Exotic deep-sea cousins a threat to the humble cod

The humble cod, much loved but much over-fished, may soon be getting the nudge from the roughhead grenadier, the kitefin shark and other exotic co-habitants of the deep northern Atlantic. A case of "blue ling and chips, please, easy on the vinegar", is no longer the pipe-dream of a jaded palate.

Irish taste in fish was for generations considered bland in comparison to our European counterparts, not to mention the Japanese. The staple was cod, notably in its fish-finger form, plaice and whiting with a handful of traditional species. That was until research on nine under-utilised species by Irish scientists established that all nine got a higher rating than cod in taste-panel evaluations.

Irish consumers show a distinct liking for silver smelt, Greenland halibut and roughhead grenadier; "considerably higher than cod", according to findings published by the food development body Teagasc.

Strong approval ratings were also recorded for roundnose grenadier, bairds smoothhead, Portuguese and kitefin shark, blue ling and orange roughy.

What they all have in common other than a better rating than cod is that they lurk in deeper water and are not subject to the growing restraint of EU quotas. Dr Ronan Gormley, of Teagasc's National Food Centre (NFC) in Co Dublin, who was involved in the research with the Marine Institute, is not surprised at the high acceptability. "Good fish is good fish."

Irish people in the past have turned up their noses at certain fish. The grey mullet is rarely served at an Irish table, but "it has a place of prominence" in the famous fish restaurants of Brussels. This research suggests that that attitude is changing.

The institute sourced the fish. It was immediately filleted and frozen. The NFC carried out taste trials. All species were presented in the same way, in the form of breaded nuggets. These big,"weird and wonderful fish" are to be found 300 metres down. Special nets are required for deep-water trawling and long-lining. The fish have to be raised carefully because of pressure factors. But Norway has shown how new technology can be effectively applied. Iceland, the Faroes and France are rapidly following suit with growing markets in Spain, France and the US.

Landings of the species by Irish vessels are small and sporadic. But the institute's Fisheries Research Centre is already engaging in surveying to establish the extent of the various species.

More comprehensive evaluation of taste response is necessary, Dr Gormley says, including testing of their ability to be made into fish products. Fish, he adds, is rarely a problem in flavour terms: the main difficulty is bones. But these large exotic fish of the deep Atlantic have no problems on that score either.