The Asian carp was given a new name because the old name was considered elemental. The New York Post reported that this change was initiated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service to avoid the use of terms that have negative associations with Asian culture and people.
Critics of the move believe it may pose problems so far.
In April, the US Fish and Wildlife Service renamed “Asian carp,” a freshwater fish that has wreaked havoc in the Midwest, to “invasive carp.” “We wanted to walk away from any word that casts a negative light on Asian culture and people,” said Charlie Woolley, director of the AP’s regional office in the Great Lakes region.
Minnesota has long since stopped using the term “Asian carp,” which refers to four different species, and a group called the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee plans to do the same starting August 2.
The news of the name change sparked a prank reaction on social media, the New York Post reports. “Black coffee comes next,” and then “Chinese food, Mexican food, white lies, brown sugar, and so on.” – One Twitter user wrote.
Many surfers pointed out that the name “Asian carp” refers to the fact that the fish was brought to the United States from China to preserve ponds before it spread into rivers.
Another invasive species – the gypsy moth – was recently renamed by the American Entomological Association as some gypsies consider its name a racial insult. Gypsy butterfly caterpillars have taken over northern New York this year, leaving leafless forests and surrounding yards in caterpillar droppings.
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