The common carp (Cyprinus carpio), also known as European carp, Eurasian carp, or simply carp, is a widespread freshwater fish of eutrophic waters in lakes and large rivers in Europe and Asia. The native wild populations are considered vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), but the species has also been domesticated and introduced (see aquaculture) into environments worldwide, and is often considered a destructive invasive species, being included in the list of the world's 100 worst invasive species. It gives its name to the carp family, Cyprinidae.
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In this Dossier
Common carp in the context of Gill
A gill (/ɡɪl/ ) is a specialized respiratory organ that many aquatic animals use for aquatic gas exchange, i.e. to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. Branchia (pl.: branchiae, from Ancient Greek βράγχια) is the zoologists' academic name for gills.
The gills of some semi-aquatic clades (e.g. crabs, terrestrial hermit crabs and amphibious fishes), have also adapted to allow air respiration (breathing) on land provided the gills are kept moist. In some terrestrial chelicerates species (tetrapulmonates such as spiders and scorpions), their ancestral gills have evolved into fully air-breathing book lungs. In some planktivorous bony fish species (e.g. silver and bighead carps), the gills are also used as a filter feeding organ via comb-like projections called gill rakers.
Common carp in the context of Carp
The term carp (pl.: carp) is a generic common name for numerous species of freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae, a very large clade of ray-finned fish mostly native to Eurasia. While carp are prized quarries and are valued (even commercially cultivated) as both food and ornamental fish in many parts of the Old World, they are considered trash fish and invasive pests in many parts of Africa, Australia and most of the United States.
Common carp in the context of Catch and release
Catch and release is a practice within recreational fishing where after capture the fish is unhooked and returned live to the water. Originally adopted in the United Kingdom by coarse fishermen to preserve fish populations, it has since become a widely used technique to permit people to fish recreationally while ensuring sustainability in the face of growing human populations, mounting ecological pressure, increasingly effective fishing tackle and techniques, inadequate fishing regulations and enforcement, and habitat degradation.
Between 18 and 20% of fish released die from injuries and stress, although the rate varies by species. Among those that survive, their injuries may significantly reduce their ability to feed and grow. During tournaments, inadequate holding and weighing procedures may further increase mortality. With deep sea fishing in particular, fish are typically unable to adjust their physiology to the sudden pressure change. Scientific and philosophical debates over whether fish feel pain in a way similar to humans are unresolved. In the 21st century, there is a greater emphasis on developing techniques which increase the likelihood that released fish will survive, such as using barbless hooks. Catch and release is banned in Switzerland and Germany, while Canada requires barbless hooks in some cases.