Santa Cruz mourns one that didn't get away
Beloved campus koi stolen, possibly grilled

Two frat boys could face felony fish theft and cruelty charges for koi- napping a beloved jumbo goldfish from a pond at UC Santa Cruz -- and reportedly barbecuing and eating it.

On a campus renowned for vegetarian devotion and counterculture values, anger over the slaying of the gentle, 15-year-old giant gold carp named Goldie was further fueled by news that the confessed thieves were Delta Omega Chi members, an off-campus fraternity that is being taped by MTV network's "Fraternity Life" reality show.

"FRAT Bastards" screamed a headline atop Wednesday's edition of the alternative campus newspaper, Fish Rap Live! It bore a cartoon showing a fraternity kegger/barbecue at the campus koi pond with a frat brother biting into a wide-eyed koi as others are passed out or romping in the pool while a TV camera captures the mayhem.

The furor was inflamed by reports that the fish filchers used a stolen rake to whack Goldie and then scoop her from the pond during the early-morning raid on May 20.


'SENSE OF VIOLATION'
"I've heard from both students and staff a sense of violation," said David Evan Jones, provost at the university's Porter College, where Goldie was the celebrated big fish -- 18 inches -- in a small courtyard pond.

"It's more than a fish -- it's a pet," Jones said. "So students are reacting to the loss of an animal that they've grown to know and love that was taken away and killed."

The whiskered carp was a 1995 gift from David Swanger, an education and creative writing professor. Koi have an average life span of 25 to 35 years -- and some legendary Japanese specimens span two centuries, according to koi fanciers -- so the 15-year-old Goldie was cut down in her youth.

During her life, Goldie had survived raids by raccoons and had become a favorite among students who hand-fed her treats and among kids from the campus day-care center who visited regularly.

"Poor little fish was just swimming around minding his own business," fumed Deborah Munos, an attendant at the campus entrance kiosk. "It's absolutely ridiculous."

Several saddened and angry students were drawn to the peaceful pool where dozens of ornamental carp still glide.


'SWIM WITH THE ANGELS'
"Goldie, swim with the angels," someone wrote on a cardboard memorial bearing a color sketch of the 18-inch fish propped up on the triangular pond Wednesday afternoon. "F-- MTV!" scrawled a less diplomatic scribe.

"Why would they take a fish that's been here for years just to do something crazy," said Crystal Doyal, a senior psychology major. "I'm just so mad."

MTV quickly disavowed any role in the koi caper.

"MTV had no involvement in this incident," said network spokeswoman Eileen Quast. "We didn't shoot the incident and have no plans to include it in the story line." Filming of the local frat episode ends this week and will air later in the year.

This was not the first time shenanigans with wildlife have sparked controversy during filming of MTV's "Fraternity Life" show. A University of Buffalo frat currently on the show drew a district attorney's investigation in March after on-camera frat pledges broke into the local zoo and pondered aloud about stealing an animal as a mascot before leaving empty-handed, according to the Associated Press.


TWO MALE STUDENTS
UC Santa Cruz spokeswoman Elizabeth Irwin said a campus police investigation indicated that the two male students are the only ones on the hook for the incident -- with no involvement by their fraternity. The university isn't identifying the pair because no legal action has been taken, but police reports will be referred to the district attorney for possible prosecution. A student judiciary committee could also impose punishment ranging from a written reprimand to suspension or expulsion.

"Rumor has it that the fish was cooked and eaten," said Santa Cruz County District Attorney Bob Lee, who said he hasn't received the police paperwork and couldn't confirm details of the escapade. Speaking hypothetically, he said, because the fish was valued at more than $400 -- police estimated $750 -- the men could face charges of grand theft and animal cruelty.

At the gray-blue, three-story frat house overlooking the Santa Cruz boat harbor, a young man wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with "Need Sex" and using a walker answered the door Wednesday. A TV sound boom hovered overhead, but the frat brother said he couldn't speak with the press.


MTV CONTRACT
"We're under contract with MTV, so we can't talk about anything," he said. An MTV producer appeared from behind the house to confirm the restriction and also declined to comment.

Irwin said the two students came forward Tuesday, expressed remorse for the fish fatality and paid $650 to cover the cost of a replacement koi.

But fish fans want the pair deep-fried -- especially at Porter, home to UCSC arts programs and "arty" students who embrace an "alternative" philosophy, according to residents.

"Porter is anti-MTV and anti-frat generally," said a college resident who only identified himself as Eric. "Combine the two and then steal a fish -- of course people are going to be pissed off."

E-mail Alan Gathright at [email protected].

Quoted:
Does carp taste good?

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When's the last time MTV played something that resembled music?
Agreed with the first line of your post, but I still like anything which gets so many liberals all up in a tizzy.

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I refuse to eat the bony fish unless it's a life or death situation.  I tried to catch & release them before to no avail.  They didn't bite.

If you buy a jar of gelfite fish carp is one of the ingredients.  Let me know what's up.

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I think carp is popular in Asia. I also think they farm carp here in Arizona for export to Asian markets.

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I'm confused.

I know stealing is wrong.

But how can something that gets the libs so pissed be all bad.

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The secret to eating carp is to cut it into thumb-sized squares and make a stew out of it (carrots, potatoes, peas..ect.) If it came down to carp or death, i'd choose carp. In my younger days we would rent a row boat and cruise the shores of lakes during the carp mating season, they pratcially stick out of the water they get so close to shore, one good whack on the head with a 10 ft wooden oar and its all over. Ahhhh, how I miss the stank odor of carp and wild carrots boiling over an open fire.

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What if someone stole and ate YOUR DOG? Think that would be funny?

[url=www.eldon-koi.com/]Check out how much koi can be worth.[/url]

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People need to get a life, it was a damn [b]FISH[/b]! They act like they killed and bbq'd a person. Hell, 18 inch goldfish, we'ed ran a 4/0 hook through his back and tied him to a limb in the river. Big 'ol flatheads love goldfish.

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People need to get a life, it was a damn [b]FISH[/b]! They act like they killed and bbq'd a person. Hell, 18 inch goldfish, we'ed ran a 4/0 hook through his back and tied him to a limb in the river. Big 'ol flatheads love goldfish.

On a campus renowned for vegetarian devotion and counterculture values

Quoted:
Does carp taste good?

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How to cook a carp:

Take two pieces of plywood,
Place carp in between plywood,
Bake in oven for 2 hours at 400 degrees,
Remove from oven,
Remove carp from plywood,
Eat plywood.

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Normally I would deplore the theft of public property, but then it probably wasn't the fraternity guys' fault.
As it was said in the previous post, "...On a campus renowned for vegetarian devotion and counterculture values..." after a couple of semesters languishing under this environment, it would drive any normal person insane and compel them to steal and eat $1000 carp.  It's the hippies' fault.

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I refuse to eat the bony fish unless it's a life or death situation.  I tried to catch & release them before to no avail.  They didn't bite.

If you buy a jar of gelfite fish carp is one of the ingredients.  Let me know what's up.

Quoted:
People need to get a life, it was a damn [b]FISH[/b]! They act like they killed and bbq'd a person. Hell, 18 inch goldfish, we'ed ran a 4/0 hook through his back and tied him to a limb in the river. Big 'ol flatheads love goldfish.

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It's not just a fish.........I't's a very expensive fish. You don't use a  $ 400 Koi as catfish bait and $ 400 is very very cheap as Koi go.
Plus the point is they stole it ! It's going to be one expensive meal and lesson for these 2 college educated moron's....

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Jewish Carp is Sturgeon or White Fish, from the sea.  Sturgen also produces caviar eggs.  

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It's not just a fish.........I't's a very expensive fish. You don't use a  $ 400 Koi as catfish bait and $ 400 is very very cheap as Koi go.
Plus the point is they stole it ! It's going to be one expensive meal and lesson for these 2 college educated moron's....

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Gonna ruin these kids lives over a fucking fish!

The police will jack the $$ value up to get them the highest level of charges.