I know I should, but I just can’t yet
Tuesday, Jun 8, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I am in no way or fashion a picky eater, but I’ve seen Asian carp up close and personal and it’s gonna take more than a name change to get that vision outta my head. But, hey, if it works, more power to them. Here’s Paris Schutz…
At the end of this month, Illinoisans will no longer hear the words “Asian carp.” After several years and hundreds upon hundreds of millions spent trying to keep them from the Great Lakes, how can that possibly be?
And why does this news have environmentalists and the state’s commercial fishing industry swimming in, or leaping with optimism?
Dirk Fucik says he’s discovered seafood cuisine that could one day be more popular than tilapia: Asian carp.
“It’s healthier than tilapia. Tilapia is omega 6 instead of omega 3, so you get a lot less benefits of health from tilapia,” Fucik, the purveyor of the popular North Side seafood spot Dirk’s Fish and Gourmet Shop.
To prove his point, Fucik spent a recent Saturday afternoon grilling up some creative carp cuisine in the parking lot of his store, from carp Cuban burgers, to carp tacos, to regular old smoked carp. But despite the accoutrements, the Asian carp is not yet a bestseller.
The state is supposed to announce the new name in a few weeks. Any suggestions?
- Nick - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 2:02 am:
Why not “Mississippi Carp”
- TradedUpForMitch - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 6:35 am:
So did we land the, uh, the tuna
- Al - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 6:49 am:
Abraham Lincoln
- Pacman - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 6:54 am:
Illegal Alien Carp or Flying Carp
- Pius - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 7:02 am:
Krap Karp
- South Suburban Observer - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 7:04 am:
Fishy McFish
- Bruce( no not him) - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 7:29 am:
China vir… uh I mean fish.
- Tommydanger - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 7:33 am:
New Carp
- Captain Obvious - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 7:37 am:
I thought they already renamed them Silverfins. Did I imagine that?
- TheInvisibleMan - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 7:43 am:
Well, they are bottom feeders and have the potential to cause significant economic damage if not stopped. Plus nobody wants them at dinner.
So… eastern bloc republicans?
- fs - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 7:43 am:
Lake Rats
- Keyrock - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 7:44 am:
Illinois Lobsters.
- Give Us Barabbas - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 7:52 am:
Yeah, this fish was already re+ branded as “Silverfin” back in the Rauner administration.
Had a buddy who just loved carp sandwiches, back in the day. Like catfish, which people love, it’s all in how you de bone and prepare it.
That Biden infrastructure money should send some funds into a better carp barrier on the Illinois river.
- Skeptic - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 7:53 am:
Pracnaisa
- EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 7:58 am:
Carpe de Forgottonia (since they were/are common along the Illinois River in the Havana and Bath areas).
==Well, they are bottom feeders and have the potential to cause significant economic damage if not stopped. Plus nobody wants them at dinner.
So… eastern bloc republicans?==
Sorry, Havana and the carp-filled area of the Illinois River is more like Western Bloc.
- former southerner - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 7:58 am:
carpe asiatique, now instead of river trash it is a French delicacy.
- We'll See - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 8:05 am:
Carpe Dujour
- Commisar Gritty - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 8:08 am:
Had to google image search for this answer but it jumped out at me immediately.
Loweye. Evokes the Sockeye salmon which people love to eat and their eyes are on the bottom thirds of their face which is just bizarre.
- Can - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 8:21 am:
I took a page out of Former Southerner’s book from 7:58 am. Let’s call it Argent, which is French for silver. People might order a fried argent sandwich, or argent tacos or smoked argent. I could see that being on a menu.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 8:21 am:
Fishious delicious.
- EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 8:25 am:
==Let’s call it Argent, which is French for silver. People might order a fried argent sandwich, or argent tacos or smoked argent. I could see that being on a menu.==
Will argent be added to the Long John Silver’s menu? (Even if as a “limited time only” item).
- DuPage Saint - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 8:28 am:
Chicken
- Can - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 8:30 am:
@Essential, I think that’s a splendid idea (banned punctuation).
- Skeptic - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 8:30 am:
“Let’s call it Argent,” Seems like that’d be a good band name. Oh, wait…
- JoanP - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 8:34 am:
@ Captain Obvious -
No, you did not imagine that: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/if-you-cant-beat-em-eat-em-university-of-illinois-serves-invasive-asian-carp-for-dinner
- Shield - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 8:37 am:
Bruce Rauner
- Not a Superstar - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 8:42 am:
I can’t decide between “SpinCarp” and “RemainCarp”
- Give Us Barabbas - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 9:00 am:
It was already re branded back in Rauner’s term as “Silverfin”. Conservation did a bunch of marketing of it. There was a program to harvest it for institutional food programming.
How about we spend some Biden Bucks on better carp barriers on my rivers, before they ruin Lake Michigan?
Oh, I forgot; it might inconvenience the barge companies. So, never mind, let it all go to heck….
- OneMan - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 9:01 am:
Southern Bass
or
Blagoafish
- truthteller - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 9:03 am:
its all about marketing and eliminating the term of “carp” as most of white america would thumb their noses at it based on the name and not the taste
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 9:03 am:
McPhish Philet?
Bone Phish?
These fish are so desperate to be your dinner that they jump right into the boat.
Wouldn’t eat it on a dare.
- Levois J - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 9:04 am:
Gourmet Carp
- ChicagoVinny - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 9:12 am:
Wild-Caught Organic Mercury Free Lake Cod
- twowaystreet - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 9:19 am:
Take a page out of the Chilean Sea Bass book and call it Peruvian Bass.
- Rudy’s teeth - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 9:31 am:
McMadigan filets
- Moved East - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 9:38 am:
Fishtzker
- South Side Lawyer - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 9:45 am:
I second “Argent” but alternatively:
Escarpgot - because it sounds gross but tastes good
- Blue Dog - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 9:46 am:
Seriously. If you’ve ever tried boneless fried silverfish you’ll know what I mean. Very good.
- Amalia - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 9:47 am:
whatever they call them, calling them carp now totally mischaracterizes the fish….they are NOT bottom feeders. they are top feeders so this fish feeds clean. Prairie Fish.
- Blue Dog - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 9:47 am:
It’s also great bait for trapping yotes or raccoon.
- Rutger Hauer - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 9:50 am:
Silver Fin
- Back to the Future - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 9:54 am:
Going with Can’s suggestion “Argent”.
Thinking a good marketing slogan for “Argents”:
If you can’t
Beat-’em
Eat-‘em.
- Terry Salad - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 9:58 am:
Many fish farms that raise salmon and other highly desirable fish must feed those fish. They use a fish meal often obtained from bait species like menhaden, that other wild ocean fish depend on. Why not harvest Asian Carp for processing into fish meal for commercial fish-farming feed? Surely there is someprofit in that.
- May soon be required - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 9:59 am:
Carp Adiem
- We've never had one before - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 10:00 am:
I am reminded of two things:
1. Louisiana trying to make a big thing of Nutria, even as far as getting Paul Prudhomme to develop recipes for it. I don’t think that effort included a new name for the giant rat.
30 years later, that effort survives in two vectors: Russians are crazy for Nutria burgers, and they make a delicious dog treat.
2. I still call it Sears Tower, I don’t care what the name is this week.
- Glenn - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 10:12 am:
Asian carp are neither top feeders nor bottom feeders.
They are bottom of the food chain filter feeders, thus a threat to all native fish.
The same as “Bighead and silver carp are filter feeders, straining tiny plants (phytoplankton) and animals (zooplankton) out of the water. By eating plankton, the carp compete with native filter feeding fish, such as lake whitefish, as well as the young life stages of many fish species such as walleye and yellow perch.”
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/Asian_Carp-Fact_Sheet_398004_7.pdf
- low level - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 10:18 am:
What a bunch of carp…
- Anon 10:19 - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 10:19 am:
Dirk Fucik has a great shop. And he’s the brother of lobbyist Patrick Fucik, the popular lobbyist from T-Mobile (formerly Sprint).
- NIU Grad - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 10:21 am:
Just fry it up, call them “Lincoln Chips,” and hope for the best.
Rich: You gotta try some of these carp recipes. I haven’t tasted a bad one yet.
- Glenn - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 10:22 am:
How about carpe diem for “fish of the day” on the menu?
- NIU Grad - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 10:22 am:
“Prairie Fish”
Actually, I like this. Or, combining with someone else’s comment above: “Prairie Lobsters”
- Al - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 10:39 am:
Kaskaskian Harp Fish.
- Colin O'Scopy - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 10:40 am:
Squid Pro Quo
- PC Correct - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 10:54 am:
Asian Pacific World Crap
“Take a bite out of them before they take over the freshwater world”
- Teddy Salad - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 11:00 am:
Make America Fish Again Tuna
- Norseman - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 11:02 am:
The Trump Fish. Guaranteed to have at least 40% of the population eating it up.
- Teddy Salad - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 11:04 am:
New Chinese overlord mandated food source.
- vole - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 11:07 am:
Grand Ditch Foul
- Tear One - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 11:13 am:
Poisson Des Plaines
- A Jack - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 11:14 am:
You could rename it after former Governor Pat Quinn since it is always hanging around in places it doesn’t belong no matter how many times you tell it to go away.
- lake county democrat - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 11:18 am:
Carpy Mc-Carpface
- IllinoisBoi - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 11:24 am:
Soylent Silver.
- Bass Boat - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 11:30 am:
The Asian Carp might as well be the official state fish.
- @misterjayem - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 11:32 am:
Guaranteed Rate Fish
– MrJM
- DuPage - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 11:36 am:
Cat food
- AlfondoGonz - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 11:59 am:
Horse carp
- Roadrager - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 12:01 pm:
The James R. Thompson Sea Bass
- Jocko - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 12:08 pm:
Accardo (aka ‘Big Tuna’)
- meter reader - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 12:10 pm:
Rock Island Soul.
- ArchPundit - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 1:00 pm:
China Carp
Worked for covid, right?
- ArchPundit - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 1:02 pm:
Carp that if they develop opposable digits they will kill us all. Kinda long I know.
- anon2 - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 1:11 pm:
I vote for Eastern Bloc.
- Frank talks - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 1:51 pm:
The other white meat.
- Mana - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 1:54 pm:
How about Argent Loweye Carp or the High Jumping Carp
- Huh? - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 2:11 pm:
Any name that includes “carp” is a non-starter. As is any association with the Illinois River.
- Cheswick - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 2:16 pm:
Boat jumper
- Vote Quimby - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 2:23 pm:
Prairie Fish or with sponsorship Prairie Farms Fish
- Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 3:56 pm:
We Don’t Want No Carp Nobody Sent.
- Don't Worry, Be Happy - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 4:03 pm:
Dang, someone beat me to Trump Fish. So how about Trumper Jumper.
- Responsa - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 4:06 pm:
Unless it tastes likes Halibut or Cod I’m not eating it no matter what name they give it. I do think Quimby’s Prairie Fish has a nice ring to it, though.
- Rabid - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 5:04 pm:
Lake skippers
- Hyperbolic Chamber - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 5:34 pm:
Chillicothe sea bass
- PublicServant - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 7:46 pm:
Carpe Dems
- Excitable Boy - Tuesday, Jun 8, 21 @ 10:02 pm:
Beardstown Ladies