By Dave Dahl

Springfield – Just as Marion Morrison became John Wayne and Bernie Schwartz became Tony Curtis, Illinois’ most hated fish could be more appealing with a new name.

A deputy director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources says Asian carp is now Copi.

“We used a marketing team that is well versed in, specifically, food and restaurants,” said Natalie Phelps Finnie, adding there were hundreds of ideas. “And it all came down to this one name, Copi, that everyone – especially chefs – said, you know what, this is a great name and it pairs well with, like, Copi burgers and Copi tacos.”

The fish formerly known as Asian carp is notorious for muscling out other predators and diminishing, say, the bass and crappie population of the state’s inland waterways.

And much effort has been spent trying to keep the pesty fish out of Lake Michigan.

There is precedent in the marine world for a pleasant name to replace an ugly one; “orange roughy” used to be “slimehead.”

Restaurants, retailers, and recipes which go with Copi are available at a new web site, www.choosecopi.com.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]