Reprints This copy is for your personal, noncommercial use only. You can order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers here or use the "Reprints" tool that appears next to any article. Visit www.nytreprints.com for samples and additional information. Order a reprint of this article now. July 9, 2011 Answer for Invasive Species: Put It on a Plate and Eat It By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL With its dark red and black stripes, spotted fins and long venomous black spikes, the lionfish seems better suited for horror films than consumption. But lionfish fritters and filets may be on American tables soon. An invasive species, the lionfish is devastating reef fish populations along the Florida coast and into the Caribbean. Now, an increasing number of environmentalists, consumer groups and scientists are seriously testing a novel solution to control it and other aquatic invasive species — one that would also takes pressure off depleted ocean fish stocks: they want Americans to step up to their plates and start eating invasive critters in large numbers. “Humans are the most ubiquitous predators on earth,” said Philip Kramer, director of the Caribbean program for the Nature Conservancy. “Instead of eating something like shark fin soup, why not eat a species that is causing harm, and with your meal make a positive contribution?” Invasive species have become a vexing problem in the United States, with population explosions of Asian carp clogging the Mississippi River and European green crabs mobbing the coasts. With few natural predators in North America, such fast-breeding species have thrived in American waters, eating native creatures and out-competing them for food and habitats. While most invasive species are not commonly regarded as edible food, that is mostly a matter of marketing, experts say. Imagine menus where Asian carp substitutes for the threatened Chilean sea bass, or lionfish replaces grouper, which is overfished. “We think there could be a real market,” said Wenonah Hauter, the executive director of Food and Water Watch, whose 2011 Smart Seafood Guide recommends for the first time that diners seek out invasive species as a “safer, more sustainable” alternative to their more dwindling relatives, to encourage fisherman and markets to provide them. “What these species need now is a better — sexier — profile, and more cooks who know how to use them,” she said. She has enlisted celebrity chefs to promote eating the creatures. Scientists emphasize that human consumption is only part of what is needed to control invasive Can’t Eliminate an Invasive Species? Try Eating It. - NYTimes.com http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/10/science/earth/10fish.html?_r=0&p... 1 of 3 species and restore native fish populations, and that a comprehensive plan must include restoring fish predators to depleted habitats and erecting physical barriers to prevent further dissemination of the invaders. ...

1. Reprints
This copy is for your personal, noncommercial use only. You
can order presentation-ready copies for distribution to
your colleagues, clients or customers here or use the "Reprints"
tool that appears next to any article. Visit
www.nytreprints.com for samples and additional information.
Order a reprint of this article now.
July 9, 2011
Answer for Invasive Species: Put It on a
Plate and Eat It
By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL
With its dark red and black stripes, spotted fins and long
venomous black spikes, the lionfish
seems better suited for horror films than consumption. But
lionfish fritters and filets may be on
American tables soon.
An invasive species, the lionfish is devastating reef fish
populations along the Florida coast and
into the Caribbean. Now, an increasing number of
environmentalists, consumer groups and
scientists are seriously testing a novel solution to control it and

2. other aquatic invasive species —
one that would also takes pressure off depleted ocean fish
stocks: they want Americans to step up
to their plates and start eating invasive critters in large
numbers.
“Humans are the most ubiquitous predators on earth,” said
Philip Kramer, director of the
Caribbean program for the Nature Conservancy. “Instead of
eating something like shark fin soup,
why not eat a species that is causing harm, and with your meal
make a positive contribution?”
Invasive species have become a vexing problem in the United
States, with population explosions of
Asian carp clogging the Mississippi River and European green
crabs mobbing the coasts. With few
natural predators in North America, such fast-breeding species
have thrived in American waters,
eating native creatures and out-competing them for food and
habitats.
While most invasive species are not commonly regarded as
edible food, that is mostly a matter of
marketing, experts say. Imagine menus where Asian carp
substitutes for the threatened Chilean
sea bass, or lionfish replaces grouper, which is overfished.

3. “We think there could be a real market,” said Wenonah Hauter,
the executive director of Food and
Water Watch, whose 2011 Smart Seafood Guide recommends
for the first time that diners seek out
invasive species as a “safer, more sustainable” alternative to
their more dwindling relatives, to
encourage fisherman and markets to provide them.
“What these species need now is a better — sexier — profile,
and more cooks who know how to use
them,” she said. She has enlisted celebrity chefs to promote
eating the creatures.
Scientists emphasize that human consumption is only part of
what is needed to control invasive
Can’t Eliminate an Invasive Species? Try Eating It. -
NYTimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/10/science/earth/10fish.html?
_r=0&p...
1 of 3
species and restore native fish populations, and that a
comprehensive plan must include restoring
fish predators to depleted habitats and erecting physical barriers
to prevent further dissemination

4. of the invaders.
“We are not going to be able to just eat our way out of the
invasive species problem,” Dr. Kramer
said. “On the other hand, there are places where this can be a
very useful part of the strategy.”
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is now exploring
where it might be helpful. Models
suggest that commercial harvest of Asian carp in the Mississippi
would most likely help control
populations there, “as part of an integrated pest management
program,” said Valerie Fellows, a
spokeswoman.
In practice, it is still unclear whether commercial fishing
pressure could be high enough to have a
significant impact, she said. The Army Corps of Engineers has
spent millions of dollars to erect
electronic barriers to keep Asian carp from moving from the
Illinois River into the Great Lakes.
There are risks to whetting America’s appetite. Marketing an
invasive species could make it so
popular that “individuals would raise or release the fish” where
they did not already exist, Ms.
Fellows said, potentially exacerbating the problem; tilapia were
originally imported into Latin

5. America for weed and bug control, but commercialization
helped the species spread far more
widely than intended.
Dr. Kramer is concerned that the marketing of lionfish might
increase the number of traps on
reefs, which could trap other fish as well. He said spearfishing
was the sustainable way to catch
lionfish, which are reef dwellers.
Cookbooks do not say much about how to filet an Asian carp,
which has an unusual bony structure.
And even if one developed a taste for, say, European green crab
soup, there is nowhere to buy the
main ingredient, though it is plentiful in the sea.
To increase culinary demand, Food and Water Watch has
teamed up with the James Beard
Foundation and Kerry Heffernan, the chef at the South Gate
restaurant in New York City, to devise
recipes using the creatures. At a recent tasting, there was Asian
carp ceviche and braised lionfish
filet in brown butter sauce.
Lionfish, it turns out, looks hideous but tastes great. The group
had to hire fishermen to catch

6. animals commonly regarded as pests. Mr. Heffernan said he
would consider putting them on his
menu and was looking forward to getting some molting
European green crabs to try in soft-shell
crab recipes.
Last summer, the Nature Conservancy sponsored a lionfish food
fair in the Bahamas, featuring
lionfish fritters and more. They offered fishermen $11 a pound
— about the price of grouper — and
Can’t Eliminate an Invasive Species? Try Eating It. -
NYTimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/10/science/earth/10fish.html?
_r=0&p...
2 of 3
got an abundant supply. Lionfish, native to the Indian Ocean
and South Pacific, arrived in the
Caribbean in the early 1990s and are spreading rapidly;
voracious eaters, they even eat juveniles of
native fish.
Lionfish, like grouper, can carry ciguatoxin, which causes
vomiting and neurological symptoms, so
they cannot be taken from water where the microbe that
produces the toxin is found. The fish’s

7. venomous spines must be removed before sale, although that is
not a serious marketing obstacle.
Mitchell Davis, vice president of the Beard Foundation, said
other species had moved from being
pariah pests to must-have items on American plates, like
dandelion greens for salads.
Can’t Eliminate an Invasive Species? Try Eating It. -
NYTimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/10/science/earth/10fish.html?
_r=0&p...
3 of 3
Invasive Species Research Paper
Biology 101 –Fall 2013
This writing assignment is designed to provide opportunities for
the student to find, evaluate, select, synthesize, organize, cite,
and present information and arguments clearly and effectively
for understanding scientific issues on personal, societal, and
global levels.
Your Uncle Joe, a self-proclaimed “foodie”, has proposed
replacing your traditional food with an invasive species, such as
the lionfish, for your family’s big holiday dinner. He got the
idea after reading an article about eating invasive species as a
way of controlling their environmental impact. Your extended
family, especially your Grandma, is very concerned about his
idea. Knowing you are enrolled in a biology course, your
Grandma wants you to explain this approach that your uncle has
proposed and your opinion on the holiday meal. Remember
your Grandma is smart but has not taken a biology course in
many years. Your response to her needs to be concise and

8. clear, but understandable by a non-scientist.
Write a well-researched letter to your grandmother that
addresses the following key points (allocate 1 – 2 paragraphs
for each point):
1. Select one invasive species (such as the lionfish, Asian carp
or European green crabs) and describe its native home and role
in that environment. Then discuss where it has been relocated
to and how it arrived there.
2. Describe the impact the invasive species has had in the new
environment (consider its impact on other organisms, the
overall food web and the physical environment.) In addition to
environmental impacts, also explain any economical impacts
this species has had.
3. Explain the current approaches to handling this invasive
species (and invasive species in general).
4. Explain your opinion of the current approaches to dealing
with invasive species and your uncle’s plan for the holiday
menu. You may also recommend other suggestions to dealing
with invasive species.
*NOTE: Your entire paper, even parts that ask for your opinion,
must be well supported by evidence. Having a good number of
quality references will help in this regard.
Assigned article (must read and use in your paper):
Rosenthal, E. (2011, July 9). Answer for Invasive Species: Put
It on a Plate and Eat It. New York Times
Total number of references (3):
You must use and reference the above article and at least two
additional sources for this paper, making the minimum number
of references for your paper 3. You may review relevant
chapters in your textbook and use other sources to fill in
missing information.

9. It is important that your response to your grandmother be
thoroughly researched and clearly written. You should define
all your terms and be concise (1,000 words maximum). This
assignment is designed to give you the experience of applying
your knowledge of biology to a current controversy or topic of
interest. You will use the same sort of method that you will
later use as an informed citizen and consumer when making
decisions that involve biology.
Other resources
Primary Sources: You will find information in the “primary
literature,” which is where the research was originally
published. You can find these articles by using CSUF’s on-line
search engines, or by asking for the help of a CSUF librarian.
Examples of the primary literature include Science, Nature,
Proceedings of the National Academy, and Genetics.
Secondary Sources: You may also find relevant articles in
recent newspapers, popular magazines, or popular science
journals. These are referred to as “secondary” sources, since
they describe research that was published elsewhere. Examples
of these include The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times,
The Guardian, Time, Scientific American, Discover, New
Scientist, and Science News.
Websites: If you choose to use a website, be aware that most
websites are not peer-reviewed, and often present inaccurate
information. Examples of excellent websites include those of
the National Academy of Science, the National Institute of
Health, the Centers for Disease Control, and WebMD. If you are
unsure of the appropriateness of a website, check with your
instructor. Alternatively, the CSUF library has an excellent
guide to evaluating websites at http://library.fullerton.edu/
under Guides for Undergraduates.
The structure of your paper
· Be sure to cover all four points mentioned above and define
all technical terms that you use.
· Your paper must be between 750 to 1000 words (not including

10. references). Your paper should be double-spaced with one-inch
margins, using 12 point Times New Roman font. No cover page
is required.
· You are not allowed to include any quotes in your paper. All
of your writing must be original. You must paraphrase ideas
from the literature, even if you provide an in-text citation.
· Information and ideas that are paraphrased must be
accompanied by proper in-text citations in the body of your
paper and a corresponding reference in APA format.
· You need to review your paper for format, spelling, grammar
and usage errors before you submit it, or you will lose points.
· Please also review the grading rubric before submitting your
paper to make sure that you have done everything you can to
receive a good grade.
Guidelines for citing references
In-Text Citations
In-text citations should be in APA format. You can find a
summary of APA guidelines for your reference page at:
http://www.lscc.edu/library/Documents/apacite.pdf
Reference Page
Your bibliography should be formatted using APA (American
Psychological Association) guidelines. You can find a summary
of APA guidelines for your reference page at:
http://www.lscc.edu/library/Documents/apacite.pdf
Submitting your response
Late papers will not be accepted. You must submit an
electronic copy of your paper to Turnitin.com before the
beginning of class on the day it is due.
1. Submitting your response to Turnitin.com

11. An electronic copy of the paper with references is due to
Turnitin.com through TITANium by the beginning of your class
on November 21, 2013. Turnitin.com will not accept papers
after the start time of your class. If you do not submit your
paper to Turnitin.com by November 21, 2013 you will receive a
zero for the assignment. Your response must be submitted to
Turnitin.com, which is a plagiarism detection program, in order
for your paper to be graded. All submissions will be evaluated,
but if you submit a paper with a similarity index greater than
10% you will probably be reported to the Vice President for
Student Affairs and receive a zero for the assignment. Refer to
the attached instructions on how to submit your paper to
Turnitin.com.
Preparing your paper for submission
Turnitin can accept files in the following formats: MS Word,
WordPerfect, PostScript, PDF, HTML, RTF, and plain text. Be
sure that you save your paper in one of these formats.
The beginning of your paper should include the following
information:
Your name
The date the assignment is due
Biology 101, and your section number
Your instructor’s name
Your paper title
NOTE: Your electronic submission should include all in-text
citations as well as your reference page.

12. HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR BIOLOGY 101 PAPER TO
TITANium’s TURNITIN APP. 1. Go to the “Invasive Species
Research Paper” tab on TITANium.
2. Click on the link that says “Invasive Species TURNITIN
Assignment”
3. Click on the link at the top that says “Submit Paper”
4. Select which file type you will be using (either Text or File
Upload).
5. Add a name for your file, this can be as simple as Invasive
Species Paper
6. If you are uploading a file, click “choose file” and select
your file.
7. Click Add submission
8. YOU MUST click submit on your paper.
If you have problems, please email me.
DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO DO OR TURN
IN YOUR PAPER.
CONGRATULATIONS! YOU DID IT!
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