IT has been more than a decade in the making, but Glen and Tracy Hill are slowly, but surely, succeeding in making carp mainstream.
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The enigmatic and passionate South Australian couple, from Meningie, who operate Coorong Wild Seafood, recently received an Eat Easy award as Australia's best river producer.
The Eat Easy awards are scored on the impact on community, environment, food quality and service.
The Hills said while accolades were nice, educating the public about the fish's eating quality was most satisfying.
Despite being the most eaten fish in the world, carp has long had a reputation in Australia as a mud-sucking river dweller with an awful taste, and only useful as bait to catch other fish and seafood species.
The European carp was introduced more than 100 years ago into Australian waterways and has since established itself in troublesome numbers, contributing to environmental degradation, and the decimation of native fish populations.
The Hills say that using the fish for human consumption is one way to contribute to reducing their population. But, overcoming their tarnished reputation has been a major challenge.
The Hills, who specialise in Coorong Mullet and also run boat tours, began hauling for carp towards the end of the Millennium Drought, selling belly fillets and mince at local farmers markets.
"We could see the drought was going to be a big thing and someone needed to step up and start doing something with carp," Glen said.
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They paid a Vic fisherman to teach them how to haul carp and then won a contract to harvest locally.
It took a long time to find markets, and other hurdles like seals stood in the way, but eventually the Hills started to convince people to try it by making products like sausages.
"The mince acts very much like meat," Glen said.
Presently, they supply several restaurants who are assisting in changing the perception of carp as an eating fish.
Belly fillets are cooked or smoked, 'backstraps' are coated with a salt and pepper crumb, while mince is used for products like spring rolls, dumplings, tacos and san choy bao.
"I reckon when we first started, 25 per cent thought it was ok (to eat) and the other 75pc thought it was terrible and wouldn't even try it," Glen said. "I think that's turned around dramatically."
"People now know us as the carp people," Tracy said.
"When we do a tasting, we'll put a variety of fish dishes out and people rave about the salt and pepper fish.
"When we tell them it's carp, they say 'you're kidding'."
Having traversed the Coorong for 32 years, fishing is in Glen's blood, while Tracy has extensive sales, administration and marketing experience, making them a formidable duo.
As well as changing perceptions of carp, the Hills have also enjoyed changing perceptions of commercial fisherman.
They say being a fisherman is as close to being a hunter-gatherer as can be seen in modern society, and they take great care of their environment to ensure fish populations are sustained.
The Hills say there is massive opportunity in a developing a carp market, but workforce, machinery and logistical costs to produce larger volumes will make scaling up a challenge.
Glen presently fillets all carp by hand, a time consuming process when compared with other species.
Belly fillets and other offcuts are kept, while remains are utilised for bait.
VERSATILE FISH SOON TO BE A STAPLE: CHEF
A TOP chef says carp will be accepted as an eating fish in five years, as perceptions about the river fish are slowly changed by adventurous chefs and pioneering fish producers like Glen and Tracy Hill.
Co-director of the Tasting Australia festival, and co-owner and chef at the Salopian Inn at McLaren Vale, Karena Armstrong said her restaurant had been using carp fillets and mince for several years, making dishes such as dumplings and san choy bao.
"It's a really good texture and isn't overly fishy," she said.
"It's super versatile and great for adding other flavours into.
"We introduced it into the Tasting Australia product list that went out to chefs last festival.
"It was a big hit and people love it. It's just getting around that misconception that it's not a nice eating fish.
"When it's stressed it's not nice, but the way Glen and Tracy handle it, it's delicious."
Karena said fishing for and processing the fish required a strong skillset and knowledge, and the fish's reputation was slowly changing.
"In terms of changing people's perceptions, that's what chefs do," she said.
"Ten years ago, people freaked out that kangaroo was in supermarkets and now it's so normal.
"That will be carp in five years."
