Hooked: Pirates, Poaching, and the Perfect Fish

by G. Bruce Knecht

This modern pirate yarn has all the makings of a great true adventure tale and explores the ways our culinary tastes have all manner of unintended consequences for the world around us. Hooked tells the story of the poaching of the Patagonian toothfish (known to Americans as "Chilean Sea Bass") and is built around the pursuit of the illegal fishing vessel Viarsa by an Australian patrol boat, Southern Supporter, in one of the longest pursuits in maritime history.

Author G. Bruce Knecht chronicles how an obscure fish merchant in California "discovered" and renamed the fish, kicking off a worldwide craze for a fish no one had ever heard of and everyone had to have. With demand exploding, pirates were only too happy to satisfy our taste for Chilean Sea Bass. From the world's most treacherous waters to its most fabulous kitchens, Hooked is at once a thrilling tale and a revelatory popular history that will appeal to a diverse group of readers. Think The Hungry Ocean meets Kitchen Confidential.

Genres: Nonfiction, Food, Environment, Ecology, Animals, Science, Adventure

288 pages, Paperback

First published May 2, 2006

About the author

G. Bruce Knecht is a former senior writer and foreign correspondent for The Wall Street Journal. Author of GRAND AMBITION: An Extraordinary Yacht, the People Who Built It, and the Millionaire Who Can't Really Afford It; THE PROVING GROUND: The Inside Story of the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Race; and HOOKED: Pirates, Poaching and the Perfect Fish, he has also written for The Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times Magazine, Smithsonian and Conde Nast Traveler. An avid sailor, Knecht raced across the Atlantic in 2005 on the yacht that broke the 100-year-old transatlantic race record. He lives in New York City.

Reviews

[Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

The subtitle contains what I consider very promising ingredients for lively but serious nonfiction: Pirates, Poaching, and the Perfect Fish. The book is about the story of the rise and fall of the Chilean Sea Bass (aka Patagonian tooth fish) as told through the lens of a single boat that attracted international media attention. The author does an excellent job of showing how little we really know about the fish that we eat. There's also an important story here about professions, like fisheries management, that get co-opted by commercial interest. How could so many fisheries experts preside over so much mismanagement and so many wiped out species without seeing the problem and trying to address it? Anyway, the book revolves around the chase of an illegal fishing boat that last over two weeks and covered the icy waters of Antarctica. The chase is compelling, but perhaps one had to be there for it to merit so many chapters. It drew me in for a while, and then I just wanted it to be over! The courtroom drama was almost the reverse: it ended without us knowing enough, and with a rather unsatisfactory result. These flaws made it a good read, not a great one.

[Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read ”Hooked: Pirates, Poaching, and the Perfect Fish” it amazed me how much effort went into trying to evade capture by the government and how little effort went into trying to prevent poaching. The regulations on the Patagonian Toothfish fishery we're not informed very well because of the distance away from shore that the fish lived and the fact that there is basically no way to identify where a fish was taken from. Some Goodreads reviews say that the book was riveting and highly engaging. I agree with these people because I read this book in the course of a single weekend. As soon as I began to read this book I couldn't put it down. There was a lot of interesting information in this book that I never knew prior to reading this such as the limit on what a population can lose and still be able to bounce back the next year. Another cool and sad thing I learned was that most fisheries biologists actually help the fisherman find better fishing grounds than actually, help conserve the fish population. Other Goodreads reviewers said that this book repeated itself very frequently and had a slow tempo. I disagree with these people because the author frequently switched between different parts of the history of the Patagonian Toothfish fishery after a point was made. This kept the story moving even if the topic wasn't that interesting in some of the sections.
One thing that I liked about this book was that every chapter built upon the previous chapter even though each took place in a drastically different setting. For example one of the chapters explained how the exportation of Toothfish to the United States was difficult because a lot of the restaurants wanted their fish fresh. This built on the previous chapter which talked about how the crew upon a fishing vessel stored their catches for the three-month-long journey. One thing that I found weak in this book was the lack of evidence other than this singular case on the problems with poaching. I think that the author should have added another reference to poaching at least in an anecdote. The fact that there was only one example provided of poaching makes readers think that the occurrence of this illegal crime doesn't happen frequently when in reality it does.
One thing that I still wonder after reading this book is how would the court case at the end of the book have impacted the world differently if the suspects were found guilty? I think that the governments of countries that struggle from the same issue as Australia would have been encouraged that they could actually fight against illegal poaching. This would cause them to put more effort into catching poachers.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truth, it’s said, is stranger than fiction, and so it is with Hooked, a real-life adventure. From a high seas chase through icy waters, to extreme courtroom drama, to an ugly bycatch fish rising from unknown to most popular food in upscale New York restaurants, much of the plot might be unbelievable if presented as fiction. But Hooked provides for readers real characters and situations, as well as a few extreme photos.

In the beginning, two plot lines intertwine. In search of novel and cheap fish to resell, a wholesaler becomes acquainted with the Patagonian toothfish. It’s large and cheap, but tastes bland and oily. Not what South Americans want, but perfect for use in North America, where 1990s nouvelle cuisine, a trend reliant on spices and sauces, transforms bland foods. Patagonian toothfish was rebranded as the more appetizing-sounding Chilean sea bass, though it’s not a bass. And the race towards overfishing these slow-growing giants was on.

Meanwhile, coastal countries in the Southern Hemisphere had laws in place to prevent other countries from overfishing their surrounding waters. Such laws were habitually ignored by modern day pirates, who fished anywhere they could get away with it. Dividing the responsibility between ship owners, captain, onboard fishing manager, and crew, each blamed another for their illegal actions that generated large incomes for all. The second plot line unfolds as an Australian Maritime Border Command (similar to US Coast Guard) ship pursues a Uruguayan ship whose crew has illegally removed huge amounts of toothfish from Australian waters. The chase continues through unbelievably cold and stormy weather. Later in the book, the battle continues in a South African courtroom.

One prominent theme is overfishing, and those who make money from fishing refusing to take responsibility for protecting species that they fish. The same story persists since whaling days, as one species after another becomes depleted due to human greed and shortsightedness. Although the Patagonian toothfish was doomed, in the 15 years since Hooked was written, reduced catches of many species have started to impact fishing regulations and practices, at least in some countries. Some populations are starting to come back, but are barely sustainable.

If you care about the world’s overfished oceans, or are up for a true-life adventure story, or if you’re curious about Chilean seabass, or enjoyed reading The Perfect Storm, I recommend checking out Hooked.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a terrific read, a non fiction tome that reads like fiction.
The manipulation of a species to satisfy the commercial leanings of the restaurant trade. The "invention" of the euphamistic "Chillean Sea Bass" to cover the tracks.
A death defying chase half way around the world in the worst weather and the planet's most dangerous ocean.
A story of massive risks, massive profits the cheapness of human life and sea life at the same time.
The morals of looking after a species that few really care about and the actions of a few brave men who try to turn the tide of imminent extinction.

Even if you don't like fish, eat fish or never read non fiction, this is a book well worth the trouble.

[Carl · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pirates were not convicted; that’s a huge shame given all of the evidence. But the reason they got off was that the Australian government couldn’t confirm their locations in the restricted zone without revealing United States secrets about the positional accuracy of the military bands of the GPS satellite system.

[Jbussen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that stayed with me for a very long time. I still think about it years after I read it. This is one of those "this is why we can't have nice things" tales.

The story in this book is multi-faceted, but all of the intertwined stories revolve around a deep sea monster known, in restaurants and fish stores, as "Chilean sea bass". The fish is, in reality, the Patagonian toothfish, which is a deep water, slow growing fish found in the southern oceans of the world. And in a little more than 2 decades, it has gone from being a species no one would eat to being one of the most expensive fish that can be ordered in any establishment. (Depleted)

The author weaves together the tale of an Australian fisheries enforcement vessel's attempt to stop a ship believe to have been fishing for toothfish illegally in Australian waters, the story of how the fish went from junk to gold in a short period of time and the problems of over fishing in our oceans. In addition, the author highlights what chefs are doing to aid in reducing the consumption of over fished species and what some countries are doing to stop poaching in waters around the world.

The book is extremely well written and the stories are really quite riveting. It is a book that is hard to put down and should be read by all who order or buy seafood. It will really make you think about what you are really getting before you order. And, that is a very important process that could help save the world's fisheries.

[Michelle Bizzell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Your experience of this book will most likely be improved by not being me. It is a fine book if you want to follow the details of a maritime chase for pirates who may or may not have been illegally fishing for toothfish (better known as Chilean Sea Bass). It is interspersed with information about toothfish and the problem of illegal fishing in general. But I wanted to know more about the fish and the industry and less about individual prosecutions. I already had a decent background on about half of what was explained because I am a fish nerd who wanted a level of detail probably detrimental to the average book. That says more about my weird niche interests than the actual quality of this book though. I did feel that for such a narrative driven book, the ending, while reflecting the truth of the situation, was somewhat abrupt and unsatisfying.

[Alex Rogers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable, well researched and written book about poaching patagonian toothfish. The book is split across two themes, one a specific chase by Australian fisheries authorities across half the Antarctic, chasing a fleeing poaching vessel - and interspersed with background chapters on the overall issue and problems with overfishing, and specifically, the international maritime laws regarding fishing, and the difficulties in establishing and enforcing these. Very interesting reading, if very specific to this species and incident - I'd like to read a more broad, definitive book on the subject too .

[Cindy DavisClark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a totally random book I came across while looking for something else in the library catalog online. Fascinating to me. The story of the "discovery" of the Chilean Sea Bass and it's promotion as a fish on menus across the USA. It was fished to near extinction in some areas of the world. This book is also the story of an Australian government boat chasing and boarding/capturing a boat that was illegally fishing in Australian waters. Both informative about something that is new to me and an adventure story. Well written nonfiction.

[Joelle Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the way Knecht weaves between the story of the chase, and telling about the destruction of the world's fisheries. I felt he was a better writer when he wasn't describing the chase. Be warned that this book will make you want to throw it across the room.

[Kandachamy Vijayakumaran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bruce Knecht is a terrific author. After 'the Old Man and the Sea', this book was such an absorbing one that I could not put down till I finished it. Patagonian toothfish is a topic I preferred to mention in every presentation I made on sustainable resource exploitation. A good read indeed!

[Trisha Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. There was so much information that was not seen or heard of on the news about this chase at the time. I don’t believe justice was served but I love that we have people out there trying to protect our ocean creatures esp the Patagonian tooth fish.

[Kelly J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truth is better than fiction. A true story of piracy at sea. A vessel is caught illegally poaching in Australian waters, the chase and logistics. The courtroom drama. A nice bit of history of fishing. I enjoyed it immensely.

[Dan]

It quickly wore thin so back it goes to the book exchange shelf in the grocery store where I found it. I no longer feel compelled to finish a tiresome book when there are far too many others calling from the stacks around the house.

[Brownguy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellently written, I devoured this book (no pun intended) Stop eating fish.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent and engaging read. Highlights the real challenges of the southern hemisphere fisheries and the difficulty in enforcing international regulations in a highly readable account.

[Jarod Theiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining Read. Gives a new perspective to the world

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a true-crime book about the fishing industry, centering on the hunt for the Chilean "toothfish" once halibut became too hard to find due to over-fishing. For marketing purposes, the Chilean toothfish became Chilean Sea Bass and this fish became the new target for over-fishing. The book centers on two boats in a chase in the Arctic Sea, one belonging to the illegal fishermen and one to the maritime police. Several famous restaurants won't sell this fish anymore because it's too difficult to prove that the fish were caught legally. I was in Stew Leonrad's the other day and noticed sea bass is selling for about $23/lb, which indicates some progress has been made.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story about Patagonian toothfish aka Chilean sea bass. Chase was interesting, legal scenes were not

[Jbussen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that stayed with me for a very long time. I still think about it years after I read it. This is one of those "this is why we can't have nice things" tales.

The story in this book is multi-faceted, but all of the intertwined stories revolve around a deep sea monster known, in restaurants and fish stores, as "Chilean sea bass". The fish is, in reality, the Patagonian toothfish, which is a deep water, slow growing fish found in the southern oceans of the world. And in a little more than 2 decades, it has gone from being a species no one would eat to being one of the most expensive fish that can be ordered in any establishment. (Depleted)

The author weaves together the tale of an Australian fisheries enforcement vessel's attempt to stop a ship believe to have been fishing for toothfish illegally in Australian waters, the story of how the fish went from junk to gold in a short period of time and the problems of over fishing in our oceans. In addition, the author highlights what chefs are doing to aid in reducing the consumption of over fished species and what some countries are doing to stop poaching in waters around the world.

The book is extremely well written and the stories are really quite riveting. It is a book that is hard to put down and should be read by all who order or buy seafood. It will really make you think about what you are really getting before you order. And, that is a very important process that could help save the world's fisheries.

[Jim Good · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is broken into three distinct story lines that are switched indiscriminately between chapters. The most compelling story line is the individual chase, capture and trail of suspected fishing pirates by Australian Fishery officials. This story has many components from the pursuit of boats in international waters all the way to the frustrations of proving in court that a piracy act actually occurred. The cooperation between Australia and South Africa to take control of a rogue boat on the high seas is countered by the many shell companies and various registering countries that the boats use to flaunt the laws. The second story line involves the marketing of fish from the individual chefs to the breaded frozen foods section. How the Pantagonia Toothfish became Chilean Seabass, the differences in regional fish tastes, and the shifting demand over time are all dealt with during this section. The last story line (and the one that really spreads across all others) is the sustainability of the ocean fisheries. Here he combines methods for determining health, regional efforts to reduce demand, and the problems with enforcement.

The book is a good introduction to the topic. It is not preachy and uses stories to illustrate its larger points.

[Eric_W · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reads like an adventure story. Knecht recounts the true story of an Australian Fisheries patrol boat chase of a pirate fishing vessel that had been taking Patagonian toothfish (commercially known as Chilean Sea Bass - how the name change occurred is also part of this story) illegally off Heard Island. The chase went on for weeks through incredibly bad weather and under the most difficult legal conditions. The ship was finally boarded with the help of the South African Navy and then sailed to Australia where the crew was put on trial. I won't spoil the ending for you by revealing the outcome.

Unfortunately, the ultimate message is not optimistic. Short of a worldwide effort to stop illegal fishing in order to prevent the total destruction of a species, I doubt that anything can be done (although the example of porpoise-safe tuna fishing might be one way.) I had difficulty putting this book down.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riveting story! Unlike any story, this truly happened.
I was assigned this book on a class, so I would of never come accross it. It is a very exciting/sad book about man's greed at whatever cost, in this case an endangered species (Patagonian toothfish) .It is an adventure story about the pursuit of poachers through Antartica. The book also explains how this species was discovered and came to be the "perfect fish" for the market. High demand and the fish's ecology ultimately led the fish stocks close to depletion. Unfortunately, this story repeats itself on and on with almost every commercial species of fish out there..
What is more fascinating about the book is how the message is delivered in a very simple way. Since I read it, I've been sharing it with my friends, passing on this true story.

[Niall519 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this made me mad. Really mad. The combinations of short-sightedness, seflishness, ignorance and greed displayed by some of the poachers, and the fish and restaurant industries behind them is hard to take.



I had a few qualms about the author's approach to the story, especially when appearing to quote people directly, but the afterword outlines a lot of his research process and sources. I'm still left a little dubious over descriptions of conversations and events that happened twenty years ago, but I guess I can live with getting the general gist of things, rather than word-perfect accuracy, in attempting to understand the background to Toothfish poaching.



It's a well told story about a pathetic situation.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!! This came to my attention via NPR -- they have the best book reviews/discussion -- anyway, back to my review ... I had no idea about the perils of over-fishing. I just assumed that eating fish was better than beef. Also, I had no clue that the fish called Chilean Sea Bass was in danger of extinction. I must say, before the book I yummied down on some sea bass and ordered it whenever I saw it on a menu. Now, I have not eaten it since the book -- what an eye opener!! Lest y'all think that the book is just a tome on the woes of the environment, it isn't!! It details one of the longest marine cop chases (for lack of a better word) in history -- RIVETING!

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is amazingly hard to find good stories about fishing, but this one's pretty good. In 2003, an Australian patrol boat chased an illegal toothfish vessel nearly 4,000 miles before the crew surrendered. It wasn't exactly a high-speed chase, but that gives plenty of room for Knecht to write a nice story about the pursuit and the wacky rise of Patagonian toothfish, aka Chilean sea bass, to culinary fame.

[Charly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know this books seems like an odd topic to be so entertaining (Chilean sea bass) but it's a captivating story! The author mixes the history of Chilean sea bass as a coveted meat and the true story of a real-live pirate chase all through the waters of Antarctica and the southern half of the world. Take a Pass on Chilean Sea Bass!

[Liza · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fantastic, I bought it for my husband, picked it up to read and never put it down. It opens your eyes to how we as a global economy destroy and deplete are resources until we are forced, by government regulation, to moderate our behaviors. The book is obviously specific to fishing but you watch the news and see how the same behavior applies to almost every resource out there.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're interested in what's happened to the commercial species of fish in our oceans over the last hundred years, this is a great read. It was fascinating to me how a consumption demand for a given fish is created and then the species is fished out. Then, a new fish is pushed on the western world and it is, in turn, fished out. That pattern cannot last forever.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story within a story. A hugh chase after fish pirates, but what I liked more was the history of the Patagonian tooth fish aka Chilean sea bass and how it went from practically worthless to "THE" item on expensive restaurants. Also how people made lots of $$ and a history of how we have fished species to near extinction.