History of Cod reveals the astonishing story of how an ordinary fish became a global food and helped trigger an international conflict. From the cold waters of Scandinavia to Newfoundland, Europe, the Caribbean, and North America, history of cod is a story of voyages, trade, religion, and the struggle to control the sea.

Cod history begins with a remarkable biological advantage: cod has very little fat, allowing it to be dried and preserved for long periods. The Vikings turned it into stockfish, Basque sailors developed salted cod, and European demand transformed cod fish into a valuable Atlantic commodity. History of cod also reached Portugal, Nigeria, Jamaica, and colonial New England.

00:00: One Fish, Five Cultures
02:00: Why Cod Could Be Preserved
04:00: Vikings and Stockfish
06:00: The Basque Secret
08:00: The Church and Cod
10:00: The Cod Trade
12:00: Cod and the Caribbean
14:00: Cod Builds New England
16:00: Cod and America
18:00: The Fight for Fishing Grounds
20:00: Cod Wars
22:00: The Collapse of the Fishery
24:00: What Happened to Cod?

Cod Wars were about far more than fish. They were a struggle over control of the ocean, while cod fish became part of cultures around the world. Cod history ultimately raises a bigger question: how much can humanity take from the ocean before a resource disappears?

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