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Common Carp is a common Christmas dish around Central Europe, but not around the rest of the world, including the UK. It is commonly bought alive, and only killed before actually preparing the dish (or in case of legal restrictions they are killed just before buying them in the shop)

Last Christmas I hoped I'll be able to find it somewhere, as there are a lot of Polish shops, and also because I read an article that in 2006 Sainsbury's did try to include it into their Christmas selections. Compared to this I only found an already dead iced one, after a lengthy search in major areas of London, and not because it was sold out, but because it was never on the menu.

Questions:

  • Is it really illegal (as stated in the article) to fish fresh carp for eating purposes? Are there any licences that would allow it, and if yes places where you can fish them?
  • If not, are there places where you can defintiely get fresh carp around Christmas? Needing to pre-order it fine, but they should be fresh.
SztupY
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    I hate carp..... – Karlson Mar 27 '14 at 18:49
  • Don't know about the UK but in the US you can order one from the supermarket. – Karlson Mar 27 '14 at 19:53
  • The article seems to say that you can fish freshwater carp, with a license. Your question seems to think the article says it's illegal. Am I missing something? – Flimzy Mar 27 '14 at 20:29
  • @Flimzy: afaik you can fish for recreational purposes, but you have to throw it back. Also the article is very old, regulations might have changed since – SztupY Mar 27 '14 at 20:37
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    The carp has protected status but an angler is allowed to kill two of the freshwater fish a day using a rod and line, and needs a £24 fishing licence -- Are you saying that you're permitted to kill the fish, but then not eat them? – Flimzy Mar 27 '14 at 20:46
  • Expat question, or life in the UK question? – Mark Mayo Mar 27 '14 at 23:58
  • Since it concerns the law, I think it is leaning towards Expat, with hints of life in the UK. – ouflak Mar 28 '14 at 08:29
  • Horrible tradition. And that fish doesn't even taste good. – vartec Mar 28 '14 at 11:54
  • @vartec And you do know any traditional Xmas dish that tastes good? Whatever I've had around the world or I've read about, it was the most disgusting thing I could ever imagine. (This includes the Czech tradition of a mushroom substance for lunch, and carp for dinner.) – yo' Mar 28 '14 at 16:24
  • @tohecz: I actually like the Polish xmas beatroot broth, and cabbage filled pierogi. And I do eat fish for xmas, but proper one, from sea, not something that lived in muddy water ;-) Anyway, as horrible I was referring to keeping these carps alive, in shop and at home, in both cases in terrible conditions. – vartec Mar 28 '14 at 17:32
  • @vartec tell me your favorite food, and I'll find someone who'd say it's horrible and tastes like mud :) –  Apr 14 '14 at 08:24
  • @Łukasz웃Lツ: good luck finding someone who considers angus beef tasting like mud ;-) – vartec Apr 14 '14 at 12:20
  • @vartec easy game. Some fanatic vegetarian ;) –  Apr 14 '14 at 12:33
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    From the 2006: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-418488/Carp-supermarket-menu-Polish-Chrismas.html – Karlson May 21 '14 at 01:17

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I am going to put a problem slightly on its head.

I can't find any supermarkets that advertise fresh carp except a reference in a Daily Mail article from 2006 but what I did find a fish farm that provides carp for stocking the ponds. From what I gather it's providing stock fish for angling clubs and various ponds but I am pretty sure you can discuss with them ordering fish for eating or if not find out who might be providing fish for food.

Karlson
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