What is amazing to me is that American are now eating Carp (cichlids).

Are carp cichlids? Perch and tilapia are, tilapia were a nuisance fish from the Nile before becoming a farm-raised food.

Tilapia was what I was talking about. Was not aware Perch was.

Carp are part of the Cyprinidae family, with goldfish and minnows.
-Tends to be viewed more as a trash fish in North America as many species are invasive, difficult to catch on a line, and a pain to clean due to many small bones in the fillet.

Tilapia ARE from the Cichlid family, along with freshwater angelfish, oscars and the like.
-Cheap to feed, tolerant of crappy water, prolific as all hell, and has mild easily processed meat that sells well on any market.

Perch are part of the Percidae family, along with Walleye and ruffe.
-Going with Yellow perch here, but it's a small North American game fish.

I had fresh caught wild tilapia at a restaurant on Lake Tana (source of the Blue Nile) and it was amazing.

Carp is a lot of trouble to prepare, because of the many bones, and so not worth it.

As usual, How to Succeed in Business: Grease the Palms of Congress

It was only a trash fish because people in N. America were unfamiliar with it. Nothing wrong with it, and as noted the taste and texture isn't too far from cod.

Bundrant's colonization was aided of course by the fact that Americans don't ever actually see the fish they eat. It's just a ground up white filling inside a frozen fish finger.

Around here it is called "walleye" (never knew how they got away with it) and some place still serve it all you can eat as a special.

I was about to write "I didn't know that!" but on a hunch I checked and you are mistaken. Walleye is a freshwater fish, unrelated to Pollock which is a marine species.

Similar size and shape though. :/

I know but it doesn't stop people from putting pollock on the menu as walleye...everybody knows it is pollock but they call it walleye.

I guess if customers can't tell the difference but insist on it anyway it's all you can do.

The only thing I find about pollock is the grey color of the cooked fish is a bit off-putting. Tastes fine though, or would if it was reasonably fresh.