Book dossier

Four fish

by Paul Greenberg

In the majority of cultures around earth, many have at least one species of fish that is a staple of their diet, or holds a religious, spiritual, or philosophical meaning. In the book, Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food by Paul Greenberg, the author supports an explanation as to why we, as humans, have such a love affair with not only fish but the open ocean. Mr. Greenberg, who is a devoted angler and also a fish conservationist, introduces the four fish that are eaten the most around the world. These are salmon, tuna, bass, and cod. He has a section covering each fish that includes, the history of the fish in relationship to human societal development, the various instances of domestication, the attempts at aquaculture, and also the state of the current wild populations for each. Mr. Greenberg then goes on to the political spectrum of the fish industries and highlights many of the problems that not just Americans face but all humans. Overfishing, depleting entire ecosystems, no fishing regulations or quotas, public demand for fish on the dinner table, and polluting fish farms are just a few of the topics he discusses. He has written articles for The New York Times Magazine, Book Review, and in the October 2010 issue of National Geographic, he wrote an article that is a base summary of this book. This text takes anyone interested on a ride around the world to see how the fishing industry really functions. Greenberg explains all the complexities and issues that arise even for a piece of fish to get to your dinner plate or your local supermarket. His conclusions call for more sustainable fish farming, wild fish quotas, re-directing of government subsidies to areas of actual need, and to all of us, a wake up call if we want fish to be available for the next several generations. Personally, this is one of the best non-fiction books that has come out this year, and I hope you get a chance to read it. Mr. Greenberg has an easily accessible writing style that pulls you into the text and makes you want to continue further reading into the subjects he relates.