Under The Microscope

COD -- A BIOGRAPHY OF THE FISH THAT CHANGED THE WORLD by Mark Kurlansky; Vintage, 1999; 294pp; $22.95

Reviewed by Robert Hickson

My personal, and dissatisfyingly occasional, experience with cod came from fishing. Now and then I managed to land one of these unattractive wee beasties with apparently more head than body, which proved to be very tasty.

This book by Mark Kurlansky on the history of the Atlantic cod is similarly deceptive. The subject may seem strange and unappetising but it is in fact a very digestible and delicious social history, which I highly recommend. In dealing with the rise and fall of the cod fishery over the last 1,000 years, Kurlansky shows that the sub-title of his book is not overly pretentious. The extent to which different societies were involved in this fishery is enthralling reading and the author presents it very well.

The Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) was a major economic trading factor for the Norse, Basques and Icelanders emerging from Danish colonialism, as well as the early pioneers of Newfoundland and New England, some of whom later went on to become the "Codfish Aristocracy". Dried and salted cod was an essential feature for many of the early explorative sailing expeditions (from the Vikings up to 19th-Century mariners), for the Royal Navy and West Indian slave plantations. Between the 16th and 18th Centuries, 60% of the fish consumed in western Europe was Atlantic cod, and it formed a large part of this century's British fish and chip industry.

One of the most surprising details is that governmental funding of global fisheries appears to exceed the income generated by the industry. The view that "nature will survive" remained strongly entrenched in fishing and political views right up into the late 20th Century. Some fishermen still remain optimistic for a return of the cod. Kurlansky uses the term "pathological collective denial", but maintains a balanced view about the benefits and costs of the fishery.

The book is enhanced by a diverse collection of black-and-white reproductions and cod miscellania, as well as a very interesting collection of recipes for virtually every bit of the cod. Some of these recipes made me want to get hold of a piece of cod straight away and try them out. Others were far less appetising but provided an extra dimension to understanding the social significance of the fish.

Given the subsequent destructive exploitation of other fish stocks in the post-cod years, it is too late for Cod to be a cautionary tale. Like other good books on social history it does provide food for thought when contemplating the benefits of current "economic imperatives".

Robert Hickson did his PhD in molecular evolution, concentrating on New Zealand skinks. He is currently at the Zoologisches Institut, Universitat der München.