What’s a Copi?

Video From “Managing Great Lakes Invaders” Series Highlights Copi

Recent headlines are bringing a renewed focus to bighead, silver, grass, and black carp. However, it’s not a headline about a new finding or a boater getting hit in the head by these fish jumping out of the water. Instead, there has been a change for the collective group name of bighead, silver, grass, and black carp. Previously called “Asian Carp” die to their prevalence in some Asian cuisines and cultures, the collection of these four fish are now called “copi”.

A new video series was developed by the Great Lakes Aquatic Nonindigenous Species Information System (GLANSIS) and Michigan Sea Grant. The video series paints the picture for how some invasive species reached the Great Lakes while highlighting management victories and ongoing research. One of the videos focuses on copi and does a tremendous job showcasing the story of these fish. The video even touches on innovative sampling methods including environmental DNA; a promising tool to look for target DNA in a water.

You can watch the Copi video below and be sure to check out the rest of the video series by visiting the playlist on Youtube.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/