Copi, formerly known as Asian carp, is a hit at this Rockford restaurant

ROCKFORD — Copi, the invasive fish state wildlife officials are working aggressively to control, is a hit on the menu at a Rockford restaurant.

“They love it,” Emily Christensen, owner of The Norwegian, said of her customers and how they’ve taken to the fish formerly known as Asian carp that she started serving in June.

The Norwegian is one of 33 outlets in Illinois to sell copi for consumption. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has made it available to restaurants and retailers after rebranding it to address public misconceptions about the top-feeding fish, which is overrunning Midwest waterways. 

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Despite their reputation as a nuisance, copi are tasty, heart-healthy fish that are high in omega-3s and very low in mercury.

“It’s a great source of low-fat protein,” Christiansen said. “It’s not your typical pan-seared fish. We do it like you would a crab cake and make little fish cake out of it.”

The Norwegian is the only Rockford restaurant so far to serve copi.

Christensen said she wasn’t sure how her customers would take to ordering a kind of carp, which are generally considered a rough species in the United States. But after learning about the fish, she knew serving it would help her better operate an ecological and environmentally conscious establishment.

“For us, it felt like a good thing to do and a real logical decision,” Christensen said.

Imported from Asia in the 1960s, copi threaten lakes and rivers by reproducing rapidly and out-competing other species for food.

“Enjoying copi in a restaurant or at home is one of the easiest things people can do to help protect our waterways and Lake Michigan,” John Goss, former White House invasive carp adviser, said in a release.

Illinois has the largest continuous link between Lake Michigan and the copi-filled Mississippi River system, which is why Goss said the state's efforts are vital to keep invasive carp out of the Great Lakes.

Christensen agrees.

“It is something that is local and affordable,” she said. “We feel good about serving it as a nutritious fish, and it has the side bonus of being good for the ecology of waterways.”

The Norwegian is at 1402 N. Main Street. It is open 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday; and 5 to 9 p.m., Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

Jim Hagerty covers general news, schools, and courts. Contact him at  815-987-1345 orjhagerty@rrstar.com. Twitter: @jimhagerty Facebook: /hagertyjim