Southern Illinois News

State Rep. Paul Jacobs (R-Pomona) used social media this week to highlight the progress of Senate Bill 1068, which would authorize the director of the Department of Natural Resources to sell property in Alexander County to Two Rivers Fisheries for the appraised value set by a certified general appraiser.

According to a YouTube post of the legislature, Jacobs noted the tract has been maintained by Illinois since it was put out of commission in 1948, and the legislation would save the state the cost of annual maintenance. Jacobs, who sponsored the bill in the House, detailed its progress in a post on Facebook. Known as the Tollhouse, the property is at the furthest northern boundary of Fort Defiance, he noted in the video.

“This was an initiative of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources,” Jacobs said in a video posted on Facebook this week. “We are working to enhance awareness of the use of Copi, formerly known as Asian Carp. Two Rivers Fisheries plans to open a plant to process Copi for the purpose of transporting the fish as food to locations around the world,”

According to the Illinois General Assembly website, the measure was introduced by State Sen. John F. Curran on Feb. 22, and made its way to the House on May 8. The bill had 12 Senate sponsors, according to the website.

The House approved the measure on May 19, and it takes effect immediately, according to the legislature’s website.

Billed as the nation’s largest Asian carp processor and exporter, Two Rivers Fisheries started business in 2012, and now operates processing facilities in Wickliffe and Eddyville, in Kentucky, according to its website, and it processes and exports all varieties of carp and other varieties of freshwater fish.

According to the company’s website, it produces silver carp, bighead carp, grass carp, common carp, buffalo and sheepshead for food products, and also produces bait products.