Presentation short abstract

This paper examines the Asian carp's trajectory from the Yangtze and Amur rivers to Romania’s state socialist fisheries since 1958. We explore its transformation from a biological infrastructure and political economy project to "waste" species, highlighting the political and ecological dynamics.

Presentation long abstract

This paper analyzes the trajectory of the Asian carp, introduced to Romania in 1958 from the Amur and Yangtze rivers, through the lens of political ecology. Initially heralded as a cost-effective biological infrastructure designed to mitigate the proliferation of aquatic vegetation in fisheries, the Asian carp was viewed as a means to enhance the productivity of economically significant local species. During the socialist era, it became integral to the political economy (its adaptation was called a “revolutionary process”), serving as a source of affordable protein for the population in the 1970s and 1980s.

However, following the collapse of the socialist regime and the subsequent implementation of neoliberal policies within agro-food sectors, experts in fish farming were laid off, fisheries were privatized, and many were drained and repurposed for agriculture. The Asian carp "escaped" into the Danube River, marking its transition to an invasive species.

Through a combination of archival research and long-term ethnographic studies involving bureaucrats, fisheries experts, and local fishermen, this paper seeks to uncover the processes by which species are classified as invasive. We critically examine the socio-political mechanisms that contribute to the designation of a species as a "waste species," as well as the state practices and regulatory frameworks surrounding these classifications. By situating our findings within the broader context of political ecology in Eastern Europe, we aim to contribute to discussions on the dynamics of state fisheries management and the conceptualization of "waste species" in both socialist and postsocialist contexts.