New national name for Asian carp to be revealed

(WAND) - A new name will be revealed in June for Asian carp fish after concerns rose about possible racism.

A June 22 Zoom presentation with the new name will feature Chopped champion Brian Jupiter of Frontier, Ina Mae Tavern and 13-time James Beard Award-winning journalist Steve Dolinsky.

According to the Associated Press, racism concern has been mounting nationally. As anti-Asian hate crimes began to surge during the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service quietly made a change to calling the fish "invasive carp" in April.

"Asian carp is a mild-flavored, flaky fish caught in fresh Midwestern waterways," event officials said on the Eventbrite website. "What we need now is a name that is as appealing as the fish tastes, so more people will eat it, restore our waterways and protect the Great Lakes."

A live Q&A session will follow the presentation. To submit questions in advance, email melissa@mharris.com. Register here to receive Zoom access.