1 public enemy is the “Asian Carp”.

Their territory extending as far as 100 kilometers south of Lake Michigan and encroaching on the Great Lakes, even with electric barriers in place, can the invasion be stopped?

“Asian carp will kill jobs and ruin our way of life”.

Such is the sentiment expressed by many American politicians. The carp are a threat to the Great Lakes’ multibillion-dollar commercial fishing industry and could cause the loss of thousands of jobs. The issue of invasive species has resulted in a clash between numerous industries crucial to the Great Lakes states’ economies. The many arguments over the different approaches on how to combat the problem of Asian carp and their high economic and political consequences are presented in this one hour feature.

Asian carp were brought to the U.S. about 40 years ago to clean the algae and wastes in commercial catfish ponds in the South. Some owners of municipal sewage treatment plants also bought them in the 1970s with the approval of the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) to clean sewage treatment ponds.

Some owners of municipal sewage treatment plants also bought them in the 1970s with the approval of the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) to clean sewage treatment ponds.

When the catfish ponds were flooded, the carp made their escape, swimming up the Mississippi and other rivers. Data from the Illinois Natural History Survey indicates that bighead carp abundance has been increasing exponentially in the Upper Mississippi (Illinois river), where the population doubles every year.

Of the five breeds of carp invading North America, the most worrisome are The Big Head Carp and the Silver Carp, known to be relentless bottom feeders that can eat 20% of their body weight in a day. Needless to say there is competition for food and biologist believe that the native fish are smaller than they used to be.

One of the particularities of the Silver Carp is to jump out of the water when spooked, Scott Dobson’s documentary certainly showcases this spectacular phenomena, startling at times for both boaters and viewers. Can commercial fishing of Asian carp part of the solution? YES! There are several commercial carp processing plants, including one in Fulton Illinois that as of early 2010 was processing 12 million pounds of carp a year.

The carp sell well in ethnic markets in major cities and are exported to China, Japan and other countries. But most Americans have not embraced carp as a food, primarily because of its reputation as a bottom feeder, and because it is bonier than Americans’ usual fare.

Still, for the environmentally conscious, next time you are at the fish market or in a restaurant, try asking for Carp. Scott Dobson’s documentary was certainly an eye opener on the threat to come to our waterways, DO NOT MISS IT.e-

Invasion of Asian Carp in the Great Lakes – Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale with David Suzuki Lauren Stoot http://www.infosuperior.com/invasion-of-asian-carp-in-the-great-lakes-carpediem-a-fishy-tale-with-david-suzuki/

Although Asian carp have yet to invade the Great Lakes, they are within 100kms of Lake Michigan and once established are difficult to remove and outcompete several native species which poses various economic and cultural problems.

Asian carp species were accidentally introduced to the Mississippi River approximately 30 years ago and have established a population, while displacing several native species.

CBC’s “The Nature of Things with David Suzuki” recently aired Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale investigates and explores the invasion and expansion of Asian carp throughout North America.

Suzuki delves into the history, basic biology and potential solutions to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes.

See CBC link here to Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale.

The Nature of Things No archive available.

Crappy Carp Andrew Parker http://dorkshelf.com/2013/10/03/crappy-carp/ One of the last things I ever expect to see in any made-for-television documentary is a man hauling off and cold cocking a fish in the face, but it should also probably go without saying that such a moment would really be a highlight of anything that would include it.

And judging by the fish being profiled in the 53rd season opener of CBC’s The Nature of Things (airing Thursday, October 3rd at 8:00pm), that damned fish really had it coming.

In the humorous and fascinating Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale, David Suzuki narrates this look a rare kind of conservation effort that requires a certain species of aquatic pest be cut off from migrating or reproducing at intensely prolific rates.

After being illegally introduced to the Mississippi watersheds by wrongheaded entrepreneurs to help protect and clean their fish ponds, two particularly aggressive species of Asian Carp have escaped and begun spawning at an alarming rate.

These fish are hassles for two major reasons: First, they are so scared of anything that the slightest noise from a nearby swimmer or boat will cause them to leap en masse into the air haphazardly. Second, they are prolific plankton and algae eaters capable of eating 20% of their own body weight in a given day, which creates murky waters and less than ideal conditions for local plants and other fish who need to actually see where they are going at all times.

These are fish that are too bony (and often dirty) to eat, no other predators really want to eat them, they’re a hazard by sea AND air, can have decades long life spans, and they can produce offspring in the millions… and they’re headed for the Great Lakes via the Chicago canal, a potentially deadly blow to the region’s ecosystem.

For a show that’s usually all about letting most creatures live and let live, there’s something undeniably horrific at how these really otherwise innocuous and (aside from the flying thing) harmless fish can bring down a whole ecosystem. It’s too late for the show to function as a morality tale, but the solution methods are incredibly varied, and all of them have a bit of a ticking clock on them before the fish reach their final destinations, and they all have their drawbacks.

There are scientific solutions – electroshocking the canals and knocking the fish out, a pill that would only affect Carp and nothing else – but neither would likely work on younger fish.

There’s a geographical solution – blocking off the canal and forcing everything to literally be lifted over the new blockage – but it would devastate the shipping industry.

Then, there are rallies in small towns where people go on redneck rampages in boats and catch dumpster bins full of the fish (where the guy punches the fish into oblivion), and even one enterprising dude who suits up and turns catching these fish into water-based bowhunting expeditions.

The downsides to these approaches should be obvious – with the former solution looking like the tail end of a zombie hunt – but they truly underline just how prevalent and profoundly annoying these fish are.

Carpe Diem is a fun and, more importantly, informative hour of television and a great way to kick off one of Canada’s greatest TV institutions. And did I mention you’ll also see a man dressed in football gear waterskiing and trying to hit fish out of the air with a tennis racquet?

It sounds cruel, but by that point the viewer knows just how dangerous these fish are and it doesn’t really seem like that awful of an idea.

Carpe Diem – The Nature of Things speaks out on Asian Carp Nancy Goucher http://environmentaldefence.ca/blog/carpe-diem-%E2%80%93-nature-thingsspeaks-out-asian-carp

CBC’s The Nature of Things with David Suzuki airing October 3rd at 8pm features all things Asian carp.

When I was doing research for July’s report on Asian Carp, , I watched a number of videos about the damage these invaders are doing to rivers across the western U.S. The videos are actually pretty alaTipping the Scales: How Canada and Ontario can Prevent an Asian Carp Invasion of the Great Lakesrming! I couldn’t believe that people were taking such risks to boat down rivers with fish flying directly at them and their children.

Asian carp are extraordinary fish. They can easily adapt to new surroundings, eat enormous amounts of food, and reproduce quickly, making it difficult for native fish to survive.

In parts of the Illinois River, 95 per cent of the living aquatic species are Asian carp. The silver variety is well known for being able to jump right out of the water, hurting people and damaging boat equipment.

Right now, the only thing stopping the fish from accessing the Great Lakes is an electric barrier outside of Chicago.

Building awareness and grassroots support for immediate action is part of the solution.

So it’s pretty awesome that CBC's The Nature of Things with David Suzuki is launching its 53rd season with a show about the different approaches being taken to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes.

It’s called Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale, and you can watch it tonight (Thursday, October 3 rd) at 8 p.m.

The thing to remember about this particular threat is that we cannot wait until we hit the point of crisis. Once a reproducing population is established, there is little to nothing that can be done to eradicate this species.

That is why it is so critical that immediate action is taken to ensure that Asian carp cannot cross over from the Mississippi River Basin into the Great Lakes.

In our report, we offer a number of actions that can be taken by governments to close off all potential pathways of invasion.

You can help by sharing our cute Asian carp video with your friends (facebook, twitter, email, etc.) and by signing a petition that asks the federal and Ontario environment ministers to encourage U.S. decision makers to find a speedy resolution that would permanently prevent Asian carp from accessing the Great Lakes.

CERC News: Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale http://www.cerc.usgs.gov/NewsItems.aspx?NewsItemId=225

(Canadian Broadcasting TV) Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale will take viewers on an enlightening odyssey to reveal the many fronts on which this new enemy is being fought, using every means at their disposal: cross bows, electrodes and even water guns.

Despite their fascination with this newcomer, scientists on both sides of the Canada/US border agree that the Asian Carp is a threat we need to take seriously. But can they stop the fish before they get into the Great Lakes?

Branches

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Ecology: Conservation Ecology River Studies: Invasive Carp Research Program

Research Studies Ecological Impacts of Non-Native Asian Carp in the Lower Missouri River Ecosystem  Pheromone Attractants in Asian Carp Control

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Staff Members  Robin Calfee, Leader, Conservation Ecology  Duane C Chapman, Leader, Asian Carp Research

The Buzz: Brad Oswald on TV Brad Oswald http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/entertainment/arts/the-buzz226260941.html?device=mobile There's something fishy about this story This isn't one of those campfire tales about the big one that got away; instead, it's a perhaps-toolate cautionary tale about the one that wouldn't go away.

When CBC's The Nature of Things opens its 53rd season (Thursday, Oct. 3 at 8 p.m. on CBC), host/narrator David Suzuki introduces Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale, a documentary about the frighteningly prolific group of species known as the Asian carp -- enormous, 50-kilogram aquatic eating machines that are threatening to invade Canada's waterways.

Originally introduced into North America as a bottom-feeder that could clean up algae in fishponds, the Asian carp escaped into river systems in the U.S. during floods in the 1970s and has been making its way northward toward the Great Lakes.

And from there ... well, the possibilities for all of Canada's fresh water are a bit daunting.

New Thursday: Played, Degrassi, Storage Wars Canada, Nature of Things Diane Wild http://www.tv-eh.com/2013/10/03/new-thursday-played/

Played, CTV – “Drugs” series premiere Undercover detective John Moreland (Walsh) faces suspension after assaulting a Drug Squad officer. He gets a second chance when Detective Sergeant Rebecca Ellis (West) recruits Moreland and his team into her newly formed Covert Investigations Unit. The C.I.U.’s first case is to take down David Thorpe (Serge Houde, 50/50), an elusive drug kingpin Moreland has been hunting for years. Rebecca’s leadership and her fragile relationship with Moreland are severely tested when Thorpe suspects that Moreland is a cop.

Degrassi, MTV – “This Is How We Do It” Degrassi’s back in school. Student Council President Drew wants to make sure everyone has a positive year after the devastating loss of Adam. But it’s easier said than done when he’s battling insomnia. Zoë is about to tackle her greatest role yet: “Zoë Rivas, Degrassi Student.” But when you grow up on a film set, how do you know what’s cool in the real world? Alli wants to spend her senior year with her best friends but when Leo flies to be by her side, it’ll take some convincing for the group to accept him as her new BF. Degrassi in Nicaragua, MTV – Special This summer the cast of Degrassi travelled to the tiny village of El Trapiche in Nicaragua with Free The Children, to help provide the newly established school with a much needed fresh water supply. Cast members Munro Chambers, Chloe Rose, and Luke Bilyk embark on a life changing adventure in this 30-minute MTV special.

Storage Wars Canada, OLN – “Ain’t No Locker Like a Birthday Locker” Cindy looks for Rick’s birthday present in North York, Ontario, while the other buyers hope to crash the party.

The Nature of Things, CBC – “Carpe Diem” The threat of the Asian Carp, and the scientific and unorthodox methods being utilized against them.

Invasive carp threaten Canadian waters: film Lyn Desjardins http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2013/10/03/invasive-carp-threaten-canadian-waters-film/

Asian carp have overtaken some major US rivers, are moving into the Great Lakes at the heart of North America and may soon threaten Canadian waterways, says a documentary to be aired October 3rd.

“The Asian carp has come to be hated in North America because it has the ability to out-feed, out-breed, out-live and completely dominate any sort of water that it inhabits,” says Scott Dobson, director and writer of Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale.

“The Asian carp has the ultimate ability to wipe out native species of fish to the point where they completely disappear,” adds Dobson.

“And they also have the ability to so overwhelm a water system in sheer numbers that it ruins the waterways for human use.”

Asian carp could overwhelm Canadian waters So many Canadian watersheds and river systems are connected to the Great Lakes that if the Asian carp manages to establish a colony there, the government projects the fish could become present in almost every river system south of Canada’s 60th parallel within 25 years.

“North Americans, especially Canadians love their boating culture,” says Dobson.

“They like to fish, they like recreation (like) waterskiing, everything.

When Asian carp invade a system they invade in such huge numbers that they kill the fishery so the sport aspect of fishing is gone and then, because one of the family members, the silver carp, has the ability to jump out of the water it makes going out on the water dangerous for anyone.”

Fish like “live bombs” The fish can weigh 50 kilograms and jump 2 meters straight up into the air.

“You basically have live bombs coming in on your boat that can knock people unconscious, that can damage the boat and, in a really bad situation, they can actually land and break a boat’s throttle or knock the boat into drive...creating a really dangerous on-water situation,” says Dobson.

The fish are also slimy, they bleed heavily when cut, and they defecate when frightened leaving an awful, slippery and dangerous mess.

Flooding released carp into rivers Asian carp were originally brought into the US in the 1970s because, as voracious eaters, it was thought they could keep reservoirs clean.

Some owners of fish farms used the fish to clean their operations.

Flooding of the Arkansas and Mississippi Rivers in the 1980s and 90s allowed the Asian carp to escape and invade surrounding waterways.

Spread would be “incredibly scary” There is some discussion about permanently blocking some rivers that flow between the United States and Canada.

US authorities have set up some electrical barriers near Chicago to stun the fish and prevent them from moving north into the Great Lakes.

Some have got through anyway but not enough yet to establish colonies.

The Canadian government is monitoring the fish closely and is considering some plans should the numbers increase.

The carp need to move up rivers to spawn, so officials are considering using underwater canon to discourage them from going upstream.

If they fail to stop the spread of Asian carp in Canada “that’s incredibly scary because it would change the entire way that Canadians relate to their water systems,” says Dobson.

Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale airs on the public broadcaster, CBC’s program The Nature of Things Thursday, October 3, 2013 at 8pm EDT and will be posted on the internet.

Publicity handled by GAT PR