The New Fish

“The detailed history of salmon fisheries is a bit niche, but the authors succeed in highlighting how small decisions can have big ecological consequences.” – Publishers Weekly
Journalists Saetre and Østli make their English language debut with this eye-opening overview of the damage salmon fisheries inflict on the environment and public health. Chronicling the industry’s early days in the authors’ native Norway, they describe how in 1970 brothers Sivert and Ove Grøntvedt established the first salmon farm after putting a large net filled with 16,000 young fish in the sea, and how in 1971 researcher Trygve Gjedrem started a breeding program that still provides much of the world with its salmon stock. According to the authors, the work required to sustain salmon farms had far-reaching if unintended consequences. The tight quarters led to the proliferation of salmon lice that threatened wild populations when captive fish escaped, but delousing agents proved deadly to marine life near the farms. Humans were affected, too: Farmed salmon have gray meat unless they’re fed a synthetic compound that, when consumed in large quantities, can cause vision problems in people. The detailed history of salmon fisheries is a bit niche, but the authors succeed in highlighting how small decisions can have big ecological consequences. It’s a smart if somewhat narrow appraisal of humanity’s complicated relationship with nature. Photos. (July) – Publishers Weekly
The journalists Simen Saetre and Kjetil Ostli, who spent five years studying farmed salmon, have written a 365-page exposé in the vein of Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring.” – Florence Fabricant, The New York Times
“One part muckraking, one part a love letter to salmon, if you eat, fish for, or just appreciate salmon, it’s a must read.” – Adventure Journal
“an extraordinary piece of environmental journalism.” – Gray’s Sporting Journal
“Farmed salmon is cheap, delicious, and available in most any grocery store—and if you’ve ever wondered if it was too good to be true, trust your instincts. In the eye-opening book The New Fish, authors Saetre and Ostli wade into the deep, dark waters of Big Salmon, from its start as a food fad in 1970s Norway to the global mess it’s become—and how it can be mitigated. The result of a five year investigation, the well-written tome will make you think twice the next time you want to toss some lox on that bagel.” – The Rooted Journal

Simen Sætre

Simen Sætre (b. 1974) is an investigative reporter who has been published in many languages. He has written six books, on themes including the international chocolate industry, oil states, and a spy in the Norwegian army. His thought-provoking books have been acclaimed and nominated for prizes.

Kjetil Østli

Kjetil Østli (b. 1975) is a journalist and author. He co-runs the online magazine Harvest, specializing in nature writing. He has received several prizes and awards for his reporting and his four books, and his début Cops and Robbers earned him the prestigious Brage Award.

Siân Mackie

Siân Mackie is a translator of Scandinavian literature into English. They were born in Scotland and have an MA in Scandinavian Studies and an MSc in Literary Translation as a Creative Practice from the University of Edinburgh. They have translated a wide range of works, from young adult and children’s literature—including Ingunn Thon’s A Postcard to Ollis, which was nominated for the 2021 Carnegie Medal—to thrillers and nonfiction. They live in Southampton on the south coast of England.

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