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Commonwealth Museum   Secretary of the Commonwealth William Francis Galvin
Commonwealth Museum Secretary of the Commonwealth William Francis Galvin

Food for Thought: Fish Tales


Explorer Bartholomew Gosnold named Cape Cod for the fish that became a source of wealth.


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“The aboundance of Sea-Fish are almost beyond beleeving, and sure I should scarce have beleeved it, except I had seen it with mine owne eyes.”

- Revered Francis Higginson, 1630

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The “sacred cod” hangs above the house chamber in the Massachusetts State House, symbolizing the importance of cod to the early economy. - Copyright Salem Design, Sharon Shea
The “sacred cod” hangs above the house chamber in the Massachusetts State House, symbolizing the importance of cod to the early economy.
- Copyright Salem Design, Sharon Shea

Codfish Aristocracy
Along with domestic consumption, salted cod was sold to Catholic countries in Europe, including Spain and Portugal where eating meat was forbidden on Fridays. In a tawdry vein, cod that could not be sold on the open market because of damage or spoilage was sold to Caribbean plantations as food for African slaves. At first English merchants controlled the trade. As the colony grew, a local “codfish aristocracy” took control of fisheries.

1692 petition by merchants protesting a law prohibiting mackerel fishing by hook in May and June, arguing against the decline of mackerel stocks. Massachusetts Archive.

Mackerel . . .

1778 document mentioning the importation of ketchup to Massachusetts, likely a fish-based paste with mushrooms and walnuts, attempting to replicate the Chinese sauce 'ke-tsiap.' Also lists peanuts, almonds, and raisins. Massachusetts Archives.

Ketchup . . .

Shellfish were important to the Wampanoag diet. Colonists included them but preferred other foods. - Plimoth Plantation
Shellfish were important to the Wampanoag diet. Colonists included them but preferred other foods.
- Plimoth Plantation

Sea Shells
Lobsters were abundant in the seventeenth century, sometimes reaching a weight of 25 pounds. They were not considered to be highly desirable but ranked higher on the food chain than shellfish for English colonists. Perhaps a weight of 25 pounds would limit the popularity of lobsters for some people today. Clams and other shellfish were valued by native people. European colonists also relied on them but later associated these foods with early poverty in the New World.

What’s in a Word: Scrod
 “Scrod” is derived from the Dutch word “schrode” (meaning strip.) It refers to the process of making fish filets. Used in Massachusetts by 1849, the term applied to cod filets at first but now may include haddock or other white fish.