A lot has been tried in the effort to eradicate the infamous Asian Carp, but it seems that at least one state has begun to shift away from its barriers and nets and towards forks and knives as a potential solution to this dangerous invader.

As many are aware, Asian Carp are an extremely invasive species that have been posing major threats to their new ecosystems ever since their introduction in the 1970s. These Asian species of Carp include the Bighead Carp, Black Carp, Silver Carp, and Grass Carp.

The carp were first introduced to the United States to help control weeds and parasites in aquatic farms, however, they quickly spread into the Mississippi River and established breeding populations. Since their spread into the Mississippi, these fish have spread north and are now being spotted in the Great Lakes, establishing breeding populations in Lake Erie and Ontario due to flooding, human activity, and their ability to jump over man-made structures.

While larger barriers, nets, and other eradication tools have been the primary solution thus far, Illinois is suggesting that promoting these fish as food could be a better answer, starting first with a much-needed PR campaign in the form of “a new name for Asian Carp” event later this month.

According to the event page, the goal of the event is to give the Asian Carp a more appealing name that will make people more inclined to eat it, stating that the “Asian carp is a mild-flavoured, flaky fish caught in fresh Midwestern waterways. 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”

To help gain support for the idea of eating away our Asian Carp problem, Chopped champion Brian Jupiter will be hosting the digital event on June 22nd.

What name would these fish have to adopt in order for you to eat one? Let us know in the comments below!