Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World

Kurlansky uses cod as a case study of the many ways that humans have detrimentally impacted the ecological systems around them without regard for the consequences. The text explores the historical development of cod fishing and the resulting capitalist free-for-fall it incited. In doing so, Kurlansky reveals the damaging impacts that humans have had on nature, arguing for the importance of recognizing our responsibilities in preserving the natural world. 

The human impact on nature is first revealed in the Prologue. The 1992 Canadian moratorium against groundfishing arises in direct response to the overfishing and depletion of groundfish, especially cod, in the waters around Newfoundland on the Grand Banks. To instill a feeling of tension and curiosity, the book begins with this end result of a “1,000-year fishing spree” (14) gone wrong, before jumping back in history to explain how that spree began and where the process led. Crucially, this human impact is primarily driven by the race to control natural resources and make money, on both an individual and societal level.

The shocking abundance of cod in the North Atlantic, particularly around Newfoundland and New England, directly inspired increasing popularity and demand, leading to the feverish craze of overfishing.