26 Taking Stock
With its moist, white flesh, mild flavor, and absence of “fishy” taste,
it became my preferred seafood entree at restaurants. Aware that the
Earth’s oceans are overfished, I quizzed a few chefs and waiters about
its origin and sustainability. No need for concern, they told me, corvina
came from deep ocean waters in the southern hemisphere. Long
considered a trash fish, its supplies were plentiful. Because I always
ordered the fillet, I never saw the entire fish. Instead, I pictured lakes
back home with healthy bass populations, imagining, self-servingly, that
all was well.
A couple of years later, a colleague shared an article warning that
the fish was quickly disappearing. Corvina was really the Patagonian
toothfish, a species of cod. With its bulging oversized eyes, gray-
black skin, protruding jaw, and sharp teeth, this fish was big, ugly,
and menacing—not something chefs could easily dress up and display
on a platter with fresh garnish.^ For decades, commercial fisherman
and fish buyers had shown little interest in Patagonian toothfish, even
at rock-bottom prices. Its name, unattractive image, and deep ocean
habitat, which made fishing difficult, had protected the fish from
human exploitation.
This all changed when a US fish wholesaler in Chile made it his mis-
sion to build a system around it. He started by rebranding the fish as
“Chilean sea bass.” Targeting North American markets, a few featured
chefs discovered its taste, texture, and ease of preparation. Suddenly,
this ugly old fish morphed into a new image associated with fine din-
ing. Demand for Chilean sea bass shot up.
Large fishing trawlers outfitted with sophisticated electronics, on-
board processing equipment, and freezers recognized opportunity.
These ships could ply the frigid southern seas for months at a time,
putting out “longlines” containing thousands of individually baited
hooks that stretched fifteen miles and more. Catches of ten to twenty
tons a day were not uncommon.^ In a matter of years, ocean stocks fell
precipitously. The fishery was unsustainable.
Sometimes referred to as “white gold” for its premium price, the
fish became a magnet for illegal fishing, especially in remote southern
oceans where deepwater nets were used. Though countries established
limits on catch, they were ill-prepared for the onslaught of illegal fish-