Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
The Penguin Press (2010), Edition: First Edition, Hardcover, 284 pages
Description
"Award-winning writer and lifelong fisherman Paul Greenberg takes us on a culinary journey, exploring the history of the fish that dominate our menus -- salmon, sea bass, cod, and tuna -- and investigating where each stands at this critical moment in time." -- Dust jacket.
Media reviews
In Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food, environmental journalist Paul Greenberg examines the historic, current, and future impact of our insatiable desire for salmon, sea bass, cod, and tuna. He chronicles the overfishing of these species to the point of scarcity and the unintended
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consequences that fish farming has on the environment and genetic diversity. Greenberg is ultimately hopeful, though, and charts a course for more sustainable fish farming that looks to preserve the planet’s dwindling stock of wild fish. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member Stbalbach
Four Fish is a pretty good narrative non-fiction book about four fish in four chapters. It is written in a magazine article style with a mix of anecdote, personal story, human interest story, scientific factoids, history, etc..
The question Greenberg is most often asked is "What fish should I eat?"
Greenberg is a "seafood writer" (journalist) and this is his first book, previously he has written for magazines. His pedigree is a New England sports fisherman. The book is not "helicopter journalism" (writing outside field of expertise), it's not "green journalism" (although he does call it a "fish in trouble book"). Greenberg personally, and for enjoyment, spends time on party boats, gets up at 3am for Canyon tuna runs, while spewing his guts out in 5 foot seas and reeling in a barrel sized tuna. He doesn't make a big deal of it, but anyone whose done these things themselves will appreciate Greenberg's perspective as a sports fisherman. He believes small scale fisherman make better stewards of fish stock than large scale factory ships.
I'd recommend the book to anyone who fishes, in particular the northeast since that is where some of the anecdotal stories are set - but Greenberg also travels to Vietnam, Norway, Alaska. If you've ever asked what fish to eat, this is a deeper and more nuanced answer that should also provide plenty of table talk. Finally it's just a breezy and enjoyable way to learn more about the current status of "fish in trouble", what's being done, and what to expect in the future. I came away cautiously optimistic.
The question Greenberg is most often asked is "What fish should I eat?"
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and he shows how difficult that question is, but also provides guidance. For example we all know wild salmon is better than farmed, but is that still true in 2010? Greenberg has some surprising answers. It is strongest talking about the future of fish (which is the subtitle) and I learned a lot about fish farming, omega-3's, fish food, etc.. The book is not limited to just four fish as Greenberg looks at a lot of substitute fish such as Tilapia. Greenberg seems to briefly touch on and update lots of common perceived wisdom about fish with the latest developments. For example the status of the Cod grounds off New England which have been closed since the collapse in the early 1990s.Greenberg is a "seafood writer" (journalist) and this is his first book, previously he has written for magazines. His pedigree is a New England sports fisherman. The book is not "helicopter journalism" (writing outside field of expertise), it's not "green journalism" (although he does call it a "fish in trouble book"). Greenberg personally, and for enjoyment, spends time on party boats, gets up at 3am for Canyon tuna runs, while spewing his guts out in 5 foot seas and reeling in a barrel sized tuna. He doesn't make a big deal of it, but anyone whose done these things themselves will appreciate Greenberg's perspective as a sports fisherman. He believes small scale fisherman make better stewards of fish stock than large scale factory ships.
I'd recommend the book to anyone who fishes, in particular the northeast since that is where some of the anecdotal stories are set - but Greenberg also travels to Vietnam, Norway, Alaska. If you've ever asked what fish to eat, this is a deeper and more nuanced answer that should also provide plenty of table talk. Finally it's just a breezy and enjoyable way to learn more about the current status of "fish in trouble", what's being done, and what to expect in the future. I came away cautiously optimistic.
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LibraryThing member BillPilgrim
This book convinced me to stop eating fish. I was already pescavegetarian. Although that is not the books point of view.
LibraryThing member Niecierpek
The book seems to be a fairly balanced report that concentrates on the state and future of the four fish: salmon, sea bass, cod and tuna. Why these ones, and why four? Well, there are apparently four mammals that humanity chose to domesticate: cows, sheep, goats and pigs, and four birds: chickens,
It’s a very nicely written book, with quite a bit of history. Just a bit of criticism: Greenberg complains that people don’t even know what the fish they eat look like, and yes, this is mostly true in my case. I may know salmon, herring, carp, but do I know what pollock or tuna look like? Or, how the yellow fin is different from the blue fin tuna? No idea, so he is evidently right, yet he doesn’t include any pictures in his book.
I would also like to see fish farms work, yet so far have big reservations. I see multiple problems to what the things are like with the farmed fish right now. For one, salmon farms pollute the waters and spread sea lice. They give the sea lice to the wild fish, causing them to weaken and die. Farmed salmon suffer from a host of diseases- I am even wondering what's the condition of the fish we eat. Farmed salmon also escape and may breed with the wild salmon, and who knows to what detrimental effect. Besides, one of the ways to get rid of the high levels of PCB and mercury is to feed salmon a vegetarian feed. Some fish farmers have started doing that. The feed consists mainly of corn and flax seeds from what I understood. I am wondering how it's going to change the taste of the fish flesh, and the nutrients it offers, not to mention how it's going to affect people like me, those who have lots of allergies.
Then we have all the panga fish (sea bass) bred in Vietnam. Yes, it's very cheap and tasty, but who knows what chemicals lurk in its flesh. Regulators say illegal antibiotics have been found in many of them. Not that pork or chicken are in any better, though.
I was at Costco today, and I must say I was thoroughly disgusted to sea yellow fin tuna steaks to buy. I am pretty sure Costco wasn't doing anything illegal, but they shouldn't be promoting endangered species consumption in any way in my opinion.
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geese, ducks and turkeys, so following that pattern and Michael Pollan’s idea of ‘a natural history of four meals’, Greenberg is looking at four fish we eat most often. He looks at the state of their stocks around the world and their domestication and preservation efforts. His account seems to be well balanced- he is neither an activist preaching doom and gloom, nor is he a fishing industry enthusiast. The fact that he is a passionate, yet compassionate, fisherman himself, adds a nice personal touch to his narration. Which doesn't mean that he is optimistic about what he sees and investigates. He is rather pessimistic about the wild fish chances of survival unless we decide to see and treat them as wildlife and not as food. He advocates getting away from eating wild endangered species, developing sustainable fish farming practices and establishing global no-catch zones. Global being the operative word here. It’s a very nicely written book, with quite a bit of history. Just a bit of criticism: Greenberg complains that people don’t even know what the fish they eat look like, and yes, this is mostly true in my case. I may know salmon, herring, carp, but do I know what pollock or tuna look like? Or, how the yellow fin is different from the blue fin tuna? No idea, so he is evidently right, yet he doesn’t include any pictures in his book.
I would also like to see fish farms work, yet so far have big reservations. I see multiple problems to what the things are like with the farmed fish right now. For one, salmon farms pollute the waters and spread sea lice. They give the sea lice to the wild fish, causing them to weaken and die. Farmed salmon suffer from a host of diseases- I am even wondering what's the condition of the fish we eat. Farmed salmon also escape and may breed with the wild salmon, and who knows to what detrimental effect. Besides, one of the ways to get rid of the high levels of PCB and mercury is to feed salmon a vegetarian feed. Some fish farmers have started doing that. The feed consists mainly of corn and flax seeds from what I understood. I am wondering how it's going to change the taste of the fish flesh, and the nutrients it offers, not to mention how it's going to affect people like me, those who have lots of allergies.
Then we have all the panga fish (sea bass) bred in Vietnam. Yes, it's very cheap and tasty, but who knows what chemicals lurk in its flesh. Regulators say illegal antibiotics have been found in many of them. Not that pork or chicken are in any better, though.
I was at Costco today, and I must say I was thoroughly disgusted to sea yellow fin tuna steaks to buy. I am pretty sure Costco wasn't doing anything illegal, but they shouldn't be promoting endangered species consumption in any way in my opinion.
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LibraryThing member readwritethink2
Wonderful survey of the bass, salmon and two others from a fisherman who cares deeply about the future of wild, 'true' fish. One learns how different white fish have been labeled as other types of fish over time and where they originally bred. The impact of our eating habits as well as fish farming
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are dealt with in an efficient, caring but not overblown way. This book goes way beyond just compiling a list of what fish are 'good' ones to buy or order in a restaurant. Well written and researched. Show Less
LibraryThing member Opinionated
A very interesting book, and very revealing to someone like me who knows little about fishing or aquaculture. Although I agree with an earlier reviewer that the last chapter, on tuna, isn't as good as the ones on Salmon, Bass and Cod, none the less its compelling. I can't help thinking this would
Greenberg's position as an angler, and clear enjoyment of eating wild fish ensures that its a very human book - there is no moral high ground, or environmental holier than thou ism here.
And perhaps a will think a little harder about the fish I eat, although as Greenberg points out, without a policy goal at the end of it, its a fairly self indulgent decision. Recommended
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form the basis of an excellent 4 part documentary Greenberg's position as an angler, and clear enjoyment of eating wild fish ensures that its a very human book - there is no moral high ground, or environmental holier than thou ism here.
And perhaps a will think a little harder about the fish I eat, although as Greenberg points out, without a policy goal at the end of it, its a fairly self indulgent decision. Recommended
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LibraryThing member Popup-ch
Like most people I was expecting something along the lines of Kurlanskys Cod, but this book is at the same time less focused on any single fish, and more focused on the interplay between humans and fish.
The underlying question is 'What fish should we eat?', but as any good book he asks more
He looks at four fish that over the last couple of decades have dominated the seafood counters (Salmon, Sea-bass, Cod and Tuna). He looks at these individually and asks the question 'Is this resource utilized in a sustainable way'. The answers aren't always simple and for Salmon for example he shows that current fish-farming practises aren't necessarily very good, but that we can't keep harvesting these diminishing resources forever.
He looks at an attempt to farm cod, which was apparently even worse. And the current attempts at herding Tuna are comparatively disastrous, as they rely on catching young fish and fatten them in captivity.
The answer might be to move to some other species, such as 'Pangasius' (a fresh-water fish farmed in Thailand) to replace cod or 'Almaco Jack' to replace Tuna. These species demand much less feed and reproduce freely in captivity.
One question that remains unanswered is where we take the fish-meal that's used as feed in pisciculture. My guess is that most of it comes from large commercial operations harvesting herring and other small fish, and I would have appreciated a chapter on 'Herring'.
The underlying question is 'What fish should we eat?', but as any good book he asks more
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questions than he answers.He looks at four fish that over the last couple of decades have dominated the seafood counters (Salmon, Sea-bass, Cod and Tuna). He looks at these individually and asks the question 'Is this resource utilized in a sustainable way'. The answers aren't always simple and for Salmon for example he shows that current fish-farming practises aren't necessarily very good, but that we can't keep harvesting these diminishing resources forever.
He looks at an attempt to farm cod, which was apparently even worse. And the current attempts at herding Tuna are comparatively disastrous, as they rely on catching young fish and fatten them in captivity.
The answer might be to move to some other species, such as 'Pangasius' (a fresh-water fish farmed in Thailand) to replace cod or 'Almaco Jack' to replace Tuna. These species demand much less feed and reproduce freely in captivity.
One question that remains unanswered is where we take the fish-meal that's used as feed in pisciculture. My guess is that most of it comes from large commercial operations harvesting herring and other small fish, and I would have appreciated a chapter on 'Herring'.
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LibraryThing member brigitte64
Nice read, but important issues are not addressed. You learn a lot about the different kind of fish but for example I missed the genetic manipulated salmon. It was published 2011 so the problem was already there when Paul Greenberg wrote this book.
LibraryThing member St.CroixSue
An amazing book about our relationship with fish and their habitat and where we stand at this critical moment in time. The focus is on the history of four fish that humans have relied on and/or attempted to domesticate; salmon, bass, tuna, and cod. This book provides insight into our relationship
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with nature and what needs to be done to create healthy and sustainable seafood for the future of our planet, while preserving this last wild natural resource. Show Less
LibraryThing member kenno82
What on the surface appeared to be a science-based review of four key fishing industries, turned out to be a more personal tale of the author's connection to the ocean and the wildlife that inhabits it. The book is well researched and does not over simplify the issues. The author wins my respect
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for his honesty and willingness to put forward ideas to achieve sustainable fishing practices in our oceans and rivers. Show Less
LibraryThing member satyridae
Revisited this on audio, and I still liked it very much. I only wish that something had changed in the two years since I first read this. It's a book that makes me sad and mad- why are humans incapable of learning anything when it comes to conservation? Why must we always eat the proverbial seed
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corn? I hate my own species sometimes. Show Less
LibraryThing member satyridae
Clear-eyed reporting on the state of the fisheries (pre-BP-spill). Greenberg is a long-time fisherman, passionate about fish and well-informed as to their history and future. Such as it is for species such as the bluefin tuna. I learned so much about fish farming in this book that I forgive
Highly recommended if you are a wildlife fan or if you eat fish. The short answer is- there's little to nothing that can be achieved by end consumers boycotting individual species of fish- the paradigm has to change, as it did for whales. The examination of the lenses through which humans view fish was completely riveting.
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Greenberg for making me cry over the stupidity and cupidity of humanity.Highly recommended if you are a wildlife fan or if you eat fish. The short answer is- there's little to nothing that can be achieved by end consumers boycotting individual species of fish- the paradigm has to change, as it did for whales. The examination of the lenses through which humans view fish was completely riveting.
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LibraryThing member HadriantheBlind
Charming and informative book about humankind's relationship with its last wild food, and how to preserve it for future generations.
LibraryThing member jcbrunner
"Hypocrite", the author's own daughter calls him out for eating endangered fish species while pontificating in the New York Times to do the opposite. His hipocrisy does not end there: His main goal is to make fish available cheap and ubiquituous to Americans, to catch, to eat or to feed their
Just like climate change, overfishing is a solvable global problem, if, and only if the US is willing to play ball in a fair way. To solve the problem, rich nations essentially have to compensate poorer fishing nations not to fish and to provide those fishermen with other means of living (i.e. not piracy). Prohibition without control and compensation naturally doesn't work. Greenberg's own text shows, which he somehow only grudgingly accepts, the effectiveness of pressuring large fishing products corporations to do what is in their own best longterm interest. Thus, while the book gives an excellent introduction to the development and promise of aquaculture, it fails to address the overall ecological question and totally neglects the global angle of distributive justice. The solution is simple: People should eat mostly local, seasonal fish supplemented by ecologically sound aquaculture raised fish.
The four chapters that give the book its title are of highly unequal quality. The first two about salmon and bass are of high quality and tell interesting stories about the transformation from abundance to crisis to aquaculture. The next two chapter about cod and tuna suffer from the fact that Greenberg's preferred solution of aquaculture does not work economically for these two kind of fish. Greenberg also starts to drift from his chapter topic. The tuna chapter is all over the place, dealing mostly with swordfish and whales. Selecting two other sucessfully fishfarmed fish (such as trout) might have resulted in a more coherent book. The big boy would have to grow up and relinquishing the romantic dreams about catching fish. Thanks to modern technology, it is a slaughter not a sport, hence the overfishing. Overall, a readable if biased account of the promise of aquaculture.
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animals. The ecological madness of shipping fish by air from Alaska to New York or from Vietnam to California is of little concern to him. He carries the water for the big commercial fishing operations which are at the core of the problem but in Greenberg's blind spot. His villains are intransigent natives doing their subsistence fishing or those crazy foreigners unwilling to see and follow US directions. Apart from this huge bias, Greenberg's main weakness is his lack of understanding economics and the tragedy of the commons.Just like climate change, overfishing is a solvable global problem, if, and only if the US is willing to play ball in a fair way. To solve the problem, rich nations essentially have to compensate poorer fishing nations not to fish and to provide those fishermen with other means of living (i.e. not piracy). Prohibition without control and compensation naturally doesn't work. Greenberg's own text shows, which he somehow only grudgingly accepts, the effectiveness of pressuring large fishing products corporations to do what is in their own best longterm interest. Thus, while the book gives an excellent introduction to the development and promise of aquaculture, it fails to address the overall ecological question and totally neglects the global angle of distributive justice. The solution is simple: People should eat mostly local, seasonal fish supplemented by ecologically sound aquaculture raised fish.
The four chapters that give the book its title are of highly unequal quality. The first two about salmon and bass are of high quality and tell interesting stories about the transformation from abundance to crisis to aquaculture. The next two chapter about cod and tuna suffer from the fact that Greenberg's preferred solution of aquaculture does not work economically for these two kind of fish. Greenberg also starts to drift from his chapter topic. The tuna chapter is all over the place, dealing mostly with swordfish and whales. Selecting two other sucessfully fishfarmed fish (such as trout) might have resulted in a more coherent book. The big boy would have to grow up and relinquishing the romantic dreams about catching fish. Thanks to modern technology, it is a slaughter not a sport, hence the overfishing. Overall, a readable if biased account of the promise of aquaculture.
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LibraryThing member rmagahiz
The author makes a convincing case for some measures which must be taken to preserve the wild stocks and to promote responsible fish farming methods worldwide.
LibraryThing member MartinBodek
My opinion of this book can be encapsulated by an actual conversation I had on the train after putting the book away before disembarking:
Nice stranger lady: "Were you just reading the fish book by Greenberg?"
Me: "Why yes, I was."
NSL: "Isn't it an amazing book?"
Me: "You know, it really is. I'm
NSL: "I also enjoyed it very much."
Me: "Know what I find most interesting about it?"
NSL: "What's that?"
Me: "It's about the most boring topic in the world, yet I'm enthralled by all the detail."
NSL: "I know! Isn't that interesting! I thought the same thing! It's fish! Yet, this book is awesome!"
Me: "Indeed, oh, I'm going this way. Have a nice day."
NSL: "You too, thank you."
The book is mesmerizing in its exquisite detail. I generally love hearing experts speak, whether at book readings, conferences, lectures or via written media. Scarcely have I come across a person who could conceivably answer any question thrown at him in the field of his/her endeavors. Greenberg is an ace, who took a boyhood interest to the most wonderful, educational apex. As well, he has quality proposed solutions to the various consumerism crises as well. A marvelous literary achievement and a glorious, breathtaking read.
Nice stranger lady: "Were you just reading the fish book by Greenberg?"
Me: "Why yes, I was."
NSL: "Isn't it an amazing book?"
Me: "You know, it really is. I'm
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really enjoying it, it's very good."NSL: "I also enjoyed it very much."
Me: "Know what I find most interesting about it?"
NSL: "What's that?"
Me: "It's about the most boring topic in the world, yet I'm enthralled by all the detail."
NSL: "I know! Isn't that interesting! I thought the same thing! It's fish! Yet, this book is awesome!"
Me: "Indeed, oh, I'm going this way. Have a nice day."
NSL: "You too, thank you."
The book is mesmerizing in its exquisite detail. I generally love hearing experts speak, whether at book readings, conferences, lectures or via written media. Scarcely have I come across a person who could conceivably answer any question thrown at him in the field of his/her endeavors. Greenberg is an ace, who took a boyhood interest to the most wonderful, educational apex. As well, he has quality proposed solutions to the various consumerism crises as well. A marvelous literary achievement and a glorious, breathtaking read.
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LibraryThing member idiotgirl
A very interesting read. The history of four fish. Past life. Farming. Future. Salmon. Sea Bass. Cod. Tuna. Very informative. I definitely recommend. I'm one of those folks who try to eat "responsibly." He takes on the issue of how much this matters. Maybe not all that much. But I'll still keep
So I recommend both books. (Did 4 fish on my kindle.)
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this direction. I recently found a cookbook that maps to thinking about what is a reasonable approach to seafood. Living as I do in the Pugent Sound, lots of amazing seafood. This is a pressing and important issue to me. Here is a cookbook about seafood, framed by the same issues as "Four Fish." I definitely recommend this book too: For Cod and Country, Simple Delicious Sustainable Cooking by Barton Seaver. Also focuses on cooking with seasonal food. Both of these are issues that become increasingly important to me.So I recommend both books. (Did 4 fish on my kindle.)
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LibraryThing member lkarr
Extremely informative and readable.
LibraryThing member PaulRx04
Good and important
LibraryThing member bexaplex
I've now read 7ish popular books about fisheries management, and they're still interesting. Greenberg structures his book around four very popular edible fish, and provides some science, history and wild stock assessments for each of them.
This book differentiates itself in its wealth of information
Altogether a good addition to the fisheries management library, or as a stand-alone.
This book differentiates itself in its wealth of information
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about fish aquaculture: Greenberg describes the early work that went into understanding breeding hormones and selecting fish populations suited to aquaculture and brings several of the scientists and aquaculture pioneers to life on the page. He makes a compelling argument that we have chosen to farm fish that are very ill-suited to aquaculture, including salmon and tuna.Altogether a good addition to the fisheries management library, or as a stand-alone.
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LibraryThing member JRCornell
Traces the history of bass, cod, salmon, and tuna fishing while assessing the critical state of today's commercial fishing industry, citing the roles of over-fishing and fish farming while recommending specific protections.
LibraryThing member michigantrumpet
Through the lens of the salmon, bass, cod and tuna fisheries, a thoughtful examination of the effects of overfishing, ill-conceived policies, and domestic farming have had on our last great resource. The decline of Georges Bank and the Massachusetts’ fishing industry have convinced me of the
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severity of this issue. Highly recommended if you have concerns about the environment and our food stream. Show Less
LibraryThing member lschiff
Excellent book. I've learned so much, including that I have a lot more thinking aboit what to do as a fish eater right now when the power of consumption choices is so minimal.and we need powerful policy decisions.
Awards
James Beard Foundation Award (Winner — 2011)
J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize (Finalist — 2011)
The New York Times Notable Books of the Year (Nonfiction — 2010)
San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year (Nonfiction — 2010)
Language
Original publication date
2010
Physical description
284 p.; 9.22 inches
ISBN
1594202567 / 9781594202568
Local notes
GdZ; novel, narrative, autobiography