Aug 10 (Reuters) – Illinois is rebranding an invasive carp within the hopes of encouraging folks to eat it – and fixing a decades-old challenge that has been threatening the ecosystem of the U.S. state’s waterways.
“We have launched a brand new identify, ‘copi’, to assist folks devour this scrumptious fish and assist us do our work in maintaining them out of the waterways,” mentioned Kevin Irons, assistant chief of fisheries for the Illinois Division of Pure Sources (DNR).
Irons and the DNR need everybody to start out calling the considerable fish previously often known as Asian carp “copi.”
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“Names imply one thing,” mentioned Irons. “Again within the 70s, there was a fish known as ‘slimehead,’ under-utilized, however whenever you go to a restaurant and get orange ruffi, all people’s like, ‘oh, that is superior.’ So, a reputation means one thing and it is the identical fish,” mentioned Irons.
The state of Illinois even launched a brand new web site, choosecopi.com, the place info, dietary info and recipes for the fish are offered.
“Something you do with floor meat you are able to do with copi,” mentioned Dirk Fucik, proprietor of Dirk’s Fish and Gourmand Store in Chicago.
Fucik says he is been promoting the fish in his retailer since 2010. “So, burgers are hottest for us right here, however… we have accomplished sausage, tacos, all that type of stuff. All the things we have made folks like.”
Since 2004, over $600 million in state and federal funds have been fed into fixing the issue of the invasive carp.
Irons says Illinois additionally intends to ask the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration to formally change the identify and is planning to register “copi” as a trademark.
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Reporting by Eric Cox; Modifying by Diane Craft
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