EAST PEORIA, Ill. — The East Peoria City Council decided Tuesday night to move forward with allowing Roy Sorce of Sorce Enterprises to benefit from the Asian carp occupying the Illinois River.
A change in the city’s ordinance and a special use permit would allow Sorce to hire a team that will fish for Asian carp in the Illinois River and freeze and process the caught carp at 3101 N. Main St.
The cut up carp would be used for bait on the east coast and Louisiana.
Sorce said he has received support on this idea for fish processing and freezing.
“As this has resulted in us coming up with a workable solution utilizing and possibly reducing the Asian carp population in the Peoria area pool in a positive way,” Sorce said. “At the same time, hopefully creating additional jobs and a more livable wage for the commercial fishing industry.”
Commissioner Dan Decker said he is happy someone is stepping up to do something about the Asian carp.
“It would be great if he helps to reduce that population,” Decker said.
Commissioner Mark Hill agreed.
“We’ve seen the reports that the Asian carp are very invasive, they take over. There’s been measures for years trying to keep them out of the Great Lakes. Anything we can do to stave off some of the population is probably a well spent venture,” Hill said.
Ty Livingston, East Peoria’s planning and community development director said this is good timing.
“The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is putting in some attention to how do we make this an economic case as opposed to how do we eliminate the fish,” Livingston said. “It’s a really good opportunity here.”
