Hiding their red faces, scientists finally admitted that there is no such thing as a silver marlin. Instead, it is a blue marlin with distorted coloration. Now comes a committee of seven men at the University of Alberta in Canada who want the name of jewfish changed to goliath grouper. They believe the name jewfish is offensive to some Jews. This news comes by way of a May story in The Miami Her ald .
Scientists give fish their scientific names.
In the case of jewfish, the scientific name is Epinephelus itajara. No one seems to know the origin of the name jewfish. One researcher was able to trace its roots to 1697, in writings by an Englishman named William Dampier. Most jewfish in coastal U.S. are found in Florida waters. They are the largest of the groupers, growing to 500 pounds or more.