Members of the cod family mature in two
to six years, and once provided about a third
the tonnage of the herring-family catch. Many
populations have been exhausted by intensive
fishing; but the northern Pacific pollock
fishery is still highly productive (it’s used
mostly in such prepared foods as surimi and
breaded or battered frozen fish). Some cod are
farmed in Norway in offshore pens.
Nile Perch and Tilapia
The mainly freshwater family of true perches
are fairly minor foodfish in both Europe and
North America. More prominent today are
several farmed relatives that provide
alternatives to scarce cod and flatfish fillets.
The Nile or Lake Victoria perch can grow to
300 lb/135 kg on a diet of other fish, and is
farmed in many regions of the world. The
herbivorous tilapia is also a widely farmed
native of Africa; it’s hardy and grows well at