A Biography of the Fish that changed the World

By Madeline McNamara

About CodOmnivore10 families, over 200 speciesLives 20-30 years (at it’s peak)When dried, cod is 80% proteinIs the only reason Europe could explore AmericaBuilt many societies

BeginningBasques

• 1st to salt cod• Secret to cod

Salt• Keeps cod fresh• Makes travel possible

Catholics• Fasting days• Salt Cod Days

ObsessionExploring

• North America

• 6ft, 211lb cod and 6ft lobsters

• Exploring and charting

Newfoundland• Found great amounts of

Cod• 1508- 10% of all fish sold

in Portuguese ports were cod

Europe1550- 60% of all fish eaten in Europe was codCod advanced European explorationLooking for new routes to Asia

Bartholomew Gosnold• Discovered sassafras• Cape Cod

John Smith New England One of the first maps

New England18th century- New

England had international commercial power

Worshipped CodTradeCaribbeanDependant on Cod

AdvancementsSchooner

• Bigger and faster boat

Trawling• Longlining • Net that hangs off boat

Cod WarsIceland vs. Britain

1st Cod War - 1958• Iceland extends territory• England objects• 2 ½ years• Iceland keeps territory

• 2nd Cod War – 1968• Iceland extends territory

again• England objects again• Trawl wire cutter• Iceland keeps territory

3rd Cod War – 1975• Iceland extends territory

again• England still objects• Iceland keeps territory and

all of Europe gets the same territory

• All countries start claiming waters and continental shelves

• 90% of the world’s fishing grounds closed due to territorial claims

Overfishing1994- cod was commercially extinctmigratory patterns changedReaching sexual maturity earlier60% of fish types tracked by the

FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) are categorized as fully exploited, over exploited, or depleted

70% of British waters are being overfished

In 1994 the cod stock was 40% of what it had been in 1990

Societies collapsedFishermen in need of new jobs

“ “There is nothing There is nothing else here. If they else here. If they don’t catch fish don’t catch fish they will have no they will have no work. But if they work. But if they keep catching keep catching enough to earn a enough to earn a living the fish will living the fish will disappear.”disappear.”

-Mike Townsend