Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World

The cod fish, scientific name Gadus morhua, includes 10 families and over 200 species, and is part of a type of fish known as gadiforms or groundfish. Other kinds of gadiforms, often fished together or in similar waters, include the haddock, pollock, whiting, and hake. However, the cod is the most prized of these for commercial purposes. 

The cod itself includes several regional types such as the Atlantic, the South Atlantic, and the Pacific. The Atlantic, commonly referred to as the northern stock, is the type found in the waters around Newfoundland and New England. The cod is hardy, omnivorous, swims in shallow waters, and spawns in large numbers. It is prized for its flavorful, flaky white flesh and its high protein content. It is easy to dry and cure, making it durable for travel, and has high nutritional value.

A relatively new concept that gained popularity after World War II, exclusion zones are perimeters that extend from a country’s coastline into the waters that surround it, within which foreign access is either banned or strictly controlled. Several nations advocated for the concept, especially the United States and Iceland, as well as younger countries in South America and Africa who were interested in protecting their nationhood from their former colonizers.